July 16, 2007
Posted: July 16th, 2007 04:44 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, the husband of outed CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, announced Monday that he is endorsing New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.

"I have known Hillary Clinton for a decade. She is the one candidate who, in my judgment, understands the need to get Americans out of harm’s way and to move this to a political process,” Wilson said in a statement. “She knows what to do. She has the leadership. On day one, she will be able to reach out to the international community, and I am delighted to fight the fight with her."

Wilson accused the White House of intentionally leaking his wife's covert role to the press after he contested the administration's original reasons for going to war. Clinton praised his opposition for the war and his role in the court case involving his wife.

"Joe Wilson has stood up to this administration and held it accountable for the misinformation that led us into the Iraq war,” Clinton said in a statement. “I’m so pleased that we share the goal of ending this war so that we can begin bringing our troops home safely."

– CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

Filed under: Hillary Clinton


Bob, Papillion NE   July 18th, 2007 11:29 am ET

Thanks to all who explained to me who Wilson is. I really do know who he is, and the saga leading up to the US invasion of Iraq. I'm also well aware of what happened to his wife. I just don't care one bit about his endorsement for President and I marvel that CNN would think it newsworthy.

Anonymous   July 17th, 2007 5:19 pm ET

Well then his "judgment" is horrible. I wish people would wake up and listen to Ron Paul.

Lily, Newbury Park, CA   July 17th, 2007 2:06 pm ET

To answer Bob, Joe Wilson is a former ambassador and to me, an aspiring foreign relations student, is a huge influence. And Senator Clinton's proposal, LoooseyGoosey, is to withdrawl most troops, but leave a residual force to train the Iraqi army and keep the peace, basically. The full version can be found on her website, and at this point in the campaign, I'm sure you'll find that it's the most comprehensive and the most pragmatic plan for the future of Iraq proposed by any candidate.

I've heard that Wilson's endorsement may have some pull in the blogsphere where Clinton still faces an incredible amount of biase and double standards. (Example: Obama's idea is to leave a smaller amount of troops in Iraq, a vague statement that caused absolutely no outburst. But if the same had come out of Clinton's mouth, she would've faced huge critism from the bloggers.) But for the most part, Hillary Clinton's support is already there, and it isn't changing much in the near future. Most people already have their biases of her and no matter what she does, nothing much is going to change. But an endorsement is an endorsement, even if it's just another to add to her already long list.

Tom - Dedham, Mass   July 17th, 2007 1:49 pm ET

He totally believed it before he even went to Niger and he along with his wife and yes, Richard Armitage were no friends of the adminstration or the war.

While checking his credentials on some search engine you may run into the fact that much of what he said in front of Congress was flat out untrue and proven so.

His wife has given a multitude of answers on if she had anything to do with sending him there.

Now I am not suggesting there was a plan to ambush the president, but you have to wonder how these three who hated Bush and were against the war ended up being central figures in this whole mess and Armitage,the individual who actually admitted to spilling the beans on her has NEVER BEEN ADMONISHED by the other two.

This whole deal isn't as cut and dry as many of you think, there are still questions unanswered on BOTH sides of the issue.

Congrats to Hillary for geting his endorsement though.

Don Broome, Cumming, GA   July 17th, 2007 1:34 pm ET

Is it really newsworthy that Joe Wilson has endorsed Hillary Clinton? Come on. he and his "outed" wife, Valerie, have been Clinton lackeys for a long time. I wish the main stream media would stop this "covert" business. Why don't they, and you, tell the public she had come in from the cold a long time ago, and was an analyst at the CIA. The Wilson/Plame matter has stunk from day one.

DON'T VOTE FOR HUCKABEE, Hot Springs, Arkansas   July 17th, 2007 1:03 pm ET

Why doesn't America see that the Clintons are just as corrupt as every other politician? Bill Clinton is very coresmatic, I'll give him that, but if you can recall, his impeachment trial wasn't about his infidelities. As a former governor of Arkansas, he was well known for his many infidelities, cocaine and drug use, and laundering. We just elected him president to get him out of our state.

WakeUpAmerica   July 17th, 2007 9:18 am ET

He's the guy whose wife was a victim of treason.

Hillary doesn't seem to understand that actions speak louder than words. She hasn't done much of anything to convey that she's the "one candidate" who can do any of the things Wilson mentioned.

This most recent effort to pull the troops out of Iraq is getting so much media attention, but several months ago, Obama authored legislation to get the troops out by the Spring of 2008, as well.

More than half of probable voters have already said they definitely would not vote to elect Hillary. Nominating her would be suicide for the Dems.

Mrs. America   July 17th, 2007 3:54 am ET

Bob, There are a lot of articles about Joseph Wilson's belief that Bush was feeding the people wrong info before the Iraq war. Just run a search on his name and you'll get all of the background info, at least what the press has reported.

Danny, Houston, Tx   July 17th, 2007 12:33 am ET

I really hope Hillary wins. We need the Clintons back in the White House.

sonny c. v.p.,la.   July 16th, 2007 9:24 pm ET

Who is Joe Wilson? A decent human being who felt the wrath of the Republican Slime Machine for not playing ball w/ the boys on such a mundane issue like pre-emptive war in that area of tranquility,the Mid-East.

Mark, Lavallette, NJ   July 16th, 2007 8:21 pm ET

Joe Wilson stood up to the Bush administration, but Hillary didn't. This endorsement is bizarre.

Bruce, Franklin, TN   July 16th, 2007 7:51 pm ET

I'm with you, Bob. Joe Wilson is nothing more than a second rate bureaucrat.

Nick, Abingdon, MD   July 16th, 2007 7:49 pm ET

Bob, this guy is just another in a long line of patriots who have been abused by the current administration.

Tom Dedham, Mass   July 16th, 2007 7:42 pm ET

Who sent you Joe and why?

Why have both you and your wife lied about details of the who what, where, how and why of this whole charade and since it was proven that you lied in front of congress, who cares what you think?

You fit right in with Billary and her teflon crowd, you know, the ones where nothing sticks to em'.

LoooseyGoosey   July 16th, 2007 7:23 pm ET

“I’m so pleased that we share the goal of ending this war so that we can begin bringing our troops home safely.”

Hey Hillary,
Please tell us how you purpose ending the war before bringing our troops home??

ReadBtwthlins   July 16th, 2007 7:19 pm ET

Wilson is nobody and his wife’s covert role had long since past. That’s why no one was prosecuted for "leaking her name". This was a non story of a guy who filed a meaningless report. A report that the dems and media still like to twist and spin to express their hatred for Bush. An excellent example of media corruption at work.

Bob, Papillion NE   July 16th, 2007 6:42 pm ET

And who is this guy, that we should care about his endorsement for any candidate at all?

JLE, Seattle WA   July 16th, 2007 6:22 pm ET

Didn't Hillary vote for the Iraq War? That sounds like great understanding to me!

Glenda, McEwen, TN   July 16th, 2007 6:07 pm ET

Bring them home Hillary and move us forward in a postive direction! I know you can and that's why I'll be casting my vote for you in 08.

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