Countdown: Richardson Explains Obama Endorsement
By Logan Murphy Friday Mar 21, 2008 11:01am
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson came off the sidelines to endorse Senator Barack Obama yesterday and joined Keith Olbermann on Countdown to explain the endorsement and why he chose this time to make it. Richardson took exception to Clinton strategist Mark Penn's assertion that his endorsement was too late and wasn't significant, saying it's typical of many of the people in Clinton's campaign.
Download | play 
Download | play (h/t BillW)
Richardson says the speech Obama gave in response to the Rev. Wright smear campaign showed his real leadership abilities and sealed the deal for his endorsement. Richardson called for the negative tone and dirty politics to come to an end and for the party to come together to put forward a positive message. He says he still has enormous respect for both Bill and Hillary Clinton, but in the end, it was the negativity that started to take place after the Texas primary that moved him to move toward Obama.
Well I waited because I was just legitimately very torn. You mentioned my ties to the Clintons, my loyalties to President Clinton, my support and respect for Senator Clinton.
But, I just realized that if I was going to make a difference, at a time we need party unity, at a time when the campaign was really getting nasty and personal, at a time when Senator Obama responded, I believe, in such a courageous way to a problem in his campaign -- those remarks
by his own pastor -- I felt that I needed to step in and say that I am backing Senator Obama because I think this man has got something very good about him, something very special.
Full transcript below the fold
KEITH OLBERMANN, HOST: Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, kind enough to join us now from Santa Fe. Good evening, Governor.
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good evening, Keith.
OLBERMANN: Thank you for your time tonight. Why now? Why did you wait?
RICHARDSON: Well I waited because I was just legitimately very torn. You mentioned my ties to the Clintons, my loyalties to President Clinton, my support and respect for Senator Clinton.
But, I just realized that if I was going to make a difference, at a time we need party unity, at a time when the campaign was really getting nasty and personal, at a time when Senator Obama responded, I believe, in such a courageous way to a problem in his campaign -- those remarks by his own pastor -- I felt that I needed to step in and say that I am
backing Senator Obama because I think this man has got something very good about him, something very special.
I can't put my precise point on it, except to say that, you know, Keith, I was in that auditorium in Portland. I looked at the faces of all those people and all I saw was hope and enthusiasm, but mainly, hope. And I think that just reinforced by decision.
OLBERMANN: Governor, Mark Penn of the Clinton campaign responded today by disparaging the impact, or any impact your endorsement will have. Let me quote him and then get your reaction.
"The time that he could have been effective has long since passed. I don't think it is a significant endorsement in this environment."
How do you react to that statement from Mr. Penn?
RICHARDSON: Well I regret it. It's typical of many of the people in that campaign. What he basically was saying -- the stereotype was that I could have endorsed before Texas, because I'm Hispanic, and that's when I would have made a difference. Now that Texas is over, my endorsement doesn't make a difference. That's his view. That's the -- maybe the campaign view. I still have enormous respect for Senator Clinton. I think she's fought a great race, President Clinton, too. But I think you have to get in the arena. And I felt that the time has come for us to stop this bickering, like Mark Penn making statements like that, and basically come together as a party and talk positive about this country at the issues instead of the all of this sniping that seems to take place almost everyday.
OLBERMANN: All right. Let me ask you one last process question, then we'll skip more to subjective -- substantive stuff.
At any point, were you close to announcing an endorsement of Senator Clinton?
RICHARDSON: Yes, I was. I almost did. The president came to see me in Santa Fe; we watched the Super Bowl together. I was about to do it. He's very persuasive. And I have enormously strong ties to them, they were good to me, I was good to them.
But then I waited and I said, I'm going to just -- there's something that says to me, I must wait. And then Texas happened and then the negativity took place. And then Obama gave his speech -- although I had kind of decided, almost a week ago, to make the endorsement. And now, I feel that it was the right time. You've got to step up in the arena. I think it helped Senator Obama, even though I personally haven't felt that these endorsements of one politician to another help much. But
he's kind of had a bad week. And this has certainly boosted his staff --I saw it, his supporters. So maybe my endorsement has a little bit of significance. But obviously, Mark Penn doesn't think so. But we'll see.
OLBERMANN: One thing that strikes me, from your statement today in Portland with Senator Obama, -- you've mentioned in several times here, you've almost taken on the roll of referee here in asking the Democratic campaigns to keep it clean, you said that today in the speech. You've talked about the infighting now. No more fighting until the general
election match up against the Republicans. I've expressed my sadness here previously that that has not been the
case in this campaign. Obviously you've expressed your sadness about it today. You have also selected who you think should be the Democratic nominee. The way this has gone, to end to fighting, do you think Senator Clinton should concede now or in the immediate future?
RICHARDSON: Well, I'm not in any position to tell her what to do abouther campaign. But I have seen your eloquence on this issue. I share the view that since Texas, since the last big "D" day, which was Ohio and Texas, the campaign has gotten very nasty. Almost daily, personal attacks, integrity attacks, the 3:00 a.m. phone call, on both sides. And we don't need that. We've got John McCain running around the world, boosting his foreign policy credentials, raising funds, building support; and we're bickering. And we're a Democratic Party that has been on the resurgence.
And the American people are on our side on the issues. But when it appears that we're downgrading each other, attacking each other, not talking positive, cat fighting, nastiness, then I think the time has come for individuals, like myself, that have been in the arena, that maybe have run for president, to say, all right, the time has come to stop this. The time has come to come together as a party. The time has come to get a nominee before the convention.
