Dems race to back Clinton even before 2016 announcement
High-profile Democrats are jumping on the Ready for Hillary bandwagon, supporting Clinton for president before she even enters the race -- boosting her presumptive candidacy and potentially their own political fortunes.
Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Al Franken, D-Minn., are among the biggest names to get on board -- positioning themselves in a familiar game in which early supporters are often rewarded with plum administration jobs or some political favor if their candidate wins.
Its a time-honored tradition, said Joe Trippi, a Democratic strategist and Fox News contributor. And a lot of candidates remember who was there early, who was willing to take the leap.
What makes Clintons case so remarkable is the number of soft endorsements from A-list Democrats before she has officially announced whether she will run.
Kaine was among the first, telling a gathering of female Democrats in South Carolina this spring that Clinton is the right person for the job.
So Im doing my bit now to encourage Hillary Clinton to run, he said.
Clinton appears to have plenty of encouragement, including extraordinary early-polling numbers.
A recent averaging of polls by RealClearPolitics.com shows her leading all potential Democratic White House candidates with 61.5 percent of the likely vote -- 49.2 percentage points ahead of her closest potential challenger, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Though Clinton also enjoyed the lead in early polls in her 2008 presidential run, such numbers appear enticing for politicians, donors and others looking for perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have a friend in the White House and even land a top appointment.
Franken is among the most recent to give his support.
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Dems race to back Clinton even before 2016 announcement