Dem Candidates Courting Richardson For Endorsement
Bill Richardson's own presidential campaign might have failed to catch on, but he's become a key coveted endorsement for the remaining candidates. The Washington Post reports that in the last couple days alone he's been called by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, his former boss Bill Clinton, Hillary supporter Ed Rendell, and Obama supporter — and his old political mentor — Ted Kennedy.
Richardson is undecided on whether to endorse, but if he does he will do so by the end of the week. "If I do endorse, it's going to be a gut feeling. It's not going to be about statistics, about past ties," Richardson said. "I've been on the campaign trail with both of them. I feel that I know them."
Comments (33)
Keith A wrote on January 29, 2008 9:09 AM:Just a gut feeling he will go with Obama!
E. wrote on January 29, 2008 9:14 AM:Bill Richardson later this week, Al Gore early next.
For Obama.
WWNPHD wrote on January 29, 2008 9:17 AM:"It's not going to be about...past ties." Exactly, this election is about the future. I think he made his choice clear.
TheraP wrote on January 29, 2008 9:17 AM:Richardson's endorsement would help hugely with Hispanics. And, being married to one, I say.... Richardson, Go-Bama!
Why is Gore waiting! Let's get this show on the road!
ChrisNBama wrote on January 29, 2008 9:27 AM:TheraP,
I think Gore got burned by endorsing Dean in '04. I'm not comparing Obama to Dean, but Gore may be reluctant to embrace an insurgent as a result.
Moreover, Gore really has transcended party affiliations. In a role normally reserved for a former President, Gore is an Elder Statesman representing the core values of the United States to the rest of the world.
I would truly be surprised if he involves himself in a democratic primary endorsement. If he does though, it will be huge. It means he's willing to take a hit because he truly believes in the message of the candidate.
hello_world wrote on January 29, 2008 9:28 AM:I'm an Obama supporter, but I can't see Richardson making the types of waves that would be caused by him endorsing Obama. Too much history between him and the Clinton's and sense he didn't jump into the NM Senate race, he'll be looking for a job soon. Backing Clinton is the politically safe choice at this time for him, and he's got some makeup to do for the perceived "deal" he made to flip support to Obama in Iowa.
I also think that the Clinton's have the political muscle to force him to make the endorsement instead of sitting sideline.
Honestly, I get the feeling that this one is already a done deal, and the news about Obama and Kennedy calls is only out to raise the level of expectation for a Richardson endorsement for maximum impact going into the weekend.
Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised. But for now, I'm marking Richardson in camp Clinton. The endorsement itself won't help her, but she'll do just about anything to keep a high profile endorsement from a Latino away from Obama at this point.
grover_rover wrote on January 29, 2008 9:30 AM:If Richardson endorses Hillary he is a big fat hypocrite for all that talk during debates about getting along and playing clean. He knows damn well, just like Kennedy and everyone else, that the Clintons have been playing dirty as hell, and I think her endorsements are drying up because of it...no one wants to endorse those tactics, and that's exactly what that would mean.
Plleeeaassee endorse Obama, he needs that Latino vote, it would be a perfect way to try to bridge the racial divisions between black and Latino, racial divisions that are more divisive than black vs white, if NV is any indication. We need to bring this country together, and what better way?
ChrisNBama wrote on January 29, 2008 9:31 AM:I'm not so sure Richardson will endorse Obama. During the debates, he aligned himself more with Hillary than Obama. He will be lobbied very hard in the next week. God only knows what each campaign is offering him in a form of a carrot. The hispanic vote is going to make or break Obama and Hillary in California, AZ, and NM.
I stand by my earlier predictions though. I think Obama will tighten the gap and will nearly capture as many delegates in each of the states as Hillary. This race is going to go on and on like the energizer bunny. The more I think about it, the less I think this is a good thing for our party. Interesting for people like me, but questionable in terms of unifying the party around a single person.
