Login Here
In Portland, Oregon at 12:30 today:
In an e-mail to supporters, Richardson said Obama will be a "historic and a great president, who can bring us the change we so desperately need by bringing us together as a nation here at home and with our allies abroad."
Richardson also said in the e-mail that he was touched by Obama's recent speech on race in America, saying he "understands clearly that only by bringing people together, only by bridging our differences can we all succeed together as Americans."
...
"My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver," Richardson wrote in his e-mail. "It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall."
Share This 
Spotlight
Hola
I am really pleased to see Richardson take this step. It could be huge with respect to the Hispanic vote.
“My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver,” Richardson wrote in his e-mail. “It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall.”
Thanks for the post! A friend also mailed this open letter that was posted in the Boston Globe to Hillary http://www.boston.com/bostongl.....o_a_friend
Thanks Blue Texas, I’ll support the Democratic nominee for President.
KGW is supposed to have live streams of all the Obama Oregon events from their site, including the Richardson endorsement/Obama event at Portland Memorial Coliseum starting at 9:30 a.m. Pacific.
There’s already a crowd of hundreds waiting to get in. I’ve got a ticket, so I’m going to walk down there and try to get in. If they point a camera at me, I’ll wave at the pups.
he called him a once in a lifetime canidate…i think so too…good on him,
and good morning
“My affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver,”
Whoa, with that comment and endorsement, I bet Bill/Hillary do not feel the same way about Governor Richardson.
Obama needs Richardson to do some Spanish Radio and TV ads:)
OT: On C-SPAN now is a discussion on voting technology. Thomas Mann, who I generally like, is moderating.
Hillary must be really po -ed
Edward’s endorsement ? Sooner or later ?
Apoplectic, I’m sure. A rift in the DLC as well.
later to moot
Since we will never get the 30%ers votes they hate immigration. We should try to juice Hispanic turnout and get people who will vote for us to the polls.
Mayor Daley’s ward person used to send a car to pick up my grandma and grandaunt to vote on election day, that is the kind of get out the vote support we need now.
Richardson endorsement comes a little late, doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I am glad for every endorsement and that is one less super-delegate that Obama needs, but before the TX primaries this endorsement could have been so huge that it might have ended the nomination. Now it is just another (of many) very important and welcome endorsements.
I want to watch to see how this one will be spun out.
The grinding sound you hear is Hillary’s teeth when she wakes up this morning to the news. I think she really expected to get that endorsement.
Odd that he didn’t do this prior to the Texas primary. It would likely have thrown that state fully to Obama and perhaps removed Hillary from the race at that time.
I’m not saying Hillary should throw in the towel, but if she doesn’t feel she can win without writing the GOPs fall advertisements for them….
Boxturtle (The super’s can end this anytime by simply declaring their votes. I wish they would, we need to concentrate on November)
uh oh the drugged one with an eye for young Dominican boys is being investigated
Will Rush Limbaugh Be Indicted for Voter Fraud?
By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet. Posted March 21, 2008.
As Ohio election officials investigate illegal crossover voting in the 2008 primary, questions arise on Limbaugh’s role. Tools
As the board of election in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, where Cleveland is located, launches an investigation into illegal crossover voting in the state’s 2008 presidential primary, a big open question remains unanswered: Will county officials go after the ringleaders of apparently illegal electioneering where thousands of Republican voters swore — under penalty of law — allegiance to the Democratic Party in order to vote for Hillary
Maybe it will be the start of a trend.
they have tried to destroy the Democratic party imo
Bill Richardson said that superdelegates should vote as their constituents vote. New Mexico went for Hillary Clinton. Does this mean that he endorses Obama, but pledges his vote for Clinton?
Meet the next Secretary of State, Bill Richardson
that’s sweet
This is interesting…. the two BIG SW Gov’s endorsing Obama….first Gov. Janet Napolitano of AZ who actively campaigned and cut ads for Obama in the primary (unprecedented) and now NM Gov….. the really inside insiders told me two things…..
