A Big Endorsement for Obama — Or Is It?
In a campaign season where much ado has been made of endorsements but their value has been questionable, Barack Obama bagged a potentially big one today – Bill Richardson.
Hispanic voters have been a key voting bloc for Hillary Clinton and, as the nation’s only Hispanic governor, Richardson could attract Hispanics to Obama. But Richardson, who largely based his own presidential campaign on opposition to the Iraq war, does not have wide name recognition, did poorly in the early primaries and dropped out.
His ability to siphon-off Hispanic votes for Obama in the remaining primaries — almost all in states without significant Hispanic populations — seems problematic, so the short-term effect of the endorsement is questionable.
The endorsement was nevertheless a setback for Clinton because Richardson, a former congressman and Bill Clinton administration energy secretary, had been viewed as a possible vice presidential running mate for her.
Richardson hailed Obama’s judgment and ability to be commander-in-chief, the qualities that Clinton has called into question.
Said Richardson:
“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. As a presidential candidate, I know full well Sen. Obama’s unique moral ability to inspire the American people to confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad in a spirit of bipartisanship and reconciliation.”
As a governor, Richardson is a superdelegate who would vote for Obama, who now has a lead of about 150 delegates.
Clinton has received the endorsements of 93 members of Congress to Obama’s 81, and both have received a number of celebrity endorsements.
More here.
9 Responses to “A Big Endorsement for Obama — Or Is It?”
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I don't think it is a big endorsement if you mean that latinos will now flock to support Obama. However it will help O with the superdelegates. I don't mean just numbers supporting him. I think in the political world of superdelegates there will be more inclination for supers to support him, to coalesce around a candidate.
Having said that, I suppose this shows that Obama was able to offer Richardson a better spot in his government than Hillary was able to offer him.
I think StockBoySF has it right – the endorsement, while it probably has little effect on primary voters, has a more powerful effect on remaining unpledged superdelegates.
I think its significant symbolically more than as a straight appeal to latino voters in the primary. Richardson is seeing the light and tossing his hat in the ring for what he sees as the best shot. Nothing builds momentum like momentum.
I was an early fan of Richardson as candidate though some his public flops clouded the competence he has shown as a public servant. A good politician but an unfortunate campaigner.
I can't wait to see competence come back to the White House.
I wish he had endorsed before the Texas Primary when it could have made a bigger difference.
I too see little benefit in the primaries; only in the effect on superdelegates. In the general election, it could bring New Mexico back into the Democratic fold. I believe that NM went blue in 2004, but it was exceedingly close and with Obama not polling strong with Hispanics, combined with the appeal of McCain in NM, Richardson's support could restore the state to the Democratic column. I am thinking through states with other large Hispanic populations for the general election… California, Arizona, and Texas will likely go blue, red, and red, respectively, no matter what. I wonder if Richardson has enough pull to make any difference with voters in Florida?
I did want to add that I was a Richardson supporter, and the primary reason was not an Iraq war stance. Instead, it was, if you consider some of the critical issues facing the country right now, they include energy, immigration, and world reputation. Then look at his resume, and you get energy secretary, governor of a border state with a relevant personal background, and UN Ambassador. Nice match of experience to needs.
But, yeah, he seems to be a lousy campaigner.
I like(d) Richardson, too. I was never a big fan of his, though given his experience I paid close attention (in a good way) to his words when he was campaigning. I would not have been disappointed if he had been the Dem nominee and won the WH.
What a cynical way to look at things. Richardson is a pretty signifigant figure, its good to have his endorsement whenever. I've been hoping that Obama would take him on as veep ever since Richardson showed he wasn't going to campaign well enough for any serious consideration for the oval himself.