Former LA Lakers’ star Magic Johnson endorses predsidential candidate Hillary Clinton

In the light of the upcoming 2008 presidential election, the race is on and as big name stars begin to show support to their favorite contender, former Los Angeles Lakers mega-star Magic Johnson officially endorsed candidate and former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during a party Friday, Sept. 14 at his Beverely Hills home, according to an AP story published on the Topix Web site. The gathering, which was staged just days after TV host Oprah Winfrey held a similar fund raising event for candidate Barack Obama at her seaside estate, represents what some analysts have labeled a Democratic face off for one of the party’s key voting groups - blacks.

Although Johnson’s party was less lavish than the latter - Winfrey’s charade raised $3 million and featured celebrity comic Chris Rock and big-time actor Forest Whitaker - independent polls still show that California’s black vote remains divided between Clinton and Obama. Because of the clout her husband established with the group during his years in office, Clinton has gained a stable following and cites her years of experience and public advocacy as reasons why she would be a better candidate than her Democratic competitor. “My attitude is, I don’t deserve anyone’s vote. I have to earn everyone’s vote,” Clinton said. The senator also participated in a public forum in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts, at which Obama also spoke.

Johnson, the NBA Hall-of-Fame legend, is credited helped transform the status of the league during the 1990s with his phenomenal dribbling and passings skills, making the NBA a multi-million dollar organization. The basketball star has his own enterprise dealing with everything from movie theaters to health clubs, has major clout in the business world. He has publicly endorsed the Democratic party and also continues to stay in close contact with the Lakers, acting as an official supporter of the team in many situations. To show your support, make sure to grab a pair of Lakers tickets for the upcoming season at Stubhub.com.

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