Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Associated Press - December 18, 2007
"You don't want somebody in there that is young or a rookie at politics," Johnson said Tuesday at a raucous rally in support of presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. "We want somebody in there that knows what they're doing because this job is so huge."
Johnson, a former star with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, joined with former President Clinton to promote the New York senator's campaign. Implicit in Johnson's comments was the suggestion that Hillary Clinton had more experience than her rivals Barack Obama, who has served in the U.S. Senate since January 2005 and John Edwards, who spent one term as a senator.
Speaking in a packed high school gymnasium, Johnson kept up the comparisons between basketball and politics.
"The more I practiced the better I became," said Johnson, who won five NBA championships with the Lakers. "That's why I support Senator Clinton, because she is the only one with 30 years of experience."
Johnson said he has been good friends with the Clintons since they were in the White House and gave him advice on how to bring economic development - such as stores and movie theaters - to impoverished neighborhoods across the country.
He said that's a big reason he has endorsed the senator.
"When I looked at her track record ... she has done an amazing job," he said of the former first lady, calling her "a woman of action and not just words."
Johnson also has started a national chain of home-loan centers and advocated for HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness.
Sharing the stage with Johnson, Bill Clinton called his wife the best presidential candidate he has met. He acknowledged that other Democrats have offered plans for solving the country's problems, but he said they haven't delivered on their promises.
"There's a great deal of difference between a good vision and a good plan and being able to change your lives," he said. "She's the best at that."
071218
AP071240
Copyright © 2007 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2007. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .