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 Richardson Endorses Obama
by The Associated Press
Posted: March 21, 2008 - 8:00 am ET
Updated 1:30 pm ET
(Portland, Oregon) Bill Richardson, the nation's
only Hispanic governor, threw his support behind Barack Obama for president
Friday, delivering one of the most coveted and tightly held endorsements in the
race for the Democratic nomination.
The New Mexico governor joined
Obama at spirited rally Friday and said the Illinois senator
demonstrated his leadership abilities this week with his
speech on race. "You are a once-in-a-lifetime
leader," the governor said from the stage. "Above
all, you will be a president who brings this nation
together."
Richardson dropped his own bid
for the nomination in January. His support for Obama comes
during a tough period for the senator, the leader in the
delegate chase over Hillary Rodham Clinton. Obama has seen his
lead in national polls wither as he's grappled with the
fallout from divisive remarks by his former pastor.
Richardson was relentlessly
courted by both candidates and his support for Obama
represents a potential counterweight to Clinton's strength
among Hispanic voters.
As a Democratic superdelegate,
the governor plays a part in the tight race for nominating
votes and could bring other superdelegates to Obama's side. He
also had been mentioned as a potential running mate for either
candidate.
No primaries are scheduled
until Pennsylvania's on April 22, a gap Obama hopes to use for
such announcements to assert that he is the front-runner for
the nomination.
Richardson backed Obama despite
his ties to Clinton and her husband, the former president.
Richardson served as ambassador to the U.N. and as secretary
of the Energy Department during the Clinton administration.
Last month, Richardson and former President Clinton watched
the Super Bowl together at the governor's residence in Santa
Fe.
Richardson praised Hillary
Clinton as a "distinguished leader with vast
experience." But the governor said Obama "will be a
historic and 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."
The Clinton campaign was
publicly dismissive of the endorsement, after the New York
senator failed to win it for herself.
Citing Clinton's victory in New
Mexico in February, senior strategist Mark Penn said,
"Perhaps the time when he could have been most effective
has long since past."
Richardson was a roving
diplomatic troubleshooter when he was a congressman from New
Mexico, negotiating the release of U.S. hostages in several
countries and meeting with a rogue's gallery of U.S.
adversaries, including Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro.
"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," Richardson said. "He showed this judgment by
opposing the Iraq war from the start, and he has shown it
during this campaign by standing up for a new era in American
leadership internationally."
Obama said "I can't be
more honored" to have Richardson's support.
©365Gay.com 2008
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