The endorsement business: Richardson, Obama and 2 Clintons

There are political endorsements -- and then there's what goes on behind political endorsements. And today, courtesy of New Mexico Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, we got a little peek into that sacred political process that campaigns devote so much effort to and the rest of us typically yawn over.

First of all, there's constant endorsee wooing going on. Seemingly impromptu phone calls from the candidate or high aides. Flowers for the spouse on her birthday. All kinds of things. John Edwards and Al Gore are the targets right now

Ex-President Bill Clinton invited himself over to Richardson's home last month to watch the Super Bowl and they talked and chewed chips, and Bill reminded Bill about the important jobs he'd given him during the Clinton White House administration and how important the Hispanic governor's endorsement would be for Hillary now.

"I was about to do it," Richardson said on MSNBC today. "He's very persuasive."

Clinton went away thinking at least he'd prevented Richardson from endorsing Obama.

But Richardson got to thinking he'd wait a bit. And, as reported here 10 days ago, Richardson seemed to be leaning toward Obama. In fact, he'd told Obama he was "99%" with him. The delay caused Obama's Chicago headquarters to worry.

Meanwhile, Richardson found himself....

increasingly disturbed by the criticisms and racial tones and then impressed with Obama and what the governor called his courageous race speech this week. And that clinched it for Richardson.

What we didn't see or hear was last night's phone conversation when Richardson made the courtesy call to Clinton to inform her she was not his choice. Doesn't sound like that went too friendly. "It was a painful conversation for me that I had with Sen. Clinton last night," Richardson told CNN's John King today.

King bored in, saying he'd heard from others that such conversations with the Clintons could actually be downright unpleasant. "Well," Richardson added, "let's say it was a difficult conversation." That leaves a good deal to the imagination about what might have been said about ingratitude and perceived promises.

Today, the Clinton campaign, which so badly wanted Richardson's O.K. that it sent a former president all the way to Santa Fe to spend most of a weekend with the guy, was putting out the word through Mark Penn that Richardson's endorsement, coming after the Texas primary with all of its Hispanic voters, actually was too late to matter much to anyone.

Richardson said that's "typical of many of the people in that campaign," adding, "I still have enormous respect for Sen. Clinton."

Back on CNN, King asked the obligatory question about the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket. And Richardson  said, "Well, you know, John. I love being governor of New Mexico and growing my beard and, you know, riding my horse. So I'm going to work very hard for him to get elected."

Translation: I'd accept in a heartbeat.

As an elected Democrat, Richardson is a superdelegate to the national convention. So one more of those for Obama. But Richardson's endorsement of Obama goes against his state's popular primary vote for Clinton March 5. The governor may hear about that in months to come, assuming he doesn't, oh, get some kind of new federal job assignment.

But here's something else to watch for. As of Feb. 29, according to The Times' Dan Morain, Richardson had a reported remaining campaign debt from his own doomed presidential effort of $420,848. Other presidential dropouts who end up endorsing a former competitor have found those debts quickly disappearing through contributions from the grateful competitor's supporters.

It's probably just a coincidence though.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[jose]

Barack Obama: What You REALLY Need To Know Before You Vote!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe0frz7_xrk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMZHQsQJ6Y

All the obama supporters are \defending him staying at the church, ALL the black ministers are defending Wrights preaching, that simply tells ALL Americans they also support his feelings of anti- America and white hatred that the church preaches. No one says Obama cant attend the church for 20 years, or raise his daughters to be racist like his wife, what we ARE SAYING is that HE CANNOT REPRESENT ALL OF AMERCIA AS U.S. PRESIDENT! Rev Wright was and most likely still is a paid advisor on Obamas campaign??? Obama and David Axelrod insisted that Obama be the black candidate early in SC when they tried to spin it on Bill Clinton, it worked for the biased tabloid media like CNN cronies, since then, we ALL have come to realize Obama has problems with the truth and we learned this week for sure where his faith and true beliefs are, its obvious THERES ABSOLUTLY NO CHANGE WITH OBAMA, HE WILL DRAG U.S. BACK TO THE 60'S RACIAL DIVIDE at a time our country needs to unite. He cannot do that, no matter how many black news casts tell you he can