The time has come -- also I just think these superdelegates should not be the arbiters and the deciders of this race -- 800 of them. A lot of them are good people, but they're fat cats; they're governors, like me; they're senators; they're congressman. Why should we decide? Let the voters in proportion to the vote in various states make that decision.
OLBERMANN: Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. Great -- thanks for your time tonight. Congratulations on wrestling the beast of this decision to the ground finally. And all the best to you, sir.
RICHARDSON: Thank you.
Login or Register to post comments.
Yet ... a Gracious Hillary Still Promises Bill Richardson a Cabinet Post
[Deleted. You posted this in another thread. Now it's spam-Sitemonitor]
All of the sore losers who claimed yesterday that the Richardson endorsement was meaningless should realize that the man worked in the Clinton administration. That is telling. Richardson simply doesn't want to be on the losers side...who would.There is NO way that Hillary will get the nomination without destroying the party.
Richardson is the voice of reason here. Maybe the remaining uncommitted Super Delegates will be emboldened to follow his lead.
Good for Richardson. He knows that you CAN'T support a LIAR.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPOrnZHunRM
Well now Richardson will be marginalized and denouced as a traitor by the Clintons and their band of merry hacks and losers-as in Carville (the walking corpse) telling the NYT that he is a Judas. But after seeing the speech yesterday by Richardson and listening to him it seems that he will hold his own about this. It is despicable to watch the Clintons (both) and I try to avoid it at all times. They are not even close to a progressive cause and to build the party. They are in shock that they are not winning cause after all they are entitled right? Forget that they never built the party or were loyal to anything other than themselves,forget that they have a team of truly vile advisers,forget that no one is patriotic but them and McSame,forget that they think that they coerce and then malign anyone not in their camp and then set about to destroy them.This is what we can look forward to with these people ,not to mention the lies that come out of her mouth. This campaign has really opened my eyes to what these people are and how truly toxic they are to the country and the party.Truly Repugs---she needs to get on the ticket with McSame and get it over with. Bless Richardson for shedding more light on the reprehensible Hillary.
The links aren't working.
i hope obama reinforces that he loves his country in the days and weeks ahead. and that he believes the president's duty is to look out for all americans, like he has been doing. from the appalachian white hillbilly coal miner to the forgotten indian on remote reservations, to the country girl trying to get an education, to the inner city kid dodging thugs to get safely home from school. he should express a contract to the american people. you do your part. you work hard, parent your kids, be responsible and the government will do her part...and meet you halfway
Bill Richardson better be glad he did NOT tell "BILLARY" the bad news that he was endorsing Obama, otherwise he would NOT have survived the encounter!
Seems to me the Dems are better at backstabbing each other then the Republicans.
Sheesh
Left&Left @ 3:
Who fed you this propaganda?
KYJurisDoctor @ 9:
Bills timing is interesting apparently Hillary is running out of money according to the past few days news bites.
Follow the money!
WASHINGTON - Older White House computer hard drives have been destroyed, the White House disclosed to a federal court Friday in a controversy over millions of possibly missing e-mails from 2003 to 2005.
Everyday I become more disgusted with the Clinton crime syndicate. It's all about Billary. Always has been, and it always will be. Like their first-cousin repukes, they will do ANYTHING to gain power. If that means throwing the entire democratic party under the bus, so be it. And Mark Penn is a vile, UNION BUSTING, corporate piece of shit.
If I wanted to vote for a repuke, I'd vote for McInsane.
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
I do agree that if she got the nomination, McCain, with the MSM , could win the GE. We still have to eliminate the voter fraud if Obama wins it, but he has the better chance.
I really wish Richardson could have made it further in the campaign. he didn't have the popularity, he didn't have the charisma... but he sure as hell has the experience and intellect.
abob @ 2:
Well this is more proof, that listening to any of these god freak snake oil salesman is a fucking waste of time
Not that it makes any difference but Richardson with a beard sort of reminds me of Mr. French from "Family Affair" - but in a good way, I guess.
And if it matters, here in central PA for the last three days there have been ads on radio and TV only for Obama. No one I know has seen or heard a Clinton ad here yet. Obama has been working this state so far while Clinton hasn't.
Too bad the endorsement didn't come before the Texas primary in order to mitigate the mischief caused by Texas Republicans in Hillary's favor. Regardless, the endorsement is a brave and honorable act. I don't believe he did it for political gain, but rather for the good of the Democratic party and the country.
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
Its called mathematics.
Yes....Richardson.......no one would give a shit what you say if it were not for the Clintons.
I think throwing friends under the bus is pretty crappy. It is evident that Obama offered you a big prize to cut your vacation short for this endorsement.
At least now he can write for Huffington Obama Post
Ron @ 15:
Correction: ELECTION FRAUD.
If you do not support the Clintons then you do not matter. Caucus states don't matter. Small states do not matter. Red States do not matter. Black voters do not matter. Liberals do not matter. Bill Richardson does not matter. Only Michigan and Florida matter NOW. They did not matter back when she agreed with the DNC that they would not count. Now, that she needs them(and earlier on she didn't think she would)they matter. The remainder of the superdelegates need to come out in favor of Obama and end this Clinton fiasco now before she does so much damage to the party that it is beyond repair.
Hilary has a stake in the nomination if she can win the popular vote. Unlikely but with that you can channel Gore in 2000.
SassySandy @ 23:
Right wing toolbox here, nothing new to see here.
Ron @ 15:
Well their must be a reason the super wealthy want a perceived “black populist” to become the nation’s chief executive officer.
I just don't know what that is yet.