ChrisNBama wrote on January 29, 2008 9:34 AM:Hello world. Good analysis. I agree.
plum wrote on January 29, 2008 9:36 AM:I remember reading somewhere that almost all of Richardson senior campaign staffers had endorsed Obama. Doesn't mean he will, but it could be they're trying to put pressure on him to do so.
grover_rover wrote on January 29, 2008 9:37 AM:Feingold needs to endorse Obama now, I'm ready for it.
Elizabeth wrote on January 29, 2008 9:49 AM:Is there any word or speculation about a Biden endorsement? I wouldn't be surprised if he refrained, staying in a good position of power, ability to negotiate with, and give support in the general to whoever. But I would sure like to know who he *would* endorse.
Anonymous wrote on January 29, 2008 10:02 AM:Can someone help me with a question.....after how many endorsements is the game over????
westofrome wrote on January 29, 2008 10:06 AM:One of the funniest blog posts of the trail.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/29/richardsons_choice.html#comments
"I had just been asked a question -- I don't remember which one -- and Obama was sitting right next to me. Then the moderator went across the room, I think to Chris Dodd, so I thought I was home free for a while. I wasn't going to listen to the next question. I was about to say something to Obama when the moderator turned to me and said, 'So, Gov. Richardson, what do you think of that?' But I wasn't paying any attention! I was about to say, 'Could you repeat the question? I wasn't listening.' But I wasn't about to say I wasn't listening. I looked at Obama. I was just horrified. And Obama whispered, 'Katrina. Katrina.' The question was on Katrina! So I said, 'On Katrina, my policy . . .' Obama could have just thrown me under the bus. So I said, 'Obama, that was good of you to do that.'"Mike wrote on January 29, 2008 10:18 AM:
I would be shocked if he didn't endorse Hillary.
He's saying that it's not about past ties because he knows that's how it's going to be portrayed when he endorses Hillary.
Angry Vet wrote on January 29, 2008 10:30 AM:I would also be shocked to see him endorse anyone but HRC. His alignment to them is pretty solid...
Of course, the same could be said of Ted Kennedy.
In the end, I think it doesn't matter much, except in NM, and maybe amongst Latino elites... Maybe...
BluePuppy wrote on January 29, 2008 10:34 AM:Great endorsement of Hillary by the children of Bobby Kennedy. Bobby being my personal hero, this endorsement means alot more to me than Teddy.
Gregor wrote on January 29, 2008 10:49 AM:"If I do endorse, it's going to be a gut feeling. It's not going to be about statistics, about past ties," Richardson said. "I've been on the campaign trail with both of them. I feel that I know them."
--Bill Richardson
Sounds like yet another American who is about to jump across the divide, for Obama.
Hillary's case partly rests on the Dark Period created by the Bush years, and the trance it has cast over all of us to think we need a Nominee who can fight the Death Star.
Obama will demolish any GOP candidate in the Fall, and it won't be pretty.
The hoax of the Clinton campaign is that she is the safe bet for the Democrats. Hogwash. That is nothing more than a thin membrane of reality that can be melted easily. Already is, in fact.
zonk wrote on January 29, 2008 10:53 AM:If Richardson endorses Obama, I really think this moves from a slight toss-up race into a leans Obama race.
The good ship Clinton is taking on serious water - it's becoming less a question of if Obama can overtake Clinton and more a question of if there's enough time left for him to overtake Clinton.
A Richardson defection probably means a serious hull breach below the waterline.
BluePuppy wrote on January 29, 2008 11:03 AM:"The good ship Clinton is taking on serious water"
LMAO..Keep dreamin. Hillary leads in 19 of 22 states. Expect the delegate total after Super Tuesday to be Hillary 1,219...Barry 879.
Keep dreamin. Hillary leads in 19 of 22 states. Expect the delegate total after Super Tuesday to be Hillary 1,219...Barry 879.
I think you mean on a trailing basis.
Hillary has led everywhere going into the polling dates, only to see the numbers collapse or reverse hard. That was the case with Iowa, NH, NV, and S.C.
Many of the Super Tuesday states are only now getting polled again, after a quiet period as polling activity switched to the first 4 states.
The prediction business is about looking at trends, and change in trends.
