Obama Endorses "Democratic Nominee" For Mayor (Thompson)

The wondering can stop: President Obama has endorsed City Comptroller Bill Thompson in the NYC mayoral race. Although he didn't make the endorsement himself—press secretary Robert Gibbs announced it. According to the Daily Politics, Gibbs said, "The president is the leader of the Democratic Party and, as that, would support the Democratic nominee."

Is it weird that Gibbs didn't mention Thompson's name? Gibbs also said, "The president obviously has had a chance to, throughout campaigning and his time both as a candidate and as a president, to meet, know and work with Mayor Bloomberg and obviously has a tremendous amount of respect for what he's done as well."

No matter: Thompson's campaign released this statement from the candidate, "I am grateful and encouraged to receive the support of the President of the United States, especially on the day that Barack Obama is named a Nobel Prize Winner. 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. I am deeply honored and thank our President for his support and confidence that I will be the next mayor of New York City."