WE'VE MOVED

Please note that we've moved to a new blog at www.LibraryGrape.com.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Bill Richardson Endorses Obama!

Superdelegate and Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson today endorsed Barack Obama for President at a rally in my home state of Oregon. What's more, he is appearing with Obama at a series of rallies in Oregon today, which may include one in Eugene where my mom, stepdad and sisters will be! If so, I'll have tons of photos to post later today or tomorrow.

Here's the video:


Transcript

From a WaPo commentary, here are five ways the Richardson endorsement helps Obama:

The first is timing. Richardson has ridden to Obama's rescue during what has been the roughest stretch of his candidacy. It comes after the uproar over Obama's spiritual mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, which has knocked Obama off stride. It comes after losses in Ohio and Texas, which cost Obama the opportunity to force Clinton out of the race.

Second, Richardson sends a signal to superdelegates that they too should back Obama. This may be the most significant aspect of his decision to back Obama. Superdelegates will decide the nomination. There is no way either Clinton or Obama can get to the 2,024 votes necessary to win the nomination without the superdelegates.

Third, Richardson is close to both Clintons. He served as United Nations ambassador and later as Energy secretary in Bill Clinton's administration... Though there were reports that his conversations with the Clintons about an endorsement immediately after he left the presidential race did not go terribly well, symbolically his connections with the Clintons will raise questions as to why he decided to turn his back on the New York senator, rather than remaining neutral in the nomination battle.

Fourth, Richardson implicitly helps Obama answer questions about his readiness to be commander in chief. More than any other candidate in the Democratic race, Richardson based his campaign on his foreign policy resume. Along with Joe Biden, he has more experience in that area than any of their rivals.

Fifth, Richardson's support could help Obama improve his standing with Hispanic voters. Clearly an endorsement would have been more valuable before the Texas primary, where Clinton beat Obama by 2-1 among Hispanics. But better late than never.

Here's a great excerpt from coverage of the Richardson announcement:
A clearly emotional Mr Richardson, standing next to Mr Obama at a huge rally in Oregon, said: "Your candidacy is a one-in-a lifetime opportunity for our nation and you are a once-in-a-lifetime leader."

He praised the Clintons, but declared: 'It is time for the Democrats to stop fighting among ourselves and prepare for the tough fight against John McCain."

He also referred to Mr Obama's speech this week on race, in which he tried to defuse the controversy over the inflammatory comments of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, as the words of a "courageous, thoughtful and inspiring leader".

Read More: Obama secures backing of key superdelegate Bill Richardson

Here's video of Obama accepting Richardson's endorsement:

Posted by Metavirus at 3/21/2008 01:25:00 PM  

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)