Sen. Whitehouse backs Clinton

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) became the fourth senator to endorse Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for the presidency Wednesday, citing her leadership skills as qualifying her for the job.

{mosads}“I’m proud to endorse Senator Hillary Clinton to be our next president,” Whitehouse said in a statement. “Her smart, tough, experienced leadership will be critically important as we work to bring our troops home from Iraq, reform our healthcare system to cover more American families, and solve the energy challenges of the 21st century.”

Clinton’s camp announced that Whitehouse would join the campaign team as a co-chairman for her Rhode Island campaign. Former president Bill Clinton had appointed Whitehouse as U.S. attorney, a post he held until 1998, when he became the state's attorney general. Whitehouse was elected to the Senate last November.

Whitehouse joins Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) in supporting Clinton. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has given funds to Clinton’s campaign through her political action committee, which many observers view as a tacit endorsement.