Murtha debuts on campaign trail for Clinton

"Campaign - Presidential"

03/25/2008

LATROBE, Pennsylvania (CNN) – Rep. John Murtha's endorsement of Hillary Clinton on March 18 came at a welcome moment for the Democratic candidate: it was only her second endorsement from a superdelegate over the course of several weeks.

On Monday evening in his home district, the anti-war champion and 17-term congressman campaigned with Clinton for the first time and explained his presidential pick.

"Let me tell you something," Murtha said, taking the microphone from Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. "I have served with seven presidents, and they all got gray hair except for Reagan. Anybody that’s been in the White House for eight years knows how tough it is, understands, has the experience that you need to be president of the United States."

Murtha said he is "convinced that we are in one of the worst situations that I have seen in the 35 years I have been in Congress," but argued that Clinton is “a person that understands the policy" who can restore "our credibility worldwide."

Rendell praised him for vocalizing his opposition to the Iraq war in 2005 and joked that "Jack Murtha is so important to Pennsylvania and has done so much for us that I almost considered having the historic commission put up one of those markers outside his house."

Clinton said she was honored to have Murtha's endorsement.