Earlier this week when Local 100 of TWU (Transport Workers Union) threw its support behind mayoral candidate Bill Thompson, the underdog Democrat was thrilled.
Well, the candidate must be clearly ecstatic upon learning Friday he has earned the endorsement of President Obama.
The endorsement came via the president’s press secretary Robert Gibbs. “The president is the leader of the Democratic Party and as that would support the Democratic nominee,” Gibbs told a reporter concerning the mayoral race.
“The president obviously has had a chance to, throughout campaigning and his time both as a candidate and as president, to meet, know and work with Mayor Bloomberg and obviously has a tremendous amount of respect for what he’s done as well,” Gibbs added.
For several months now, Obama has been dropping hints about his respect and appreciation of Thompson and his campaign. His shout out to him at the NAACP’s Centennial Annual Convention here in the city is indicative of that admiration.
“I am grateful and encouraged to receive the support of the Presidentof the United States, especially on the day that Barack Obama is nameda Nobel Prize Winner,” Thompson said in a press release. “It is a point of personal pride to receive this endorsement since I made my final decision to run for mayor of this great city while waiting on line to vote for President Obama.
“New Yorkers supported President Obama in historic numbers on November 4, 2008 and I look forward to that same support on November 3, 2009,” Thompson continued. “I am deeply honored and thank our President for his support and confidence that I will be the next mayor of New York City.”
Also this week, Thompson, who appears to be closing that enormous gap that separated him from Mayor Bloomberg, received, unsurprisingly, endorsements from the state’s senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillebrand.