Richardson Doing More than Endorsing, Joining Obama on Campaign Trail!

[tekisui]

The Early Word: Richardson Joins Obama on Trail

By Ariel Alexovich

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s got her Bill, and finally Barack Obama can say he’s got a big Bill of his own. Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico and former presidential candidate, is set to endorse Senator Obama today at a rally in Oregon.

Governor Richardson had been wooed extensively by the Clintons (and held a Super Bowl party with the former president), but in the end, Mr. Richardson said in an e-mail to his supporters that while his “affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver,” it’s time “for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall.”

The endorsement by Mr. Richardson, who was energy secretary and a former United States ambassador to the United Nations in the Clinton administration, shows confidence in Mr. Obama’s ability to manage foreign policy as well. Jeff Zeleny and Patrick Healy of The New York Times write:

As a governor, Mr. Richardson is a super-delegate who would have a vote in the nominating contest if neither Mr. Obama nor Mrs. Clinton ends the primary season in June with a lead in the delegates amassed during the 2008 primaries and caucuses. Mr. Obama now has an overall lead of 148.5 delegates, according to an analysis by the New York Times; a candidate needs 2,024 to win the Democratic nomination.

Moreover, as the nation’s only Hispanic governor, Mr. Richardson could become a champion for Mr. Obama among Hispanic voters, who have been a key voting bloc for Mrs. Clinton in the primaries thus far. And his endorsement is also notable because he is a friend and admirer of Mrs. Clinton, and was widely viewed as a possible running mate for both her and for Mr. Obama.

Tickets to Mr. Obama’s rally in Portland are long gone, and now with Mr. Richardson set to join the candidate, bartering for entrance may increase.

more at link: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/the-early-word-richardson-joins-obama-on-trail/

[berni_mccoy]

1. GOBAMA! Thank You Gov. Richardson!

[ericgtr]

2. Tickets aren't only long gone they are all over craigslist as well

selling for $100 a piece. I am in Portland and regret not snagging up the tickets when I got the email from Obama's campaign, I found it too hard to get away from work but really wanted to go.

[davidpdx]

3. Oregon is my home state

and I'm glad Richardson is set to campaign with Obama there.

[psychopomp]

4. U-N-I-T-Y

Let's get it together people!
:bounce::bounce::toast::bounce::bounce::toast::bounce::bounce:

[catgirl]

31. Unity is the magic word!

This is really great!!!! I so psyched to see Obama and Richardson on
stage together!!

[Bread and Circus]

Bick Kick! I'm so excited.

[Hepburn]

5. WOOT!!!

This is great news! And Richardson is looking sooooooo fine with that beard, too!

:applause:

[bklyncowgirl]

10. Yeah, I hope Bill Richardson keeps the beard.

My guess is he'll probably shave, now that he's getting back in the game. Too bad it looks good.

[gateley]

16. I agree --

Both with the WOOT and the beard comment. What nice dimples you have, Governor! :7

[Adelante]

6. I couldn't be happier about this endorsement

:patriot:

[Voice for Peace]

7. do you think he's speaking for more of the SD's than himself here?

“for Democrats to stop fighting amongst ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall.”

[tekisui]

9. I hope he is.

I hope he is the leader in a wave of SD's. We'll see soon.

[slinkerwink]

15. that was a big telling sign

[gateley]

19. What does SD stand for? Thanks. nt

[Voice for Peace]

24. Super Delegates.

[gateley]

26. Thank you! I KNEW I'd be doing this:

:banghead: and this :blush: when I got the answer. :hi:

[Voice for Peace]

28. LOL, I know what you mean.

[tekisui]

8. Richardson brings his great positive energy to the Obama Campaign.

Thank you, Governor!

[futureliveshere]

11. Awesome news

This is great news and a good way to start the day. I was hoping for this for a long time. Now if Bill really steps up to the plate and starts aggressively campaigning for BO then we will def see the Latinos looking at Obama more favorably and that provides another powerful reason for the SD's to consider BO more electable.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. Yes here comes the Latino/a vote for Obama!!!

:woohoo:

[totodeinhere]

13. If Richardson gets on the ticket that would give Obama a huge number of Latino

votes in the general election. Coupled with near unanimous support from African Americans, he could probably get by with less than 40% of the white vote. So Obama/Richardson makes a real winning combination.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. Yes Richardson would do well in the South too if VP

[leftynyc]

25. Exactly why I was calling for this

a long time now. Also, I supported Governor Richardson's candidacy from the beginning - he was "my guy". His foreign policy experience is very impressive and will blunt that charge from mccain. This is the winning ticket in November.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

14. Perfect! And fantastic timing. Thank you Governor! nt.

[tekisui]

18. I was looking for him after the March 4th Primaries.

But, now I am so glad he waited. This was exactly what Obama needed to kick the momentum back.

Obama/Richardson '08!!!

[gayron]

20. LOL

Yeah, I do not think Bill will turn NM blue for Obama! He did not do it for John Kerry.

[tekisui]

21. Who said anything about NM turning blue?

Richardson is a respected figure in the Democratic Party. He brings much to Obama's campaign.

Hillary desperately wanted this endorsement. It is not about NM.

[blonndee]

23. I think he will. Obama is not Kerry and this isn't 2004.

Richardson's going to make a BIG difference in Obama's showing here, should he be our candidate this fall.

[blonndee]

22. That is fantastic! I was so happy to hear about the endorsement but

didn't dare hope that Bill would be out campaigning for him. I need to call my governor's office to say thanks.

Man, this is great news. :bounce:

[frazzled]

27. It's a relief, coming at this time

It's so easy to fall sway to the media suggestion that, beneath that cool exterior and a highly examined twelve years in elected office, that Obama might secretly be a CRAZY NEGRO with ulterior motives.

The endorsement of a governor, diiplomat, and all around nice guy like Richardson should hopefully alleviate some of that fear. I know part of this is to get the party to coalesce, but I doubt he would go forward with an endorsement of someone he felt to be ultimately harmful to the party.

[cooolandrew]

29. GO GET 'EM RICHARDSON. He's a great perssonality shows a lot of faith in Obama that.

[Tatiana]

30. Puerto Rico.... here we come! LOL n/t

[Scurrilous]

32. Good news!

:thumbsup:

[IsItJustMe]

33. K & R