This might be interesting. Turns out Obama was the only candidate (on either side) to call for a DOJ investigation into Mike Nifong (of Duke Lacrosse infamy) in North Carolina:
http://durhamwonderland.blogspot.com/2008/03/race-obama-and-north-caroli...
Cuts against the garbage being tossed out by Faux News that Obama only panders to the African American community when it comes to matters of race.
Rico @ 19:
In Ohio, the repugnant crossovers may have broken the law. They are supposed to be declared as members of the party they are voting for.
Bud Osama Bin Laden Hussein @ 18:
Obama only started TV advertising there yesterday. Hillary doesn't need to advertise there yet because everybody in the world already knows who she is. Plus she gets the free media. Talk about head starts! That's another reason not to believe the polls yet. I was born and raised in PA, and my family still lives there. Believe it or not, most Pennsylvanians are only now starting to pay close attention to the race and making their decisions.
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
LA, if you've been keeping up on the news, etc...you know that clinton can only win if barack has some horrifying skeleton in his closet (say they've got a picture of him tongue kissing bin laden while he pees on the flag), or he gets caught red handed pants down a la spitzer, or something of that magnitude...
hanging on, hoping for that, is not keeping up the good fight.
it's adolescent spite and anger.
edwards and gore and dean are writing themselves out of the party by failing to step up to a leadership role....
at least we know now that feingold was dead right about edwards-- he's a phony and a con...one time in my life i've ever agreed with ann coulter...
bill would make a great vp choice for obama. also he has a great beard.
Hasn't someone suggested that all the yet undeclared superdelegates should make it clear that they will withhold their votes from the Democratic candidate(s) who continue to make smears against the other? I suspect that Richardson is the first of many who has seen the Clinton-camp smears against Obama and has thus made his choice.
Are you serious? The ONLY reason he endorsed B. Hussein Obama was because the cats out of the bag on the TRUE "change" he has in mind for this country, and he is falling off the face of the earth in the polls. He knows he lost the "Blue Eyed Devil's vote, so now he's trying for the Latino vote. Why didn't the press tell us what kind of man he was BEFORE he leads in popular vote? Because, even if it means destroying this country, we "need" a left leading democrat in washington. Now the press is burying it. Sorry, TOO LATE!!
I want the primaries to play themselves out, for everyone to get the chance to vote. It's both the democratic and Democratic thing to do. I just switched from being an independent since the '70s to being a Democrat in order to vote in the Oregon primary, one of the last, and with every intention of voting for Obama in the primary as well as the general. But I have to say that the campaign the Clintons are running is just scaring the shit out of me. Some pundit somewhere recently wrote that the only way Clinton can win now is by destroying Obama, and they are certainly trying to do that. I feel confident that Obama will end up at the end of the primaries with majorities in four areas: delegate count, superdelegate count, popular vote and number of states won. Yet, I think even then the Clintons will not concede. The party will have to declare Obama the winner before the convention on the basis of these majorities, should he get them, rather than waiting for the convention because neither candidate crossed the 2000 + mark, or the Clintons will try to blow the party apart during the convention. Lawsuits? Walkout?
anneyhussein @ 32:
Richardson has said that both parties have participated in the back and forth mud slinging. Stop being so blind.
Richardson yesterday in his endorsement made it crystal clear that he is supporting Obama due to race issues for Hispanics. If he hadn't mentionned the speech Obama gave, nor immigration etc., then I might have thought otherwise, however now it seems simple that race is what matters here and being able to give an inspirational speech. I listened to the Obama speech on CNN yesterday after the endorsement and I was surprised to hear again that the speech is almost identical to ones he gives everywhere. Even I was coming up with the ending lines when he started his sentences in that they have been repeats shown in snippets many times over the airwaves. It never really hit me before until they showed so much of the speech that it was obvious they must all be very repetitive from city to city.
Carville had it right, this guy's nothing more than a Judas. I hope Hillary somehow prevails and all these shits are back under the rock where they belong -- including the deluded, arrogant, embarrassingly UNQUALIFIED Obambi.
Huachuca @ 33:
What polls may that be? You mean the polls that change by the hour? Get a life.
anneyhussein @ 32:
I thought that same thing yesterday. The endorsement was hers to lose, and lose it she did by her "destroy-everything-in-your-path" approach to the nomination. That's my guess.
The Clinton's have always operated this way. Break whatever gets in your way of the goal, then worry about picking up the pieces later.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 30:
Is there a good link that expounds on the Feingold->Edwards comments? Someone mentioned this in another thread here recently, and I'm intrigued. I like Edwards (even if his metamorphosis from the 2004 candidate seemed a bit large), and I share Cenk Uygur's mancrush on Feingold.
Rico @ 29:
No, I believe it. I'm smack in the middle of PA's 'Red T' and I can attest that no one around here is paying much attention. When you see three different cars with 'W 2004' stickers on them, on the same day, in towns this small - its a bit discouraging to say the least.
Huachuca @ 33:
what's the true change-- lynching the white man....appointing al qaeda to a cabinet position
what kind of man is he, as you claim the press revealed to us, albeit too late? go ahead explain....or are you just talking in blue eyed devil wink wink code that only paranoid ignorants are supposed to understand...
Huachuca @ 33:
WTF are you talking about? The Bush administration has almost destroyed everything we ever knew about democracy. Obama gives us a chance to rebuild the republic we staand for.
foreigner @ 36:
That's why they call it a stump speech.
Even a good deal of Colbert's Press Club speech was recycled material.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 30:
I don't understand where your coming from.
All I see is the McMSM has been deliberately working 24/7 since it became clear Clinton and Obama were the front runners to divide, fracture, splinter, disorient, discourage, frustrate, and finally destroy the Dem party.