OBAMA STANDS BEHIND SPIRITAL ADVISOR WRIGHT!
“Wright is like an uncle you love and respect” As imperfect as he may be, he has been family to me for so many years, I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community, said Obama. The man who believes and preaches the U.S. government formulated the HIV AIDS virus to commit genocide against blacks also preaches “We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye on 9/11. This is the same man Obama had as advisor on his Presidential staff until this week. Rather than break ties with his demagogic, anti-American pastor, Obama used a speech on the non-back race to excuse his behavior and sweep the controversy under the rug. Passing the buck. Obama supposedly condemning Wright's shocking verbal assaults against the U.S and White Americans, but April last year; Obama was the first and quickest to demand Imus' ouster for making a racially insensitive remarks. His opinions and issues change with the weather, he is too UNSTABLE and proven he cannot make a decision or stay with one. Next we have ALL corrupt campaign financers, business and personal friends as indicted Rezko, former Dallas Mayor Hill, Rep. Rick Renzi and Mr. Auchi, leading supplier of arms to Saddam's regime convicted for corruption in France, the same British-Iraqi billionaire lent millions and millions of dollars to Obama all coming out of the woodwork. ALL this from the half black ex-Muslim who touts change and claims to be a uniter of all people? Proof he is just another in-experienced Washington politician that the media has like CNN has given a free pass at the great risk of our great country! There will soon be allot more video of Rev Wright and Obama coming, all this has proven without doubt if he is the nominee the democrat voters he cannot win the general election, just the black vote will not do it. Its time for Obama to leave this race and take his not so proud of America racist wife, spiritual advisor and anti white church with him..

[luke]

BILL RICHARDSON SELLS OUT LATIONS AND JOINS THE RACIAL DIVIDE!
OBAMA LOOSES JOBS FOR MINORITIES
Ms. Obama, VP Chicago Hosp, that charges minorities 6 times as much, isn’t cold hearted enough; she also caused hundreds to loose their 11.hr jobs, to be more efficient she said! In 05, elected to the BOD Westchester-based TreeHouse Foods, she received $12,000 and $33,000 from a subsidiaries, in Nov announced closing its La Junta, plant, that claimed the jobs of 153 workers, most of them Hispanic! Huge blow to a rural town jobs paid a starting wage of $11hr, Company pays top execs like MICHELLE OBAMA tens of millions a year while destroying middle-class America. Raises the question not only about corporate values but about Barrack Obama's own values. Specifically, while he bashes Wal-Mart, why does his wife, make $45,000 and up a year serving on the board of Chicago comp that pays her a very hefty amount of money while laying off mostly minority workers in economically deprived areas? No. 1 customer is Wal-Mart???
Obamas attack on middle class and minorities- The Crowns and employees of their family-run holding company have given at least $195,000 to Obama's presidential campaign. Maytag shut the Galesburg plant after Labor Day 2004 Union member say senator did little to save jobs in the blue-collar town of 37,000. Obama connection to Maytag: Lester Crown, company's director’s records show, has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Obama's campaigns. Maytag shut the Galesburg plant after Labor Day 2004.

[pamela miles]

maybe BILL throwing it in richardsons face..about everything he had done for him...was a turn off. the same old you scratch my back i will scratch yours. people are sick of that type of politics..and obviously the clintons are still riding that old horse.

[mafox1]

Richardson is a flip-flopper and expects something in return.

Following is from a New Mexico newspaper:

Chávez noted Friday that Richardson previously had said that superdelegates should reflect their constituents, "and in New Mexico we supported Senator Clinton."

Richardson in a February interview with the New York Times was asked about how superdelegates should decide to cast their vote. "It should reflect the vote of my state," Richardson replied. "It should represent the vote of my constituency. It shouldn't be because you're a fundraiser or a big-shot delegate. Superdelegates should reflect their state or constituency. If superdelegates decide this nomination, it's going to look like big-shot politicians and fat-cats decided who should be president."
_______________________

Richardson is not only a flip-flopper, but he is also either a big-shot politician and/or a fat-cat too.

[mafox1]

Misty - You are correct that everyone has a right to do what they want. The flip side is they have to be willing to accept the consequences.

[India from Indy]

The endorsement by Bill Richard for Barack Obama seems to be creating the same chasm the Obama explanatory speech on race given by Mr. Obama has given rise to. If one listens carefully and critically what one hears is Barack Obama commenting about his white grandmother and her fear of blacks and the follow-up comment on the radio about those "white people" (paraprase).

Now armchair critics throw in the mix "latinos', "hispanics", etc. with outrageous projections about "latinos", that is, Spanish or bilingual speakers.

This is without taking into consideration that Spanish speakers come in several shades, education, and social background. Language is what unites us as Spanish speakers and Americans whose roots may originate somewhere from Central America, South America, and North America. Therefore to assume that all "latinos", or "hispanics" can be placed in a seemingly narrow slot totally misses the boat. And, creates further divide rather then unite. There is certainly enough mud to throw around on all sides. No doubt.