1. In an Obama Administration… they would be bigger fish than in a Clinton Admin
2. The Obama Campaign has proven the 50 state strategy, brought in tons of the youth votes and I am now seeing them running many of the campaigns of our local candidates (they have more time than us old folks) … coat tails anyone?
i thought so “g”
Lou Dobbs is going to have a fit. But will he endorse John McCain who also supports immigration? If as Lou says immigration is the biggest issue in the country then Lou has no options to vote for.
I’m betting though that he will endorse McCain.
After 9/11 killed the economy Lou’s business show became everyday lets try to create the Meme that immigrants not business are the cause of all our problems.
Despite his daily efforts immigration is behind the war the economy healthcare etc.
Gee Jane. Now why would you want to hold a politician to his own words? /s
Jane,
You ask a very good question. I always believed that the “Supers” should vote as their constituents in that state so as not to tear the Democratic party apart in the end.
That’ll go nowhere. At my precinct, they simply asked me what ballot I wanted. They didn’t check to see if I was a Dem or GOP, they simply gave me the ballot I asked for. I doubt they’ll find anything more than uninformed poll workers.
We might get some of those GOP votes in the fall. A LOYAL republican friend of mine said “Bush is proof that the Dems do not have a monoploy on idiots. And McCain may well be worse”. He then finished his beer and ordered another.
Boxturtle (Primary season has been good for the bars, I bet)
Oy. What a headache!
The primary in New Mexico was so close that I don’t think his endorsement of Obama hurts him. John Lewis’ endorsement in GA was different. Did you see the link to the Boston Globe article by the author of Eat,Pray, Love? I left the link at my comment #3.
I’m sure he will justify his change of heart somehow.
We need a good name for the passport scandal. Anyone have good ideas? I can’t think of any.
Condi is apparently going to reach out personally to Obama about this. Also, there will be a State dept. briefing at 12:30 PM EST.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Senator Obama speak but there isn’t going to be a snow ball chance in Hell of getting near the coliseum today.
I can pretty much guarantee gridlock down there.
Even if you take the light rail, there is reportedly already a big line waiting and he is not scheduled to speak for another four hours.
1,788 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Firepup Freedom Fighters:
Is there anyone out there who actually believes that Mrs. Clinton-McCain has not lost all credibility as a DEMOCRATIC Party candidate for president. Her lack of class and statemanship during this attack on Obama clearly displays an inability to recognize dangers to anything beyond her own ambition…she is more dangerous to democracy and the immediate future of the country than John McCain.
Let’s put the pressure where it belongs and that’s on the Democratic Party leadership and Mrs. Clinton-McCain to unite in support of Obama in this mess…if she’s unwilling to come forward and join the attck on the fascists over this, she should be forced outta the party. Plain and simple: Mrs. Clinton-McCain can stand up and show leadership that puts the interests and safety of the American people before political advantage or she can run for the Republicrat nomination for dog catcher.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION…NO MORE FEAR!!
Yes, it was great, but I REALLY wish she’d said, “Senator Clinton, you’re destroying our party and our chance for victory in November. PLEASE get out of the race NOW, support Obama, and work with him so TOGETHER you, he and we can begin to reverse the years of Republican damage.”
I suspect that this time, the passport scandel will be found to just what DoS said: A few contractors motivated by monkey curiosity. When I was running tests for a large power company system, I would test by looking up famous people in the area once I ran out of friends and family. Since I kinda sorta knew them, I’d be more likely to spot an error. It’s Likely they were allowed access to the files for their jobs, just as I was.
I’m very much afraid we’re falling for another bright, shiney object…while Cheney is talking Iran with the Saudi’s.
Boxturtle (Misdirection is the primary tool of BushCo)
If someone were to try and Shock Doctrine our country they would need to create a scapegoat of internal enemies to justify taking away our freedom’s.
Since there are not to many Arabs in the country especially after Bush let all the Saudi’s and Bin Lauden’s leave without being questioned.
It sure was convenient that Lou and CNN decide to switch so fast to an everyday lets blame the immigrants format of programing.
I frankly don’t care whether it hurts him or not. Where does he stand? He shouldn’t be talking out of both sides of his mouth on this one.