And no one gets it.
I mean come on let's get real here even your falling for it.
foreigner @ 36:
I guess you've never heard of a stump speech? They all do it, including Clinton, McCrazy, and anyone else who has run for office.
feingold on edwards
here's a blog link, though it was an MSM story (though backpage)
http://katestone.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/feingold-slams-edwards/
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 42:
I see you took the time to listen to the whole Obama speech.
Oh...wait...you got it from Faux News.
John, I'm sorry for feeding the trolls.
Bud Osama Bin Laden Hussein @ 18:
Just for fun: he reminds me of Rod Steiger in Dr. Zhivago as Komarovsky. Physical appearance, beard et. al, not the character.
You know all this bad press for Obama just increases the likelyhood of a joint Obama-Clinton ticket and I love it. Say what you want about that speech, it didn't help him get voters that he hasn't been able to reach yet. Many of those same voters who are more likely to vote for McInsane than Obama.
I hate identity politics but Obama needs Hilary for the old-ish woman(sorry ma) and working class voters.
Oh I can't wait to see some of the faces when Obama announces Hilary as his VP choice.
Rico @ 19:
The endorsement is great now because it helps Obama regain momentum following all of the phony anti-patriotism charges.
"All I see is the McMSM has been deliberately working 24/7 since it became clear Clinton and Obama were the front runners to divide, fracture, splinter, disorient, discourage, frustrate, and finally destroy the Dem party."
Are you sure you're talking about the MSM and not the Clinton campaign?
RHM
diamondmc @ 20:
It is a lie told over and over again by supporters of Senator Obama that he does not need Super Delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Truth be told (something that the Senator Obama supporters are loath to aknoweledge), unless there is a complete melt down by Senator Clinton in Pennsylvania, both candidates NEED the super delegates to win the Democratic nomination.
I really wish those who support Senator Obama would actually tell the truth in regards to this. But then again, I am just wishing for honesty from that camp, aren't I?
Chris Gamble @ 50:
Never happen.
L.A. Confidential @ 45:
if you think the MSM is behind the Clinton camps dishonest attacks (plagiarism, nafta, health care)...then you're drinking the anti MSM coolaid....they're complicit only because they've been played by the clinton camp to do it's bidding...they had nothing to do with those intentional mischaracterizations by clinton, save for perpetuating them and taking them serious rather than dismissing them as absurd....
sorry, no conspiracy theory there....
she can't win....(it's pretty simple math)
so unless she can convince someone that obama has sexual problems, or that he's sworn allegiance to al qaeda, she can't win...
you can't blame the msm for trying to sell commercials and playing up the prize fight aspect....
Chris Gamble @ 35:
Yes, he did, and it was certainly a politic thing to say since he's been friendly with the Clintons. But you can believe that many superdelegates are keeping records and evaluating the damage the smears cause to the other candidate should that person become the Democratic nominee.
makes me wonder if Obama promise Richardson a cabinet post?
I think Richardson would be a great VP!
Slaw @ 48:
are you talking to me? cause if you are, you need to make a little more sense...whatever you were trying to say went right past me...all i got was how cool and fun it is for you to say trolls...
i think you were trying to say something besides that...
Bill Richardson has more foreign policy experience and actual governing experience than any of the Presidential candidates combined. He's also an upstanding Democrat. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination would be wise to pick him as a running mate.
RHM @ 52:
See, there's a perfect example.
Get used to the idea of 'President McCain.
Here's a cut and paste of a comment I left in someone else's blog. As far as I know, no one has framed the Obama speech in quite this way, but the more I think about it, the more I think this is how the long game will play out. Basically, I think folks have gotten all caught up in the race angle and missed the bigger picture, which is that, once again, the right has forced an apology out of a democrat over something that there's really no reason to apologize for. For people who use this strategy, the content is irrelevant. The bigger point is that by forcing your opponent to apologize, you make him look weak. So, basically, while the left talks about how refreshing the speech was, and the right obsessively parses it for anything that could conceivably be construed as evidence of Angry Black Man-itus, the long view will show that Obama got punked.
"My money's on McBush too.
In trying to find a silver lining in that (a reach, I know) I'm thinking that since the next president is going to get stuck with the blame for the currently brewing shit-storm in the economy (as well as the countless other fuckups of the last 8 years) he might as well be a guy from the party that caused it. In any case, Republicans do pretty well in opposition (see "the Clinton Years"). They get to stomp their feet and block progressive legislation in the House and scream about how democrats are ruining the country. That'll be harder to do when they're in charge, but I'm sure they'll find a way.
Charismatic politicians will always be subsequently proven to have feet of clay; that's a recurring American trope. Other democracies aren't as inclined to make rock stars out of their pols (although sometimes it happens. See Blair in Britain and Trudeau in Canada). I prefer that. I'd rather be governed by boring policy wonks than Mick Jagger (BTW, I once saw George Wallace on the stump and found him remarkably similar to Mick in his star quality). The answer to this though, IMHO, is not withdrawl from the system, but more involvement. Governance is (or should be) fairly boring, adult stuff. Obama-mania kind of reminds me of the boy-band craze, hopefully people grow out of it without becoming disillusioned with music entirely. Not everyone does though.
My initial reaction to the Obama speech was relief, because, as John Stewart put it, a high profile U.S. pol had actually spoken to us about race "as if we were adults." The resultant squealing and parsing of every line by the right wing to find anything that could possibly be miscontrued as 'anti-white' or 'black seperatist' (as well as rev. Wright's original sermon which, if you view the whole thing on Youtube rather than just the cherry-picked Fox News bits, is actually quite benign) didn't surprise me at all.