[Concern]

The issues are the economy and Commander in Chief. Hillary is the best choice for both. Obama, like Bush, would rely too much on his advisors and men in the shadows. He needs Bill Richardson to have any credibility on foreign policy. Bill Richardson wants to be the next Dick Cheney.

[cdl]

I am wondering what the voters are thinking in New Mexico now, as they voted for Hillary. Seems like he must be mad at them for not supporting him. An axe to grind with his own state? Sounds fishy to me he'd disregard their wishes. Hoping for VP??
I wonder if he also agrees with Sen. Obama's pastor's declarations that the U.S. engineered the AIDS virus
to kill off blacks? Can't seem to get that one out of my mind.

[Ron]

Bill Richardson is proof that there is absolutely no loyalty in the Democratic party. Many Democrats would sell their parents if they could.As a long time Democrat and a man of color, I am appauld by the way Democrats have treated Sen Clinton. For the first time in my life, I will vote Republican in a Presidential race. Not because I dislike Obama but because I hate how Hillary has been treated. I hope Hillary stays in the race until the very end and destroy the the Democratic party for the next 20 years. She has been slapped in the face, now its time for her to return the slap to her party.

[Christines]

Obama can't get away from Pastor Wright no matter who endorses him! He stayed in Trinity United with Wright for 20 years, subjected his two small children to the hate sermons, sat in the pew, and never walked out!
I say no to Obama and many people will remember Richardson as a sell out!

[Susan]

Gov Richardson has it RIGHT - that Obama is an amazing candidate who demonstrated his ability to rise to the occasion last week when faced with a difficult issue. I think that Obama's speech "Toward a More Perfect Union" was one of the best speeches I have heard in my adult life - a call to rise above our racism and hatred of fellow Americans different than we are - a call to understand where another may be coming from rather than relying on two minute sound bites and sensationalism by the media. It remains to be seen whether Americans can call forth the best within them rather than the worst - whether we can move forward to solve the great problems of our day together or whether we will continue to be mired in the politics of hatred and distrust. I fear that if we choose the latter path, America's greatest days are behind us. Let us choose the better path as we move forward into the 21st century!
By the way, a CBS news poll out yesterday indicated that 7 out of 10 people would not change their vote based on the Pastor Wright incident and that of the remaining 3 out of 10 people, half of them were MORE inclined to vote for Obama!
I think that the REAL dream ticket would be Obama and Richardson -- an amazing combination of hope, inspiration, insight, judgment AND experience -- and neither one of them will throw the American people "under the bus" (see full video of Richardson's Obama endorsement: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/03/video_of_richardson_endorsing.php)
The Clintons, on the other hand, would not hesitate to throw the entire democratic party under the bus in their attempt to secure the nomination by continuing their divisive tactics - such as the statement by Bill that Hillary and McCain are patriotic, insinuating that Obama is not -- or the statement that Hillary and McCain have the experience to lead, while Obama is not (note that her claims to "experience" are being challenged and debunked by articles all over the web). Which party is Hillary running for - the Republicans????
OBAMA/RICHARDSON IN '08!!!!!!

[tlsmith1963]

I'm white, & I'm still voting for Obama. So how is Obama pitting races against each other? I think that right-wing talk-show hosts & Fox News anchors are doing a pretty good job of dividing the races themselves. There have been some very disgusting things said. Yes, Wright could have chosen some of his words more carefully. But a lot of what he said was true, if you get past the outrageous stuff. I know two white male liberals at work who feel the same way I do. Get past Wright's more outrageous words, & there is some truth there.

[Nathan]

There are certainly some legitimate questions regarding Richardson's motives here. That said, it seems clear that he has not been moved by the obligations of loyalty to the Clintons. That encourages me to see. I am afraid that the Clinton and Bush dynasties have in common their expectation of loyalty to person over loyalty to principle or anything else from their vassals.

And how did these postings devolve into arguments that Obama wants to pit blacks against whites? Sounds like J. Edgar Hoover logic to me.

[Dwight]

Umm...we Americans are the original spin masters.

Christ said turn the other cheek. Accept our enemy's violence in this world, for we will reap our bounty in the next. Oh Christ, you hippie you.

God's no hippie. He's the stern father. No talk of love from him. Just the original top 10 list. Number 1 on the list: thou shalt not kill.

Christ had horrible ideas for running a country. God's commandment that we shouldn't kill -- even evil people -- would leave any nation at the whim of violent invaders.

Americans are too smart to be Christian. Now we just need to stop being so weak and deceitful as trying to dress ourselves up as Christian, when we are not. And we wouldnn't want to be.

Honest and strong Americans have left the church. Weak Americans have sought to bend Christ's very clear teachings to fit their own needs.