I don’t have strong opinions one way or another on the superdelegate situation, or even their existence. Neither do I have a fear that they’re going to go renegade and override a clear popular winner (and I don’t see any way that’s not going to be Obama). I also think Chris Bowers’superdelegate transparency project is a good one, but that’s based on general considerations regarding the good of transparency.
What I have a problem with are people espousing a set of rules strictly on the basis of advocacy for their candidate, without regard to whether it’s a good thing for the party, long-term. Just because it’s Good For My Candidate Now doesn’t make it a smart way to run the party over time, and those who are indulging in these kinds of proclamations at a volatile moment without taking those things into consideration are not showing a great deal of leadership.
Obama should attack Lou Dobbs to pull in the Hispanic vote. He should point out that only by keeping America divided do the rich keep control.
As someone who has tested applications, I would disagree with this. You had a valid reason to point to for accessing the information, i.e., testing the application and verification of its proper function. When I’ve been involved in areas where sensitive personal information was available to me, I was allowed to use it for final testing but also had to sign away and acknowledge that I was a target for investigation if any of that info ever got out to the general public
1,788 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher:
Come on,Sister Jane, the Super Delegates should vote to reflect what they believe their constituents want…this is politics and these folks hafta face the locals and it’s the local or state party base that their vote will reflect. And that’s what’s important here…the whole concept of “super delegates” has been kicked around a lot lately but these folks are gunna hold themselves accountable to the DEMOCRATIC Party base in their state or district. What Clinton wants the Super Delegates ta do is vote in the interests of the DLC and not the base of the Democratic Party.
KEEP THE FAITH WITH THE PEOPLE NOT THE BOSSES!!
I think that it was important that she not come across as a big Obama supporter. She (Elizabeth Gilbert) is obviously concerned about our image abroad and the dangerous implications of our policies. IMO the Clintons touting McCain’s experience is so dangerous because of the same reasons. Polls showing McCain ahead scare me even though it’s early and it time to campaign against him.
Well, that is quite courageous, I think, given Richardson’s ties to the Clintons. Commendable! Bravo, Gov. Richardson!
They gave us their game plan at the outset! I just can’t get those words out of my head:
better late than never
A-MEN, Sister Ann…A-MEN!!
That’s what she said– she pointed out that Richardson has said that the super delegates should vote the same way their constituents did. And New Mexico went to Hillary.
She said that’s what he said.
Have a good day all! Keep those progressive fires burning.
Bill Richardson said
I agree Richardson represents New Mexico but he also represents all Hispanics Nationally as our biggest political leader his base extends beyond New Mexico.
Both our communities suffer from racism and Hilary has been pushing it.
I blame Mark Penn for that and whatever mind control drugs he has been slipping Hilary.
What a mess. For example, if “statewide” super delegates are to vote the way their state voted, what do the Texas super delegates do?
In the end, all we can say is that the super delegates are all individuals. They won’t act in unison. They should weigh whatever factors they think are important when deciding their vote.
However, if it seems that the super delegate vote is close, I would recommend they weigh the “who won the most pledged delegates” factor fairly heavily, because to do otherwise may be publicly seen as a “stolen” election, even though it’s perfectly within the rules.
Just like Frankenstein movies scared me as a child.
Anybody got one good legitimate reason this is so?
See, that last line is the key. I was fine as long as I did NOT disclose the information to a third party. As long as THEY don’t, I’d bet they’ve violated no law. And as far as I can tell, they have NOT passed on that information. If they do, then the contractors are in real trouble andthe persons they passed it on to becomes very interesting.
But the circumstances are such that I am inclined to believe DoS. Different people, different contractors and always right after Obama was in the news.
If the GOPers wanted it, they would have asked ONCE last year sometime, likely when Obama was out of the country and some low level flunky could “justify” checking.
Boxturtle (I hate it when I believe our government. I feel like I’m missing something)
I don’t think endorsements mean much. I think that was proven in the California and Massachusetts primaries.
Having said that, if Richardson had wanted to display courage and make a real difference, he should have done this a week before the Texas primary.
Much appreciated.
If the supers vote the same as their constituents, what’s the purpose of them? I think the idea was that they can step in and break a logjam like we’re in right now. If I understand it right the idea is that both candidates have to convince the supers that they are the one with the best shot to win in November.