On further reflection though, I realized that this was a repeat of the same depressing scenario we've been watching for years,ie Republicans forcing a democrat to make a showy public apology for something there's no need to apologize for. I mean for chrissakes, Republican wingnut preachers say America is 'to blame' for 9/11 all the time, but they mean we brought it on ourselves for being godless homasekshuls. McCrazy still embraces the endorsement of rev. Hagee, who's on record numerous times calling Catholics apostate nazi-loving whores and New Orleanians godless sinners who caused the hurricaine with our wicked ways. Nobody's insisting he apologize for that
They did it again. Made the leading candidate bend over and offer his ass.
And here's a little addendum on sexism.
I had a conversation the other day where I opined that racism and sexism spring from the same place. It's all about teh fear of Negroes/Castrating B**ches.
The older I get (and the more comment strings on the internet offer me insight into the wormy little psyches of these people) the more I come to understand that their fear/hatred are equal opposing forces that kind of boomerang on each other. Like "I hate women/blacks because I fear them (and there is often a sexual nature to this fear) therefore I assume that they hate/fear me in equal measure, and will do me harm at the first opportunity."
How else to explain the legions of mouthbreathers who sincerely believe that women are all castrating bitches and blacks all slavering mau maus waiting to start a race war. The only difference I can see is it's marginally (but just) more acceptable to use the 'b' word (how do we beat the b**ch) than the 'n' one. But the hatred of both is there, just beneath the surface.
This is a major factor in my calling the race for McGramps. Running a woman and a black man for president turns over the fetid anthill of the American psyche in a way that even makes a lot of putative 'liberals' extremely uncomfortable. They'll elect McCain, and the official reasons will be his 'experience' and his 'toughness,' his ability to 'reach across the aisle' to democrats and 'get things done,' and of course his mavericky maverickness in choosing a different color drapes for the Oval Office than W. did. But really they'll just be relieved to make the n**ger and the b**ch go away. Having them around makes us feel less righteous about how fucking superior we are as Americans, and we can't take that. "
L.A. Confidential @ 26:
I didn't know that McCain or Clinton were black populists
Phoenix Justice @ 53:
If Obama goes in with the popular vote, more pledge delegates, more states won, the only way Hillary can win is steal it. If that happens, dems will see young new voters and progressives leave and not vote. If the young and blacks and progressives feel that back room politics stoled it away from Obama, there will be no democratic party left to run against McCrazy.
Bill Young @ 21:
You don't have "friends" in politics, you have "allies" . And allies will be swayed by either personal gain or conscience . It's just as easy to say that Richardson has a conscience and would therefore be useless to the Hillary campaign .
Kennedy
Johnson
Nixon
Ford
Carter
Reagan
Bush1
Clinton
Bush2
Now, where's this Clinton Dynasty other then the fact he served two terms unlike the rest of the Dems on this list?
Would you have preferred a second Bush 1 term then two terms of Dan Qualye?
steve @ 62:
You want to me to paste the list of Obamas Corporate and Wall Street Contributers to enlighten you?
@47 ohio progressive (typical white person):
Thanks!
It is breathtaking watching the Obama fan club attact the Clintons; and they have such weapons. They show their soothsaying and clairvoyance skills with such unction. They know what the Clintons are thinking and planning...they somehow manage to get in their brains and all the way up their rearends. amazing Also they seem never to find a pejorative generalization about Hillary Clinton that they will not embarce as the gosple. amazing again. So to them I say, You are not democrats...I am not sure what you are...maybe just brand new in the process and you fell in love with Obama, or maybe you are independants who do not like the political process anyway. No matter, you are a thin-skinned bunch; and if Obama does pull the nomination out at the end.....you are not gonna like how McCain and those truly hateful republicans will swift-boat his ass. you will miss the goodole days when all you had to do was lie about Hillary. you don't know from nasty. The Clintons are playing chess, while you guys sweat you game of checkers. Politically savy you aint. How can your guy ever win with such animus and vitriol slung at the Clintons? this is your plan to unite the democrats and win the White House? really dumb
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 58:
Your name alone is a pretty good giveaway-- "typical white person." JFaux spent the last few days trying to turn that into something that it wasn't. Unless I've completely misinterpreted your response above, in which case I'll apologize.
L.A. Confidential @ 66:
Obama's a freetrading, pro-nuke/corn, anti-single payer, corporate shill....just like Hillary. The only difference is pigment.
A little significance--a self-serving career move. And, sick to death of obermann and his overyly plucked eyebrows.
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 70:
Pro-corn? Oh shit!
L.A. Confidential @ 11:
careful do upset the trolls ..... they only want you to say positive things about Sen. Obama and negative things about Sen. Clinton that's the only voice they want to here...lol
Slaw @ 69:
Look...if Hillary had said "Typical Black Person", you and the other Generation Obama clones would be soiling your panties.
Rusty Shackleford @ 72:
Yep.
jreed @ 37:
Carville calling Obama a Judas is downright funny. How can any good Democrat trust James Carville with a wife like his?
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 70:
Trolling threw the park again johhny?
robyn williams @ 73:
bill looks good in a beard
Chris Gamble @ 50:
Under normal circumstances that might make sense but these are not normal times. I suspect that an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket would demonstrate a new concept in physics -- REVERSE SYNERGISM.
Keith Olbermann is a blowhard.
I think the Richardson endorsement is significant in two ways: First, Richardson was the most qualified Presidential candidate in the race from the beginning. He brought a competent statesmanly demeanor to the early debates and a depth of knowledge about both foreign and domestic policy. Were Presidential races really about qualifications and not personality contests, Bill Richardson would be the front runner today.
