Jerry McNerney: Energy Expert

From the San Jose Mercury News:

Posted on Thu, Nov. 02, 2006

Clinton stumps for candidate
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen and Josh Richman
MediaNews

EX-PRESIDENT RALLIES SUPPORT FOR POMBO OPPONENT MCNERNEY

STOCKTON - A thousand people stood in the rain for two hours Wednesday night waiting to hear former President Bill Clinton speak to faithful Democrats and rally support for congressional candidate Jerry McNerney in his battle with Rep. Richard Pombo.

Clinton didn't disappoint.

The enthralled crowd hung on Clinton's every word, a 40-minute treatise on why America should elect Democrats on Nov. 7.

But the biggest thrill belonged to McNerney, who introduced the political icon of the left and found himself the subject of the charismatic speaker.

Three months ago, the Pleasanton two-time congressional candidate could barely get party leaders on the telephone and was expected to lose in the Republican district to Pombo, a seven-term incumbent from Stockton.

But in the past 10 days, top California Democrats have stumped for McNerney, and a recent poll shows the two men in a statistical dead heat.

Clinton, wearing a dark suit jacket, blue shirt and red tie topped by his trademark shock of white hair, said it was time to elect an energy expert to Congress who will help wean the nation off its oil addiction.

McNerney, who has a doctorate in mathematics, has been a wind energy consultant.

``The thing I like best about sending Jerry McNerney to Congress is that he has the expertise to help us build a clean energy economy,'' Clinton said. ``We ought to have someone in Congress with actual knowledge about energy.''