Richardson's Reason

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Last weekend's Philadelphia speech is what finally convinced Gov. Bill Richardson to endorse Sen. Barack Obama. He was leaning in this direction, but the speech is what did it.

"The decision by Mr. Richardson, who ended his own presidential campaign on Jan. 10, to support Mr. Obama was a belt of bad news for Sen. Hillary Clinton," writes N.Y. Times reporter Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny. "It was a stinging rejection of her candidacy by a man who had served in two senior positions in President Bill Clinton's administration, and who is one of the nation's most prominent elected Hispanics.

"Mr. Richardson came back from vacation to announce his endorsement at a moment when Mrs. Clinton's hopes of winning the Democratic nomination seem to be dimming.

"But potentially more troublesome for Mrs. Clinton was what Mr. Richardson said in announcing his decision. He criticized the tenor of Mrs. Clinton's campaign. He praised Mr. Obama for the speech he gave in response to the furor over racially incendiary remarks delivered by Mr. Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.

"And he came close to doing what Mrs. Clinton's advisers have increasingly feared some big-name Democrat would do as the battle for the nomination drags on: Urge Mrs. Clinton to step aside in the interest of party unity.

"'I'm not going to advise any other candidate when to get in and out of the race,' Mr. Richardson said after appearing in Portland with Mr. Obama. 'Senator Clinton has a right to stay in the race, but eventually we don't want to go into the Democratic convention bloodied. This was another reason for my getting in and endorsing, the need to perhaps send a message that we need unity."

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 22, 2008 at 5:29 PM

comment #1

Wrecktum says ...

RIchardson is not a typical Latino person.

Posted by Wrecktum at March 22, 2008 5:59 PM

comment #2

brendan says ...

Richardson is the real deal. He would make the perfect VP for Obama.

Posted by brendan at March 22, 2008 6:21 PM

comment #3

thatrader says ...

I'd much rather see Edwards than Richardson as Obama's VP. My dream ticket before all this started was Edwards-Obama, but I'll settle for Obama-Edwards.

Posted by thatrader at March 22, 2008 6:34 PM

comment #4

mutinyco says ...

I love Robert Richardson. He's a great DP.

Posted by mutinyco at March 22, 2008 6:38 PM

comment #5

corey3rd says ...

he looks better with the beard.

Posted by corey3rd at March 22, 2008 6:52 PM

comment #6

monetnj says ...

Wrecktum, what exactly do you mean by your statement? I don't think any of the candidates are typical of their race/gender etc. Only a very few get to the exalted positions they now hold. Obama is not a typical African-American, but that does not diminish his influence with the African-American voters. I can tell you as a Latino (and not a Mexican-American from the Southwest), Richardson is well known throughout the country and a source of pride.

The Richardson defection looks bad for Hillary. To tie this back to movies, this might be equivalent to Warner siding with Blue-Ray over HD-DVD. At the time, Toshiba said "no big deal" even though they knew better. This might tip those Hillary leaning superdelegates over to the Obama side. Could also mean something in Puerto Rico.

In a broader sense, the only way the Democratic Party can go to convention with its unity intact is if Hillary steps aside. The in-fighting stops and Michigan and Florida become non-factors. Otherwise, the ensuing blood-bath could crack the party.

Posted by monetnj at March 22, 2008 10:02 PM

comment #7

mutinyco says ...

Richardson has zero coattails. I like him, he's smart, knows what he's talking about. But he has no real influence.

The Warner announcement would be more like an Al Gore or Nancy Pelosi.

Posted by mutinyco at March 22, 2008 10:46 PM

comment #8

Josh Massey says ...

"He was leaning in this direction, but the speech is what did it."

Please, he's a politician. What did it is the statistical near-certainty Obama will be the nominee, and he wants the VP slot. He's been kissing Clinton's ass for months (years), but now sees the writing on the wall.

Posted by Josh Massey at March 23, 2008 7:28 AM

comment #9