Secondly, after Obama's speech, Richardson's endorsement can help to provide unity in a party that can so easily be divided by gender and ethnic identity politics. If Richardson were to become the VP, an Obama/Richardson ticket would help black and Hispanic civil rights movements join together for a common agenda.
SK @ 81:
Don't watch then.
Seems to me that Richardson is begging for Edwards and Gore to come out and put us out of our misery. I hope they listen.
I'm an Indiana voter who has not yet decided between Obama and Clinton. Watching Gov. Richardson last night on Countdown certainly didn't persuade me one way or another. He came across as indecisive, with a finger in the wind, and nothing more. That won't encourage me not to vote for Obama but it certainly won't encourage me to do so, either.
Rico @ 80:
I agree with you as a "typical white person" and older female, I am so disinfranchised by my party and as a independent im really not sure how i will vote this time unless they unite the two together... Obama/Clinton ....Clinton/Obama it doesn't matter to me but it has to be one or the other
SK @ 81:
I see you ventured out from under the bridge again. The troll poison isn't strong enough.
robyn williams @ 73:
But we're tired of attack politics!!!!
Right sure you are. People could have just listened to Bill rather then "reacting" when he mentioned a few things about Obama worth discussing early in this campaign.
♣Bangkok Bob♥ @ 87:
No really Keith Olbermann IS a blowhard these days
robyn williams @ 86:
Why? Is nobody else qualified to be VP? Dick Cheney is one. Remember Dan Quayle? What did Gore do as VP? Being VP isn't really much of a compliment to either of these two. They are in it to win, and this campaign has been too ugly for their two campaigns to merge together.
Obama/Kucinich vs. McCain/Hillary..........let the battles begin.
diamondmc @ 83:
What I want to know is: does Keith ever still say, "If you're scoring at home, or even if you're alone..."
L.A. Confidential @ 88:
Listened to Bill, LA? You mean like his latest praising of McCain......again....another McCain praising.....I don't understand. Why does anybody STILL support a campaign where both the husband and wife have praised the opposing party's candidate? Shouldn't that set off, I don't know, red lights or something?
robyn williams @ 86:
I think you missed my point about reverse synergism. I think a joint ticket of Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama would be a sure loser in the fall. It might make Democrats happy in the short run, but would actually have the effect of doubling the size of the target
for the Republicans? Absolutely not.
L.A. Confidential @ 88:
Your funny lmfao.... attack politics.....lol here no noone her attacks you if you don' agree with everything Obama ....lol
ConcernedHusseinCanuck @ 92:
Great point. It should send red flags up for any dem.
KO and MSNBC lost me with their obvious Obama bias.
http://bp2.blogger.com/_UQPUzwdX51o/R-RtlgvODxI/AAAAAAAAAHE/NqOctSMDVA8/...
Nuff said.
getalife @ 96:
I thought it was Hillary hatred, now it's Obama bias? And why did you photoshop that woman's sign and keep posting it over and over?
diamondmc @ 95:
The praising wouldn't mean as much if you didn't consider just who it is they are praising.
Bushes Easter Message
He added a special message for the U.S. troops who have been killed while serving their country.
"These brave individuals have lived out the words of the Gospel: `Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,'" Bush said.
Okay
ConcernedHusseinCanuck @ 92:
The whole f-ing thing should be "setting off red lights" . Spoon fed corporatist BS and we're supposed to be happily skipping down the road of "change and hope" with a corrupt state representative who beat Alan Keyes or feel good about another MF-ing Clinton in the WH?
Eh, no. A corporate-run racist, sexist America will turn to the safe choice...the dottering old gaffe machine...McCain.
L.A. Confidential @ 99:
Will the real God please stand up.
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 100:
Probably. While visions of Raygun dance in their heads.
ConcernedHusseinCanuck @ 102:
Yep.
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 100:
Wow! does the sun ever shine in your world?
Richardson looks good in that beard. I vote for him.
diamondmc @ 104:
Sure. My family and friends. My work. But this is a political blog. Is there anything happening politically/economically/environmentally in your happy, happy world? Bottom line. Its going to get worse before it gets better. Joy joy.
Slaw @ 69:
slaw, i think you have me wrong...
i'm using twp the same way everyone else is using hussein...
i think johnny is nuts
i'm using twp cause i think everyone making an issue out of that twp statement, the grandma statement, all of it...they're all completely nuts...
ahhh...i see, it's j2b
he's upset because his boy edwards lost, and is proving himself to be (by not showing leadership in either direction, clinton or obama) the fraud that feingold said he was
j2b
you're nuts man...you had the wrong fraud when you were hanging with JE, and you've got the wrong fraud now with HC...
one more time, for your boy JE
http://katestone.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/feingold-slams-edwards/
I could be wrong about this but as I understand it Richardson was the only presidential candidate who pledged to withdraw all US troops from Iraq on day 1. This immoral and evil exercise of organized mass murder in Iraq which is being paid for by our labor and our childrens future labor must stop. This is why I will always be a Richardson supporter. Unfortunately he dropped out of the race before I could vote for him. However, choosing among the three remaining candidates is easy. Two candidates voted for the war (one of whom wants to stay for 100 years), and one made a speech against the war before it started. That is all the information I need. I dont care about anybodies preacher, husband, flight experience, stump speech, or any of the other bullshit issues the media uses to distract us from the most important issue of our time.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 107:
Hanging with HC? Funny stuff.
