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This time, Casey endorses Clinton early

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U.S. Sen. Bob Casey did today what he refused to do seven years ago.
The senator from Scranton endorsed former first lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president.
Back in 2008, Mr. Casey endorsed Sen. Barack Obama at the outset of the future president’s six-day, mostly-by-bus tour of Pennsylvania during the incredible six-week primary election campaign in Pennsylvania between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama.
Actually, Mr. Casey endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton. Mrs. Clinton’s web site skips her maiden name, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Casey included it because of the Rodham name’s meaning to Scrantonians. (In case, you’ve been in a coma for the last 25 years, Mrs. Clinton’s father, Hugh Rodham, was born and raised in Scranton.)
Anyway, this is what Mr. Casey said.
“Today, I’m proud to announce my endorsement of Hillary Rodham Clinton to be the 45th President of the United States. Hillary has dedicated her life to public service and the fight for everyday Americans. Having served with her in the Senate, I know she has always been a strong advocate for the middle class and I’m confident she will work tirelessly to ensure that Pennsylvania families have the chance to get ahead and stay ahead. I hope you will join me in standing with Hillary — sign up now to be a part of her team.
The “sign up now to be part of her team” links to her campaign website.
The endorsement itself is interesting. Not too long ago, Mr. Casey said it was too early to endorse anyone, though that was before she even announced her campaign.
Seven years ago, Mr. Casey planned to avoid endorsing anyone because he wanted to act as a healer between the Clinton and Obama camps after primary season ended, but he changed his mind and endorsed Mr. Obama partly because he saw the enthusiasm Mr. Obama generated in his own daughters.
“I believe in this guy like I’ve never believed in a candidate in my life, except for my father,” Mr. Casey told reporters in Pittsburgh after endorsing Mr. Obama.
At the time, he called Mrs. Clinton “a great leader and a great senator,” and said no matter who wins the primary, “We’re going to elect a Democrat as president of the United States.”
Back then, some people thought Mr. Casey’s endorsement of Mr. Obama was payback because the Clintons refused to allow the senator’s father, the late Gov. Robert P. Casey, speak against abortion at the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York City where Bill Clinton was officially nominated as the Democratic hopeful for president. The Clinton camp has always denied that’s what happened.
Although the Caseys were hurt and unhappy about it, maybe even a little bit still in 2008, I never thought Mr. Casey endorsed Mr. Obama to teach Mrs. Clinton a lesson. That’s just not his style.
The endorsement of Mr. Obama happened March 28, 2012, much later in the presidential campaign than this endorsement.
It’s a sure sign that Mr. Casey considers Mrs. Clinton unbeatable in the Democratic primary and wants other Democrats to rally around her right away.
You can bet his early endorsement carries a more practical aspect, too. He wants a Democrat in the White House again and he knows Mrs. Clinton needs to raise a lot of money to win next year. He doesn’t want any money wasted on a contested primary election and will do everything he can to help her avoid that, even if publicly he says anyone is free to run.
Mr. Casey sees what many Democrats do. They don’t think anybody in the Republican field can beat Mrs. Clinton and they’re looking forward to 16 years of Democratic rule of the White House.
Of course, the election is 19 months away and that’s a lifetime in politics as 2008 showed, but Democrats are out there again thinking, “Yes We Can.”
— BORYS KRAWCZENIUK


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