Glenn to endorse Kerry

[maddezmom]

Tom Diemer
Plain Dealer Reporter

John Glenn, the former senator and astronaut and a presidential candidate himself 20 years ago, will endorse Sen. John Kerry in his bid for the Democratic nomination Wednesday in Toledo.

Glenn, who retired from the Senate in January 1999, does not usually endorse in Democratic primaries. But he is breaking precedent for Kerry, the front-runner, heading into the March 2 primaries and caucuses in Ohio, California, New York and seven other states.

The two men served together in the Senate for 14 years. When Glenn campaigned for Kerry as a candidate for the Senate in Massachusetts, Kerry returned the favor in Ohio. They also share a military background Kerry is a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, and Glenn flew fighter jets for the Marines in World War II and Korea.

Kerry has made support from veterans a cornerstone of his campaign.

~snip~

more: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1077618813232533.xml

[Care Bear]

1. So

why did he wait so long?

Glenn only agrees with 1/2 the things Kerry says; in other words, the flips and not the flops. Now it's obvious Kerry is being crowned and here comes the rest of the endorsements.

Business as usual.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Timing is everything, Care Bear. Got anything to back up your claims?

[Care Bear]

14. I could google it, but

it's not worth it.

Others have posted Kerry's contradictory positions and I'm sure you've seen them detailed on DU.

However, it just takes common sense to realize that Glenn was way to the right of Kerry's voting record, so he wouldn't jump on the bandwagon until the DNC pushed him.

We need Ohio to beat Bush, eh?

[sadiesworld]

2. Great endorsement for Kerry!

[Darth_Kitten]

6. Why?

John Glenn is just an irrelevant old grump. :D Sorry, nothing against endorsements, just this guy is opportunist.

[NNN0LHI]

11. Not if you live in Ohio I have been told

Be really nice to win Ohio.

don

[displacedtexan]

12. You must be too young to remember the national adoration...

of John Glenn.

Even yo-yo made a colossal comeback with the "around the world 3 times" trick.

Glenn's trip around the planet was the first time we watched TV in school.

This is really a big fucking deal.

[molly]

4. More great news - it just keeps coming!

[maddezmom]

7. it's been a good morning :)

[Darth_Kitten]

5. John Glenn is a.........

misogynist. Didn't have the guts to support women in the space program.

Have no respect for the old dude. Good buuuyeeee.

[molly]

13. Have some respect! I lived in Ohio when he was in the space

program the first time. You obviously haven't done your research. You only make yourself look immature and bad.

[Forkboy]

16. Yeah...have some respect

for the guy who didn't want women in the space program!

[w4rma]

18. Times change and Glenn deserves a LOT of respect, IMHO. (n/t)

[mgarretson]

8. I must confess...

I'm a yougin! Can't even :beer: until June! (legally at least) So maybe you older folks can clue me in on John Glenn's impact on the party and if his endorsement means much? Was he just a celebrity because of the astronaut thing or did he really do some good? THe only thing I remember is him going back into space a few years back.

Thanks!

From Ckark Country,
I'm Another Clarkie for Kerry!

[opihimoimoi]

9. Over all, this is good news

a Deanie for Kerry

[Emperor_Norton_II]

10. Glenn's impact

Glenn as a Democrat was a pretty good, if fairly conservative, Senator from 1974 to the mid-to-late 90s, IIRC. So there he's one of the Great Grey Eminences of the modern party.

Glenn as symbol is probably even more important. As a youngin you weren't there, but that "celebrity because of the astronaut thing" was a hell of a lot bigger back in the day. To a lot of baby boomers who were in grade school at the time, John Glenn was the hero of their childhoods.

It's not much since he left the Senate, but having the support of a 100% Legitimate Historical Real American Hero is a pretty nice catch for the Kerry campaign.

[oasis]

17. Glenn was proud to be a representative of the "sensible center" of the

political spectrum.

[KittyWampus]

15. Glenn Is From A Different Era Folks... When Conservatives On Both Sides

of the Aisle were a different breed all together.

Hell, even Nixon gave a real, substantive nod to environmental issues.