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 109:
oh i see, so the guy you got behind, edwards, turned out to be a fraud...
and now every politician is a fraud
check this out once more, the high esteem Feingold has for your hero Edwards
http://katestone.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/feingold-slams-edwards/
L.A. Confidential @ 105:
Richardson should wear bib coveralls and a ball cap. Get those rural Dem votes away from McCain.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 107:
Uh huh. And if anyone in this campaign had said "Typical Black Person" you be sh*ting your "Generation Obama" monogrammed panties.
robyn williams @ 89:
how so?
think long and painfully hard before trying to explain...
I don't see how we can work with republicans since we come at things from opposite directions republicans care about greed and use the party to get as much as possible as fast as possible and that about sums them up. Now the dems get as much as possible but spread a few crumbs around to all. but if we get rid of the repubs in a couple of election cycles then we can start to get rid of the dems and get things turned around.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 110:
Might be relevant if I had any esteem for Russ "Hey, Edwards stole my policy positions" Feingold. Waaaaaah.
Arrow @ 5:
Wow!
Wow!
the non-wizzing of the non-bullets was deafening!
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 112:
You just don't get it, do ya white boy? (snark).
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 107:
OK. I'm sorry--I did get you wrong.
Sorry. I hope that message gets through clearly.
getalife @ 96:
Lol, you're an absolute moron if you think that sign is real.
JohnnyTYPICAL WHITE PERSON2Bad @ 115:
thank you for putting on the dunce cap with that beauty......now the real j2b comes out...
L.A. Confidential @ 99:
Please tell me you are making this up. Please. I don't believe that even Boosh could misunderstand the Gospel that much.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 120:
You funny man.
Slaw @ 121:
No I am not making it up.
http://tinyurl.com/32yhvp
According to quantcast C+L is a site that caters to a skewing older, more educated following.The typical visitor reads thinkprogress.org, subscribes to Vanity Fair, and watches Al Jazeera.
ohio progressive (typical white person) @ 110:
Do you read the crap you link or just Google something and hope nobody reads it?
"Edwards’ turnaround isn’t good enough for Feingold and I find that curious. Hillary Clinton’s voting record in the Senate ranges from moderate to conservative and yet Feingold supports her “experience.” He views Obama as a true agent of change but is concerned that Obama’s lack of experience in forging progressive change in Washington may be a block to getting anything done.
My bet is that Feingold is like most progressives who are heavily invested in a Democratic victory in November — they want to back a winner."
Feingold wants to back a "winner"? Nice going, Russ. Way to really F it up.
Richardson's endorsement strengthens the independence of the super delegates and validates any decisions to support a candidate contrary to the vote of their constituencies. Clinton won the New Mexico caucus and Hispanics voted overwhelmingly for her. So what is he really basing this obvious break with the voters - conflicted logic or a double standard? Obamabrats can't continue having it both ways.
i find it interesting that after pursuing Richardson to endorse Hillary for the past few weeks, and doing so persistently...
the Clintons now dismiss his endorsement of Obama as insignificant.
so insignificant they worked their tails off to get it?
L.A. Confidential @ 123:
304 days.
Rick @ 108:
Richardson made the absurd claim that he could get us out of Iraq in 90 days. Even if we had only 300,000 troops and contractors in Iraq, that's 100,000 a month we'd have to withdraw. That's more than 3000 people a day, every day. That's the equivalent of twelve (or so) 747s loaded up each day, every day. This makes no sense at all.
the Iraq claim is boneheaded, meant only to swing gullible voters in Richardson's direction. Richardson knew from the start that he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell and he has always been running for a cabinet position or a VP position - not the presidency. This guy is an opportunist. Now when Obama's getting hit from the Wright stuff, Richardson thinks that if he can bail Obama out at this time, Obama will be beholden to him should he get the nomination.
And .....
For what ever reason John Edwards has not endorsed with his accumulated delegates, it isn't it about time he stepped up with an endorsement?
If he endorsed Hillary it could drag this on, but if he endorsed Obama? Well that would be a little significant into closing the primary don't you think?
QUALAR @ 126:
Hum... Hillary won New Mexico by 1% (Hillary 49%, Obama 48%) of the vote. In the caucus Hillary obtained 14 delegates vs. 12 delegates for Obama. In case you missed it, most primaries do not follow a "winner takes all" but it is actually a representative system. Claiming that the Hispanic vote went for a particular candidate on a closed primary that ended up being so close (pun intended) is a bit disingenuous.
But by all means, don't let silly facts and numbers get in the way.
Other than spin and taking things out of context, do some Hillary supporters have anything to offer?
getalife @ 96:
Your handle name is quite ironic...
Robt @ 130:
Question: Are delegates kept after their candidate drops out?
We are not watching Keith O anymore, his ratings are going the wrong way; his diatribes against Hillary just hit critical mass a few weeks ago, and hundreds of thousands of Keith O faithful viewers just simply walked away. It started with his and Chris M's man-crushes on Obama; it was so sillly and painful to watch. But suddenly Keith was treating Hillary as if she was Bush, and that was impossible to embrace. The irony of it all is that we were freed up to watch something else during our usual keithtime. So there was fox noise and the shitstorm over the Geraldine Ferraro "lucky Obama" comments. And fox seemed to be actually more balanced on the subject than cnn or msnbc, amazing. AND THEN from stage left came the REV Wright and his godly wisdom on the United States. CNN (anderson cooper) and MSNBC tried to downplay as best they could. Fox and only fox (and I hate fox) got it right and knew they were going to develope a cottage industry out of this sucker...IT HAD LEGS BIG FUCKING LEGS. After millions of viewings on youtube and almost a week, cnn and msnbc finally began to get it. Then Obama made his speech on Tuesday morning last; and Chris M and others saw it lincoln-like.........ooooh such praise. NOT FOX...only they discussed how self-righteous his tone was, and how he was going to deign to instruct the Nation on race relations during this years primary...oooh goodie Obama did not hit mainland America until his freshman year in college in California in 1979. He has no personal experience or family stories of the 60s and 70s in the south or east or north or west..nada....until he met the Rev Wright and began learning from the brillant scholar (as obama has described him many times) about how whited kept the black man down. black liberation separatist church.....sounded so good that Oprah tried it out, but she got her ass out of there....Axelrod should have taken his man Obama out too.