I should have added to my comment at #28 that when this election is over, I would like to see the idea of Superdelegates dropped into hell. This has caused all kinds of headaches and the “courtship” process of these “Supers” is IMHO more like candidates having to genuflect to get their vote. Let the people decide with the popular vote.
McBush is ahead because Hillary’s ads are hurting Obama. And the entire party.
Boxturtle (Sad, but true)
Trojan Horse or Opportunist or ineffective, or all of the above. Richardson, if he had any clout, would have been a player in Texas. I stongly suspect that Richardson is no help at all and only endorsed after Texas and after he would not have been called upon in Florida where he would likely have been of no help.
He will turn out to be a problem if the Clintons go all the way to the Convention.
Richardson’s constituents in New Mexico voted for Hillary. Likewise, Hispanics in this country have voted overwhelmingly for Hillary.
What constituency does Richardson represent whom you believe he owes his allegiance to that compel him to cast his vote for Obama?
Joe Wilson is spinning fast for Hill.
I always thought of him as an R or at best DINO who got shat on by W and pushed back.
But proclaiming Hill as a foreign policy wonk is while calling Obi a neophyte is pure spin.
Any well educated and well traveled person is capable of being the president. What we need is someone who is ethical and not a believer in USA hegemony and that we have a right to our strategic interests which happen to be located around the world.
Ms Wilson was CIA and Joe worked with the CIA and their goals of empire and hegemony. I think they are nice folks who got the shaft from the Rs, but I don’t care for their politics. Don’t trust them. They are elitist I sense. But I could be wrong. Working for the CIA is the tip off. That’s two strikes against any one. Ray McGovern is one exception and he is atoning daily for his complicity.
But you were also authorized to access information due to your testing so any access you made could be justified. This was unauthorized access. If they had had ANY valid reason for accessing the information, it would not be an issue.
That’s right, find a scapegoat to blame it on.
Dude, it’s an election. People are supposed to compete. Neither one of the candidates has enough delegates to put it away.
Think about this– why do some Obama people say such silly things? Have you ever heard a Hillary supporter say something that silly?
Jane’s point about the long-term impacts on the party are my concerns. Yes, I have chosen a candidate. And part of reasoning that led to my choice had to do with what we need to do to build and prosper in 4, 8, 12 years.
My hope is that this contentiousness will drive more people to register as Democrats and get a lot more involved at the local level.
I think the super delegates should have a caucus and vote not to vote in the nomination process and the the magic number would be the result of the delegates one in the primary and the caucuses.
They need to de authorize themselves as legitimate delegates. They are not. Now that would be democracy.
oops delegates WON not one. in my 68
See, this is what I’m talking about. All of you have always loved Joe and Valerie but now all of a sudden they don’t agree with you on which candidate to vote for, so suddenly “…I don’t care for their politics. Don’t trust them.”.
Can’t someone disagree with you without being demonized? What if Joe and Valerie just think Hillary would be a better president? Is that possible?
I don’t trust ANYONE.
Not even Obama?
I suspect he’s hoping that other supers will follow him so it doesn’t go all the way to the convention, and he never has to answer that question. *g*
I never liked them. Read back through the FDL comments. I said the same when everyone one was sucking up the ValGal and JoeCool.
Passport-Gate
Pass-Gate
State-Gate
PDF-Gate
Co-Inky-Dinky Bama Gate
Voyeur-Gate
Contractors-R-US
U-PAY,WE-SPY
I was typing my comments at #59, so did not see your comment at #58 until after posting. You make a good point, but just when in your opinion should the “Supers” declare, before or after their state’s vote? I am totally in agreement on your “logjam” comment.
nuthin’ other than the news of the endorsement so far on the few NM blogs I could find
fyi - former DNC Chair and OK Senator Fred Harris (yes, that Fred Harris) had been the only NM superdelegate to endorse Obama prior to Richardson
NM superdelegates
note some in the HRC camp have counted on Gov’s coattails in the past, eg lt gov Dinesh
I don’t think I’m scapgoating here. And I agree, this is an election and people are supposed to compete. And I agree, it’s not over yet.
