Breaking News: Barack Obama gets Bill Richardson nod

After weeks of personal pondering and not a little anguish, New Mexico's Gov. Bill Richardson has decided to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The official endorsement will come later today in Portland, Ore., according to the Associated Press.

Richardson, who ran against both of the surviving Democratic candidates, Illinois Sen. Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, is the nation's only Latino governor. He gave up his own run for the White House on Jan. 10 after never really gaining much traction -- he garnered barely 2% of the caucus votes in Iowa -- amid suspicions he was really auditioning as a possible vice presidential nominee for the party's eventual winner.

That suspicion might still be there. Richardson and the less-experienced Obama could make a good fit since such a combo brings a Latino link to the nation's fastest-growing population sector, a managerial link both as a Cabinet secretary and a state chief executive, diplomatic experience as a troubleshooter and U.N. ambassador and, especially, someone not recently connected to Washington and from the once-staunchly Republican Rocky Mountain corridor.

After a series of initial stumbles, Richardson did show some flash during a summer debate in Des Moines when he referred to both Clinton and Obama. "You know," he said with a smile, "I think that Sen. Obama does represent change. Sen. Clinton has experience. Change and experience: With me, you get both."   

Had it come earlier, the governor's endorsement could have helped Obama stem Clinton's victories in Texas and California, where she showed real strength in Latino communities. In fact, she won the Democratic primary in Richardson's home state with a 2-to-1 majority among Latinos.

Richardson, who is a Democratic superdelegate, gave a subtle hint to his...

choice 10 days ago, as reported in The Ticket. At a UCLA forum, he was asked which Democratic candidate could best handle today's challenges.

"I'm truly conflicted," Richardson said. "I'm torn. I see ... a lot of loyalty I owe President Clinton. He made me U.N. ambassador. He made me secretary of Energy. He's treated me extremely well. But you know what? I paid him back. Because I served well." Richardson described the former first lady as "enormously capable ... but I did run against her."

He also ran against Obama, of course. But in a prepared statement he'll release today, Richardson will say:

"I believe he is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime leader that can bring our nation together and restore America's moral leadership in the world," the Associated Press reported.

Richardson will also say: "There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama has the judgment and courage we need in a commander in chief when our nation's security is on the line."

Campaign sources indicate Obama hopes to roll out a series of such endorsements and announcements during the long run-up to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22 to create a sense of momentum. There's still former Sen. John Edwards out there and, of course, former senator, former vice president and former presidential candidate Al Gore, who's not always had the closest relationship with his ex-boss's wife.

Although Obama leads in the popular vote total and in delegates, more recent opinion polls seem to indicate a shift toward Clinton since Obama's twin losses in the major states of Ohio and Texas, and last week's furor over his pastor's anti-white and anti-American sermons.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo by Jim Cole/Associated Press

Comments

[SHEDROCK]

I don't think anyone could explain it as well as Obama , this is the America we live in right at this moment..anger, separation,confusion..fear, frustration. We need an honest voice of truth..Obama is the only one (running for office) not afraid to speak truth..bruises & all. I know that when I vote for president I need someone with a voice to inspire the nation, to help change the attitude of the American people who actually don't believe that we are one nation under God..The people who would never want to be "one" with anyone else. People who couldn't unite with even their next door neighbor if he happened to be a different color than himself or a different political party or anyone he just didn't like,for that matter. We need someone to change that mentality. If you truly listen to what he says..you realize that he is speaking from truth... He understands why people feel this separation..how they arrived at their perception..he is never speaking from only a 'black "point of view or a "white" point of view..he speaks from a human one..as an observer..open minded, with compassion,without judgement..ready to help talk it out..ready for the blows that may come, steady until it is resolved & until there is change.....isn't that what we intrinsically need? That's what we need as children.. isn't that what we need as a nation.. Isn't that the man he is? All I know is that I want somebody with that kind of statue to lead the country for my children & make a difference. As for Hillary camp's latest desparate move to undermine Obama's integrity & drive a wedge between races....would you ever want to be held liable for someone elses words.. especially when they were venting frustration? Anyone who would let this deter them from voting ,never believed in him anyway so ..............TIME FOR CHANGE ..YES WE CAN , OBAMA is a LIGHT in this DARKNESS that we're facing ....Let him SHINE!!

[IslandGyal]

IF you people who are anti-Obama, would take the time to listen to the Rev. Wright sermon, you would see that the comments were, firstly quoted from a WHITE ex-ambassador Peck and that, he didn't disrespect the victims of 9/11, as it is being portrayed.

