Sen. Hillary Clinton picked up the endorsement of Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl today (Friday, March 14). The 27-year-old mayor announced his support for the New York senator during a "Solutions for America" rally at the Soldiers & Sailors Military Museum & Memorial here. Clinton has already been endorsed by Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and currently leads by double digits in recent polls of likely voters in the Keystone State.

The Clinton campaign is depending on a victory in Pennsylvania to help it stay in the race after suffering a string of losses in February. Clinton picked up much-needed victories in Texas and Ohio on March 4 but still lags behind Sen. Barack Obama in the race for delegates.

Earlier today Clinton stopped at the Curran Golf Gas Station to lay out her plan for bringing down gas prices and coming up with alternative energy. She spoke to reporters, gas station owner Jay Curran and local families affected by record $3.32 a gallon gas prices.

Clinton proposed a $50 billion strategic energy fund, putting 2,000 hybrid school buses on the road and giving Detroit auto makers aide to come up with more fuel-efficient vehicles. She called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate market manipulation of wholesale oil markets.

In between talking policy, Clinton also took the opportunity to knock the Bush Administration and her opponents’ records.

“I gotta tell you, I will not be a president who holds hands with the Saudis, I will hold the Saudis accountable,” Clinton said.

“I think it’s time we kicked the oil men out of the White House. Unfortunately, despite a lot of talk about clean energy, Sen. Obama voted for Dick Cheney’s budget-busting tax breaks for big oil. And Sen. McCain opposes eliminating them.”

The Obama campaign quickly fired back. “Sen. Clinton’s taken thousands of dollars from oil lobbyists in this campaign, so she should know that we’re not going to kick the oil men out of the White House by taking their money to get in,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.

Amy Chozick reports on the presidential race from Pittsburgh for the Wall Street Journal
March 14, 2008, 6:25 pm