But think of it like a football team. Sure, you’d LIKE to be the star, but as long as your team wins you’re happy. You would NOT cut the legs out from under another receiver just so you could have a shot at the ball yourself. If Hillary can’t be the team captain, she’d rather the team lose. That 3am ad HURT Obama in Ohio and we’ll see McBush use that throughout the campaign.
As for supporters saying silly things, I’ll match Ferraro against that blowhard preacher. :-)
Boxturtle (You can’t stop foot in mouth disease)
I believe you. That seems consistent with your comments in this thread. You sound kind of “counter culture” to me, like people sounded in the late 60s when I was in college. (That’s not meant as an attack) :-)
The vote in NM was close. In the more heavily Hispanic north, Obama won overwhelmingly. Hillary won most of the counties, but they are the rural counties, Hispanic, notsomuch.
In the end, she has one more delegate from NM than he does.
I read his article about Hill and foreign policy and it is pure spin so that reason to support her is not legitimate.
I want to read well reasoned reasons to support Hill. On foreign policy her AMUF vote lead to the biggest foreign policy debacle of the this century. How about that for foreign policy smarts? We don’t need more of that.
OK she made a mistake and was lied to. blah bah. But what took her so long to ADMIT her mistake and set out a non interventionists policy??? I am still waiting to hear that one. She supports NATO too. Explain that bit of foreign policy genius please.
I would say they should wait until after, if their purpose is to break up a logjam. I’m not advocating the supers, and I don’t have a better idea off the top of my head. I just think we should a stay a little cool and work together in this tight primary. (I admit I sometimes don’t follow that advice too well).
I get that. What I am searching for is a legitimate reason a majority of people will vote for someone who represents more of the same, versus someone who might get us out of this mess.
Let’s see, we have…
Two endless wars (with McBush wanting a third).
An economy and housing market in freefall.
So many Republican scandals you literally can’t keep track of them all,
And their candidate, who by the way is doing his best doddering old fool imitation, is leading in the polls.
Why? What possesses a majority of someones to say “Oh yeah, I’m on my way to needing food stamps, but McCain’s my guy”.
I am a communists or leftist or whatever that means. Definitely anti capitalist.
And for me consistency is one of the true tests of one’s critical thinking and ethics.
Not really. The first encounter I had with you was when you jumped ugly on me because I really dislike and distrust Hillary. You were goin on and on about “drinking the Obama” koolade and all that bullshit. I like him and trust him more and but deep down, “I won’t get fooled again”. It’s all bullshit.
Thanks for making Mr. Rove happy. He likes it when the rift in the Dem party is widened by phrases like “Mrs. Clinton-McCain…” or “..she is more dangerous to democracy and the immediate future of the country than John McCain.” Well played.
how about
Docket # 2008xxyyyy35467869?
“Rift in the DLC”
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving body.
Hi ho, pups. Back from Take Back America. Christy and Jane were awesome! Like we’d expect something different?
What Raven said.
You don’t get THAT far in polictics in this country with out sleeping with the enemy on some level at some point.
They are all very compromised. All of them.
If Hillary is nominated, get used to saying “President McCain.” All hte “new voters” Obama has brought in will see the same old crap going on, because a back-room deal is the ONLY way Clinton can win, and say “fuck this, same old shenanigans” and stay home again.
It’s Obama or McCain. Hillary can only cause us to lose, she cannot win.
Talking about people I don’t or didn’t trust. The hard core left wingers in the 60’s were the worst. I did mind kickin some ass but all they wanted to do was talk and prove how fucking smart they were.
I shouldn’t have made the comment about Obama supporters saying silly things. There is no shortage of silly things being said by both sides.
That said, the idea that either side should drop out at this point is silly. Neither side has a decisive lead, and the idea that Hillary should just quit is downright silly, sports analogies be damned. Obama has delivered attacks against her too.
Also, the most important reason Bill Richardson does anything is if it benefits Bill Richardson. He is coming out for Obama now because he thinks Obama will be the candidate, and he’s looking out for his next national opportunity.