Tell me what you see here:
http://www.pollster.com/US2TopzDems.png
Darrell wrote on January 29, 2008 11:17 AM:he will chose hillary clinton because the two of them never really got into any fights while in the debates and he took up for her a few times... also bill clinton use to be his boss and helped him to get to where he is today also he will chose her because of how well she did in nevada and will do in florida today... Also he will chose her because he knows he might can talk her into chosing him to be vice president... They also agree own alot of issues..... we shall see:)
Go Hillary
BluePuppy wrote on January 29, 2008 11:22 AM:"Hillary has led everywhere going into the polling dates, only to see the numbers collapse or reverse hard.That was the case with Iowa, NH, NV, and S.C."
Yes, they did reverse hard in New Hampshire
and Nevada. Barry had a negative bounce coming out of Iowa and lost Nevada as well. He had been leading for several months
in South Carolina. After tonight's crushing victory in Florida, and Obama
having aliented white voters by playing the race card
in South Carolina, expect Hillary to carry 17 to 19 states and to gain an edge in the delegate count.
Obama's results total on GOOGLE has doubled in the last 4 days.
Astonishing.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on January 29, 2008 11:51 AM:Let's see Richardson defended Clinton in the early debates and got flicked like a fly by Her Royale Crownship.
Richardson offered his Delegates up to the alter of Mr Chimes in Five to Seven Days Later in Iowa and got his arse disavowed.
Richardson will be voting his superdelagate vote at the Convention for the least odious of the candidates . . . Right now that is not Clinton or Obama.
It's the Surname, Stupid wrote on January 29, 2008 12:17 PM:BluePuppy:
Endorsements by RFK's children are about as valuable as JFK's child -- mostly meaningless.
EMK is a *very* valuable endorsement, however. He has a political machine behind him. He has true political (rather than familial) contacts. He is a huge force in the Democratic party and someone that will be a major power broker at the convention.
This is about power and politics. Your candidate knows that quite well. That's why they pounded on EMK for his endorsement.
Regardless of whatever "personal" feelings were there. Learn from your candidate.
westofrome:
that's hilarious! thanks for passing that on.
i also think that says something very positive about obama...a small thing, but a thing nonetheless.
gObama!
leftdcin72 wrote on January 29, 2008 12:30 PM:The Clintons will march out Richardson as required. He is a done deal for the Clintons.
BionicWoman wrote on January 29, 2008 12:44 PM:Richardson will not endorse Obama. Remember the NH debate? It was Obama and Edwards on one side and Richarson on the other. He backed up Hillary on how to get out of Iraq. My impression is that he will go with the one with the most strength to handle the tough decisions. I also would bet that Hillary offers him a cabinet position. He could be very helpful in her administration.
Michael A wrote on January 29, 2008 12:46 PM:Based on richardson's comments, I'll bet anyone a lunch he endorses obama. Any takers?
blackstar wrote on January 29, 2008 1:48 PM:Yes, they did reverse hard in New Hampshire
and Nevada. Barry had a negative bounce coming out of Iowa and lost Nevada as well. He had been leading for several months
in South Carolina. After tonight's crushing victory in Florida, and Obama
having aliented white voters by playing the race card
in South Carolina, expect Hillary to carry 17 to 19 states and to gain an edge in the delegate count.
------------------
its like you're insane. seriously. i'm not going to pin this on any one group of supporters this time, but this is such a total rejection of demonstrable reality i really don't know what to say. this is every bit as bad as what went on in Doug Feith's office or through the heads of the absolute worst ideologues in the current administration.
DemUnity08 wrote on January 29, 2008 2:31 PM:My hunch is Richardson endorses his Obama. His statement:
It's not going to be about statistics, about past ties.is a dead give away of where he's leaning.
Too bad. He would have made a great vice presidential choice for Hillary, who is the likely nominee. But if he endorses Obama, that's never gonna happen.
vh wrote on January 29, 2008 3:42 PM:----------Breaking News--------
Mumia Abu-Jamal & OJ Simpson endorse Obama.
Losers & Drunkard Kennedys' endorsements belong to the pile of crap.