[eb]

it would be commendable if more of those delegates came out and show face and see the big picture as well as stand up for what is right...it seems, there are still a great many who are waiting to be on the "right side" thus contributing to the stalemate and slugfest. Americans who are - as a rule - so totally concerned about their image should concentrate on the real issues: their standing in the world which is by now below zero. Our name is mud. The war which is a crime. The faltering infrastructure. The ailing economy, the lousy schools and the overall despicable education system as well as a social system that creates more poverty than wealth. A system that creates wealth for a few and despair for many...it leaves us behind in every aspect. A media that pulls the wool over our eyes and tells us lies. An ignorant nation is better to govern, obviously . We are a nation where sex scandals and other trivialities make the news and the sleezy folks involved get famous and rich whereas elsewhere they would simply get ignored. It shows the standard of our thinking. However, we go on wasting time, energy, money on questions like race and who said what....WAKE UP and GET REAL and start thinking. We should not have anyone in office who has been part of all that hypocrisy and self-enrichment, who misled us and who thinks saying sorry is just good enough.

[Po WIn]

The Center for Public Integrity has criticized Dodd for "being the leading advocate in the Senate on behalf of the accounting industry."[12][13] Political consultant and commentator Dick Morris wrote that Dodd had received more from accounting firm Arthur Andersen than any other Democrat and bore responsibility for trying to shield accounting firms from investor fraud liability in cases such as the Enron scandal.[14]

Since it's unequivocal that Mr. Richardson owes the sum of his politcal accollades to former President William Jefferson Clinton, one can conclude that his loyalties are transparent and self-serving. An endorsement of this temperament is as weighty as Senator Dodd's. Et tu Brute.

[Po Win]

Among the shining achievements of Bill Clinton’s protégé, in 2003, Richardson backed and signed legislation creating a permit system for New Mexicans to carry concealed handguns. That’s not what we need with 1 out of 100 Americans being incarcerated. Moreover, Richardson’s tenure at the U.S. Department of Energy was marred by the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage scandal. Richardson was criticized by the Senate for his handling of the espionage inquiry. Like his 11th hour endorsement of Obama, Richardson failed by NOT testifying in front of Congress sooner. In June 2006 Lee received $1.6 million from the federal government, no thanks to this sycophant’s lack of initiative and, not clearing this scientist’s reputation in a timely manner. No doubt he’s a real American hero.

[Po Win]

Among the shining achievements of Bill Clinton’s protégé, in 2003, Richardson backed and signed legislation creating a permit system for New Mexicans to carry concealed handguns. That’s not what we need with 1 out of 100 Americans being incarcerated. Moreover, Richardson’s tenure at the U.S. Department of Energy was marred by the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage scandal. Richardson was criticized by the Senate for his handling of the espionage inquiry. Like his 11th hour endorsement of Obama, Richardson failed by NOT testifying in front of Congress sooner. In June 2006 Lee received $1.6 million from the federal government, no thanks to this sycophant’s lack of initiative and, not clearing this scientist’s reputation in a timely manner. No doubt he’s a real American hero.

[Anny]

Before you start calling Senator Obama a racist and claiming that you are not stupid, you need to learn to write:
"we the populations are not stupid the way they want us to believe"??????; people is a collective noun so it is not peoples; who is Shapen, do you mean Al Sharpton?: "they antiamerican???? Who is anti american? You are probably one of those who believes that the only thing that proves you are not anti-american is wearing a lapel pin! If you really can't understand or process information for yourself, just go vote for the candidate you want and don't even try to pretend that you can understand anything else!

[OCanadian]

Amen. Next up, please, so we can get this moving toward the higher ground for November? Thank you, Bill Richardson, for recognizing that it's not just about America this time; we're all in a global mess largely involving your country and Barack Obama will go a lot farther than Hillary Clinton in getting us out of it, if it's indeed even possible now. We could use a few more of him, and may God protect him from those who would rather pull us all into the sewer of their own fear, hate and misery than see anybody dare believe we can get out. Move out of the way, trolls, because the millions who have chosen the higher road for humanity are going to walk all over you.

[Doretha Gill]

The endorsement by Gov. Bill Richardson is wonderful! However, the racist media, especially Fox News Channel will not let the Rev. Wright sermon die. They are single handedly trying to cause Sen. Obama to lose this race. I would like to think the American people are smart enough to tune them out. I am really afraid there are far too many of the Tina's of the world, ignorant and needing to go back to school for more education. I always wonder why the people who spew such racial hatred, are people who have not availed themselves of higher education. Maybe their failings are why they hate others. In the end I truly believe Sen. Obama will bring this country together inspite of all the racism raising it's ugly head.

[jason smith]

Having a spouse who is Asian, totally disenfranchised by the federal govt, harassed by local hicks, while being a professional educator involved in teaching at an institution of higher learning, makes me realize, our country's ONLY chance at progress is to have a drastic change at the top....