I have admired the Clintons for a long time. I frequently argued in her support and rationalized reported actions of her campaign. When I saw and heard her twice state that she and John McCain had the necessary experience to serve as president, but Senator Obama didn’t, I could no longer rationalize. Can you explain how that statement could be other than a desire to sustain her own candidacy, by whatever method, and regardless of the potential damage to the Democratic Party and the nation?
Kinda like watching the Nader phenomenon roll out on a bigger scale than 2000, ain’t it?
Gosh! Thanks for reminding us that Hillary Clinton and her ’supporters’ NEVER say anything ’silly’. So many here, Riesz, have just plumb forgotten that.
You should remind us of that fact several times a thread.
Clearly, you and the Clinton camp generally, have a lock on reason, perspective and kindly sensibilities towards everyone else.
The chagrin experienced by the rest of us, now that you point out the obvious, in the immortal words of punaise (regarding another ‘topic’, admittedly,) ‘knows no bounds’.
Why everyday, we witness unhinged Obama supporters (or ‘bots’) shriek things like, ‘GO Obama, GO! Woo Hoo! Yippee doodle dandy!’, obviously gloating. Clinton supporters NEVER do that.
She was saying that both she and McCain are serious candidates, and she was the one the Democrats should choose to go against McCain in the GE. She was trying to make Obama look like he was out of his league and would be the wrong choice. It’s called politics, an as Mickey Redmond likes to say, “It’s no place for a nervous person.”
Why don’t the Repubs have superdelegates? SDs and UADS are the brainwork of the hacks in the Dem party starting after the 72 convention. Gerry (I didn’t carry my congressional district for Mondale) Ferraro and other Vietnam war hawks were excluded from the 72 convention and had their never again moment. SDs and UADS, constituting 20% of the convention vote is a most undemocratic circumstance.
I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.
Yesterday was the “filing deadline” in NM for people who want to run to be elected as delegates to the Democratic National Convention. I think we have 26 regular (i: not super) positions. There are 450 people who are running to be delegates. . .this is the very definition of “embarrassment of riches.”
What constituency does Richardson represent whom you believe he owes his allegiance to that compel him to cast his vote for Obama?
Maybe Richardson thinks Obama will be better at dealing with Racism. Which is a big problem with the Hispanic community. Hispanics sometimes see African Americans as competition and vice a versa this division, this fighting over the same share of a smaller slice of pie that Whites get has to stop.
Both our communities need to come together.
Fair enough.
Earlier, I would have questioned the timing of his endorsement but given that this primary has dragged on and hard feelings are arising, it’s better that the endorsements and superdelegate pledges happen now ( like it or not, the supers are going to decide the nomination) bcause there is no way we are going to win the presidency if this goes to Denver. There won’t be enough time to both reconcile and unify the party and campaign against McCain. (IMHO)
Richardson is for Richardson. How much sway he holds with Hispanics is uncertain, though he is certainly nationally known to the Hispanic community at large. He is throwing down with Obama for one reason. He thinks the candidate is Obama, his weight will add to the scale as it tips Obama’s way.
She had repeatedly made the point about her experience. There remained a distinct possibility the she would not be nominated and that her endorsement of McCain’s qualifications would be used against the Democratic nominee. It could only mean that, despite her previous statements about the honor of competing with Senator Obama and eventual party unity, she was going to do what she thought she needed to do to get over any immediate obstacle to keep her candidacy going, and face the next one when it comes.
Careful//Richardson is for Richardson, not for Obama
Richardson is a loyal Democrat, of course. He will work hard for Obama.
But not so ‘out of his league’ that he couldn’t be on her ticket as VP.
Which she said the very next day.
Sorry, this is out of bounds. Saying anything positive about McCain should cause any progressive/liberal to hurl.
This, along with her war votes, turn me off completely.
Dude it’s politics. When Bush the Elder called Reaganomics “Voodoo economics” do you think he didn’t care about the Puke party? No, he later became Reagan’s VP candidate and supported Reagan and the “voodoo economics” comment was largely overlooked.
I don’t know what else to say– shit happens. Everyone thinks my candidate can do no wrong and your candidate sucks. Look at the big picture.