New York Gov. Spitzer to endorse Clinton By MARC HUMBERT, Associated Press Writer
ALBANY, N.Y. - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer will put an end to questions about his support for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid with an endorsement next week.
"New Yorkers know first hand how effective Hillary is as a leader, which is why her support runs deep in this state," Spitzer said Tuesday. "As senator she has capably represented New Yorkers and together with countless other supporters I look forward to sharing with the rest of the country the values and strengths that will make her an excellent president."
Spitzer had thus far put off an endorsement, saying it was premature.
The event Monday is expected to draw a host of other New York Democrats, including state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Gov. David Paterson.
For months, Spitzer has hedged about an endorsement of Clinton, who leads national polls for the Democratic nomination. But the governor had dropped enough hints that the endorsement really came down to a guessing game about when — not if — it would happen.
"What an amazing president she will be for every person in this country," Spitzer gushed last month when the two spoke before a teachers' convention in Washington.
New York Democrats have generally lined up behind Clinton with a few exceptions: state Sen. Bill Perkins, a former New York City Council member, recently endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record)'s presidential bid.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign defended the Republican's position on abortion anew Tuesday after a report surfaced that he donated to Planned Parenthood in the 1990s.
The Politico reported that the former New York City mayor and his then-wife, Donna Hanover, contributed money at least six times to the abortion-rights group, according to federal tax returns that the couple filed jointly and that have been public for years.
The publication said the documents show that Giuliani made personal donations to national, state and city chapters of Planned Parenthood totaling $900 in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999.
"Mayor Giuliani has been consistent in his position — he is personally opposed to abortion, but at the same time he understands it is a personal and emotional decision that should ultimately be left up to the woman," Maria Comella, a campaign spokeswoman, said in a statement Tuesday.
"From the start Mayor Giuliani has been straight with the American people about where he stands on the issues and saying exactly what he thinks," Comella said. "Ultimately this election is about leadership and it's a sign of leadership to stand by your position in the face of political expediency."
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley has offered a rare bit of commentary on the 2008 presidential contest, praising an energy plan offered by Democrat Chris Dodd.
Bradley, whose bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000 nearly upended the campaign of then-Vice President Al Gore, said Dodd's plan was significant because it includes "meaningful" financial incentives for corporations to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment.
"These measures may be politically risky, but they are necessary," Bradley said in a statement. "Chris Dodd gets it, and his energy plan reflects the fact that we need honest and bold action if we are going to be serious about ending global warming."
Among other things, the Connecticut senator wants to tax corporations on their carbon emissions, which he said would raise $50 billion annually to fund research and development of renewable technologies.
Nearly all the Democratic presidential candidates have spoken out on issue of climate change. Most back some form of a "cap-and-trade" system that sets limits on carbon emissions and makes companies pay for producing greenhouse gases, but none other than Dodd has called for a corporate carbon tax.
In his book "The New American Way," released in March, Bradley calls for reducing American dependence on foreign oil by raising fuel economy standards and placing a new tax on gasoline. |