As a nation, we have wisely repudiated Christ in our actions. Now we just need Americans to have the courage and integrity to assume that, and assume that we aren't, and don't want to be, a Christian naiton.

We want to be a thriving nation of people of wisdom and conscience. Christ, by contrast, just wanted us to live by our consscience, and thus not thrive in the sometimes, regrettably, savage realities of the world.

Had we truly followed Christ, for example, the Japanese and Germans would have met no resistance from us in WWII. Christ has horrible ideas. Rev. Wright is a Christian of integrity, pointing out that America rejects Christ's ideas. We do. And thank God for that.

[James]

Although Richardson may not come out and ask you Hillary Rodham Clinton, your constituency will - please step down. It has been made clear that your only path now to the nomination would literally involve a majority of the Super-Delegates to go against the political winds of change and overturn the delegate vote. Think carefully about what this means to you, if not our Democratic Party. Do you want to be remembered as the primary destructive force responsible for tearing apart this Democratic Party? You have the window to bow out gracefully with dignity in tact. Fact is, if you are successful with SD's - you literally won't win in November if our party is destroyed in the process. I am a working class middle-aged white voter that is in full support of Democratic principles, but the truth is - both of your stances are virtually identical on all the issues. Any differences in implementation are not going to generate a delegate difference great enough for you to catch up. As it stands, the only option you really have left, is to spit on fellow Democratic Party members to boost your own appearance and its making ALL OF US LOOK BAD. Please step down, before this gets any worse so w can all move forward and heal.

[vote4thebest]

Perhaps, the price tag to buy Richardson is the ~500k debt that will be paid for Obama.

No wonder why the Latinos have backed Clinton instead of Richardson when he was a candidate. They see through this guy.

[Andy]

Robert Z.

To think that Obama is pitting Blacks against Whites, you have to have been on another planet during the past 15 months. This guy is a TRUE uniter and that is the only kind of president that will pull us out of this partisan gridlock and solve the very problems you mentioned.

Hillary, unfortunately, cannot do it since she is hated by the conservatives (who will come out in droves to defeat her and lessen the chances of a Democratic majority in Congress) and her selection by the Superdelegates (think GWB by the Supreme Court) will split the party.

Go to YouTube...listen to Obama's speech on building a more perfect union...then think about what you and I (an old white guy) can do to assist him in his efforts.

I've lived long enough to be so very moved to see two great Americans - Richardson and Obama - (who happen to not look like me) on that stage to agree with Obama: we are not a static nation. We've come a long way since the days of lynchings in this country and, I might add, abduction of one of my family members by the KKK for attempting to hire young blacks in what were felt to be jobs reserved for others...but we honestly do have more progress to make. Let's not second-guess Richardson. He too is a uniter...wanting to make this country safe for democracy and the Constitution.

[dzounz]

First of all, FOX LIED about Wright...go on YouTube and watch THE WHOLE THING and decide for yourself.

Then read the article in The Nation about Hillary's faith...interesting stuff -- working "Across" the divide, hmmmm....

Gracias.

[PamH]

"And voters of FL and MI have every right to vote for a candidate and party that values their vote rather than a candidate that actually worked to disenfranchise them. Fair's fair."

FL and MI broke the rules by choosing to have their primaries early, even though they were warned they would lose their delegates. Everyone including Hillary and Obama AGREED their delegates would not count. If Hillary was concerned about disenfranchisement, she would have not AGREED before the primary. Instead she stood in front of cameras and announced that since the votes would not count, it wouldn't hurt if she left her name on the ballots. She didn't believe she would be in this position.

Now that she's behind she wants them to count (cheating). While it is true he's not pushing for a revote, Obama is not preventing MI and FL from having a revote. He has stated he would do whatever the DNC decides.

Personally, if someone is clearly told they would be denied something if they break the rules, and then go ahead and break the rules, I don't believe they should be rewarded with the very thing they were after when they broke the rules; in this case, the ability to be the deciding factor in a major election.

While Hillary complains about disenfranchising voters, the very nature of her argument to convince the Superdelegates to override the voters and grant her the nomination is disenfranchising way more voters than there are in MI and FL.

[Victor]

As far as the endorsement goes, the Clinton camp is correct when they say it has no significance. New Mexico already voted (for Clinton with 2 to 1 ratio in the Latino vote) and Texas passed two and a half weeks ago. Had Obama gotten just a small chunk of the Latino vote in Texas, this thing would be over and our attentions as Democrats, which should have been the main goal from the beginning, would be turned to defeating the Republicans in the General Election. Too little, too late Richardson. Your endorsement means nothing in Pennsylvania. He even said himself that endorsements mean nothing, so why would he call out the Clinton adviser for saying what he said?