This is great! The clintons are alienating more and more progressives and are eliminating the DLC as a factor in the party.
I hope hillary's hateful throngs don't damage the party on their way out.
#127: "i find it interesting that after pursuing Richardson to endorse Hillary for the past few weeks, and doing so persistently…
the Clintons now dismiss his endorsement of Obama as insignificant.
so insignificant they worked their tails off to get it?"
A campaign with integrity would have said about the endorsement: "We're disappointed we didn't get his endorsement. We think he's wrong, but he's an honorable man and we respect his opinion." The fact that Hillary's campaign couldn't rise to that level of basic politeness shows just how far they have actually sunk.
douglas in oklahoma @ 134:
so you're republican.
we get it.
L.A. Confidential @ 26:
Or maybe he's just a better candidate???
As far as their positions, there really isn't that much daylight between Obama and Clinton. There is some, but not much. Neither is as progressive as I'd like. However, watching Obama yesterday here in Oregon, the difference is connection. He has the ability to light a fire in people. People are inspired by him. Bobby Kennedy had this. To some degree, Reagan had this (although not with me, but certainly with those I know), and so did John Kennedy.
Having lived in New Mexico, I have a huge amount of respect for Bill Richardson. When he said yesterday that a leader like Obama comes along "once in a lifetime," I think people are beginning to get that. He represents potential--for the country to be respected again because we talk to those we disagree with or don't understand--and for individuals to contribute to our society in a positive way.
Hillary Clinton, for all her intelligence (and for whatever experience she, you, I or others may claim she has), doesn't have this intangible quality on the same scale. She may inspire some, but it isn't like this. To some degree that's of her own making, and to some degree it's because Obama is just a damn good candidate.
I don't begrudge anyone for supporting Clinton, but I clearly understand the hurricane of support behind Obama among ordinary people. For the first time in a long while, people see themselves as maybe being part of something much bigger and better than themselves. That's not a bad thing.
getalife @ 96:
so you’re republican.
we get it.
Katie @ 6:
well put!
rustedspear @ 8:
that would be a very, Very, VERY welcome thing to hear.
L.A. Confidential @ 123:
Bush quoting bible verses making it seem like a holy war on their soil. Yea that ought to win a lot of hearts and minds and make American troops over there safer, and American citizens at home and abroad safer. I don't see how that comment could possibly inflame the muslim world.
Everyone drinks a koolaid of some flavor.Yes, I have sipped the Obama necter and am solidly behind him.
Once upon a time I drank the Clinton juice too. It's after taste has become very foul.
Then there is the hate tainted, war soiled, racist tinged. bacteria flavored spoiled milk the McCain followers are slurpping down with a straight face.
My personal belief is that Richardson has liked the Obama campaign for a long time, but "loyalty" to the Clinton's kept him from making an endorsement.
Personally, I believe the EXACT same thing is going on with Al Gore right now.
Robt @ 130:
Maybe it's all in the timing. Also, Edwards was DLC, like Kerry. What do the Clintons have on Edwards, if anything, that would keep him from endorsing Obama. Or maybe Edwards has his own convictions and maybe Edwards has a problem with the Obama-LIEberman connection.
Mugsy @ 145:
After the tepid support he and Kerry received from the clintons, I'm surprised Gore has not endorsed Obama either. Maybe as an experienced politician, from a political family, Gore knows the value of timing his support. There's still a long way to go to the convention. Maybe that "pushing up the dates" thing wasn't so smart. It just give msm more time to shred the Democratic candidate.
I supported Richardson right out of the gate, and, although I don't decide who I'll vote for based on endorsements, I agree fully with what Governor Richardson's assessment of both Obama and the negative tone that has been coming from the Clinton campaign. It may be that Richardson's endorsement is late to change many votes, particularly the Latino vote, but I applaud his willingness to support Obama in spite of his long standing relationship with the Clintons.
Rico @ 19:
I completely disagree with this. Richardson broke the impasse at the crucial time. It showed he was moved by Obamas speech on race and religion, giving his words more meaning. Richarson is brilliant in this.
I am so glad he brought up the infighting in the Democratic party. This needed to be said at this point especially. He is the first delegate to come forward like this, tell the Democratic party that we must stop this negative campaigning because we have a big campaign ahead and on into November. Richardson, always the great diplomat, came forward at exactly the right time. He is a great guy, too.
We must have a candidate by June at the latest. The superdelegates need to have a June meeting to cast their support. Then we can wear McCain down over the summer.
If we wait until August, he will still be fresh. The Democratic campaign has to be as relentless as Obamas has been, answering every question, confronting every smear. Not a three way, but a one on one with the old newly converted neocon that is McCain.
Arrow @ 5:
Wrong. Richardson is a slut and was sucking on Hilary's tet as long as he thought she would win and give him a little sum'in sum'in.
No, all the Richardson endorsement means is he is supporting the person he thing will win. No ethics or values involved here :D
Login or Register to post comments.