Hamilton endorses Obama

U.S. Senator Barack Obama has won the endorsement of former U.S. Representative Lee H. Hamilton, the current President & Director of the Wilson International Center who also serves on the President’s Homeland Security Advisory Council. Hamilton co-chaired the commission that investigated the September 11 terrorist attacks, headed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and served as co-chair of President George W. Bush’s Iraq Study Group. Hamilton, considered by many to be a top foreign policy expert, said he was impressed by Obama’s approach. “I read his national security and foreign policy speeches, and he comes across to me as pragmatic, visionary and tough,” Hamilton said in an interview.

According to Julianna Goldman, of Bloomberg, the 34-year veteran of the House of Representatives also said Obama, “impresses me as a person who wants to use all the tools of presidential power.” Wilson, who also serves as director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University, has written numerous books and articles on foreign policy, and is said to have been under consideration as a potential running mate for Bill Clinton. Last week he offered commentary on where we stand with regard to the situation in Iraq, and called for a new vision from whoever succeeds Bush in the Oval Office – this endorsement suggests he is most optimistic about progress there with Barack Obama’s hand steering the ship of state.