What I like about this endorsement, however, is that it destroys all credence from the Obama camp when they say the Superdelegates should vote the same way as their constituency. By that logic, Obama should have denounced, or rejected, this endorsement and stood by his camp's principles. But he didn't. It may end up hurting Obama rather than helping.

Furthermore, what's this deal about Obama trying to get as many independents and Republic-cross-overs to register as Democrats in the state of Pennsylvania? This destroys the whole purpose of a primary. It also leads to something I have feared from day 1, which is that these same independents and Republicans voting Obama in the primary will change their votes in the General Election. I'm not saying all will do so. But I distinctly remember what seemed like 2/3 of this country saying they hated Bush in 2004. Yet, to put it in Dave Chappelle's words, "Half of you voted for George W.!" Something doesn't add up. I hope I'm wrong on this. I just want a Democrat in the White House.

[jb bauer]

Richardson just shot himself in the foot. Obama may have bail money but as a candidate, he is old meat. Too bad the party didn't do better research on his background and tendency to flip-flop. Just because he voted "pass" didn't mean he had any good opinions. He was just preparing to flip-flop. This Irish granny had him spotted from the start. He is just another racist no matter what his split color.

[Scott]

"Misty" and Robert Zuckschwerdt, are you really paying attention? It's amazing the kind of nonsense coming out of people these days.

It is so rare to find a reasonable defense of Hillary Clinton. The less educated flock to her because she knows how to press all the right emotional buttons in the less-discriminating mind, but I don't know how anyone with more than half a brain in their skull could be supporting her at this point. Those of us who feel our intelligence is insulted by it's-3AM-and-Hillary-will-save-us-from-the-boogeyman television commercials gravitate, understandably, to the candidate who doesn't treat voters like children and who seems best able to restore our standing in the world.

This election (and we're only in the primaries right now) and the fact that George W. Bush was able to win the presidency of the United States twice has me questioning the value of democracy in a nation where so many people are so poorly educated. Also, I used to believe that the Democratic party was the (slightly) better half of the narrow, two-toned political spectrum that we have in the United States--that Democrats were a bit brighter, a bit more open-minded, a bit fairer--but I may be dead wrong about that. There are, apparently, an awful lot of knucklehead Democrats.

So, fellow Democrats. even if you don't support Barack Obama as I do, please, at the very least, spell-check your blog comments. And if you happen to have a bit more time on your hands, try constructing sound, rational arguments in favor of your candidate. Elevate the discourse, Democrats! Yes, we can!

Obama, of course, '08.

[Character Counts]

The sad byproduct of democracy is that everyone gets a say, even the troublemakers who wish to do nothing but cause mischief and sow the seeds of distrust. I see there are a lot of those posting here. Barack Obama is not the Rev. Wright. In fact, to hell with the good Rev.. We Americans should reject the old politics he represents, but we should be intelligent enough to acknowledge that historically America has not been the dream it portrays itself to be for all in our society, and that there are many Americans who have been treated badly and have been left behind. Don’t worry all of you Hilarious posters, I support your right to say whatever, but I also have a right to say that you are working to cause mischief. I also have a right to say that it is time for America to take a good look at itself, and to move on to create a brighter future for all Americans. Barack Obama has shown us that he is capable of leading this nation in a more positive direction.

[Irma Sanchez]

I am a white hispanic of european descent. My parents were born in Spain and I am cuban. Hispanic is not a race and we come in all colors. I am a democrat from Florida . I voted for Hillary and like all democrats in Florida want our vote to count. Governor Richardson as a superdelegate should listen to his constituents who voted for Hillary. To me he is a traitor like Judas and what a coincidence he used Holy Week to endorse Obama. I guessed he was touch by Judas when he betrayed our Lord Jesus. Obama and his wife are examples of how minorities in this country no matter how poor you are can go to college even Harvard. To me Obama and his wife do not represent the black people or hispanics or the poor and I'm worry about their alliance with Reverend White.If he gets the nomination I guess we would have another Republican in the White House. To me he won't carry the big states and he is dividing the country Blacks against Whites.I wonder like many democrats in this country if the National Democratic Party is helping the Republican Party to win the election and have another 4years of the same . More of the same war, deficit, recession and depreciation of our currency abroad.

[Character Counts]

Irma Sanchez, I am sorry but that post of yours is just an outrageous collection of nonsense. I reject your kind of politics. We can do better, yes we can. That is why I support Barack Obama. Let’s stop the divisive politics. Barack Obama stands for all Americans. We should stand with him.