Sep. 22: Today in a special telephone conference call with reporters, Tom Nee, the president of the National Association Of Police Organizations, announced his organization's support and endorsement of the Obama-Biden team.
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In opening remarks addressed to Senator Biden, Nee announced:
"it's my great honor this morning to pledge to you, and to commit to you, the support of 287,000 police officers from around the country -- representative of about 2,000 organizations that have pledged their support to your candidacy, and to the candidacy of Barack Obama, as the next president and vice president of the United States."
After his endorsement announcement, Nee explained, "Joe, I've got to tell you, man to man. We've been great friends, and you've worked so very hard on behalf of the American people for a very long period of time. We know that we can count on you," Nee added. "You have a proven track record. You've never talked the talk. You've walked the walk ..."
After thanking Nee for the support, Sen. Biden responded, "And, look, here's the thing I can commit to you guys and to the women in your organization -- we are going to reestablish he crime bill. We are going to put another 50,000 cops on the street. We are going to provide for the kind of technological health you guys need."
Biden continued, "Tommy, I promise you, I guarantee you -- I would not have joined this ticket unless I was absolutely convinced that Barack's voting record would be exactly how he will govern as president. So it's a big deal. And we're not going to do anything, literally, without asking you guy to the table. You know what you need. You know what the problems are."
The National Association of Police Organizations represents 2,000+ unions and associations, with 238,000 law enforcement officers and 11,000 retired officers. It also includes 100,000+ citizen members who "share a common dedication to fair and effective crime control and law enforcement."
Senator Biden, representing the Obama-Biden team, was a guest speaker on the last day of the NAPO Convention on August 4; Senator McCain was invited as well, but sent a surrogate, the former governor of Oklahoma, Frank Keating.
Each speaker got about half of the votes but neither had a required two-thirds majority, so The Executive Board set up a meeting on September 20 to decide who NAPO would endorse in the 2008 presidential elections. Today they announced their endorsement goes to Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden.