Richardson Endorsement A Major Blow to Clintons?

The highly courted endorsement of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has gone to Barack Obama. Is Richardson’s decision to back Obama, despite his strong ties to the Clinton’s, a signal of disapproval to the Clinton camp?

Gov. Richardson, who gave up his bid become the nation’s first Hispanic president made the announcement at a campaign event in Oregon. Mr. Richardson, a former congressman and energy secretary in the Clinton administration, dropped out of the Democratic race in January after finishing behind Mr. Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire.

In the face of the recent racial drama that has plagued Obama, Richardson is still backing the Senator from Illinois. “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,” Mr. Richardson said in the statement, provided by the Obama campaign.

“As a presidential candidate, I know full well Senator 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.”

In his statement, Mr. Richardson, who served as ambassador to the United Nations under Mr. Clinton, said “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. 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.”

This has to be a crushing defeat for the Clinton’s who probably thought that Richardson’s support was a sure thing. What would make Richardson break ranks from the Clinton’s to whom he owes much of his political career? What kind of retribution can he expect? Time will tell. Maybe it’s because he knows the Clinton’s too well.

By Tony Mottley Am I Right? Show producer.

New primary will highlight Kilpatrick's woes

I like the idea of a Michigan Democratic primary do-over vote. It would bring Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton back to the state for several weeks of intense campaigning.

And it would force them to talk about manufacturing, trade and other issues of particular interest to here.

But the candidates and the national press would also be coming here in the midst of the Kwame Kilpatrick scandal. If Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy does decide to bring criminal charges against the Detroit mayor, that situation will be boiling hot when the campaigns arrive.

No way we can hide it. Speculation on how Kilpatrick's troubles impact the vote will be rampant.

And if Kilpatrick sticks to the racially charged defense he launched during last week's State of the City address, it will dominate the news, particularly given Obama's presence in the campaign.

Bringing the election back here will shine a large spotlight on Michigan. But let's not kid ourselves that we'll like everything it exposes.

By Nolan Finley Am I Right? Host

Kilpatrick is his own victim

You had to know it was coming. Backed into a corner, his career and his administration crumbling, no credible defense to the scandals smothering him, and Kwame Kilpatrick reaches into his pocket and whips out the race card.

I've been called the N-word, he said in his State of the City speech Tuesday night. I've received death threats, and so has my family. I'm the victim of white racists and a sensationalistic press.

It's the play he always runs to get through trouble.

But if Kwame Kilpatrick and his family are victims of anyone, its of Kwame Kilpatrick and his ingrained belief that there should be no consequences for anything he does.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't force the mayor to start an affair with his top aide. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't force the mayor to fire three police officers to keep the affair hidden. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't force the mayor to lie under oath about both the affair and the firings. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't force the mayor to agree to a secret deal to cover up his indescetions. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't trick the City Council into approving the deal. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't use $8.4 million of taxpayer money to cover their own fannies. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The white racists and the vindictive media didn't drag the image of Detroit through the mud and bring progress in the city to a dead stop. Kwame Kilpatrick did that.

The backers of a new of cooperative spirit in Metro Detroit must have banged their heads against the wall when they heard Kilpatrick's appeal to the worst racial instincts of this region.

It's not enough that he's squandered his own potential and reputation, placed key city employees in the path of criminal charges and cost a cash-strapped community a bundle of money it didn't have.

Now he's also hell-bent on lighting the racial fires, hoping he can escape through the smoke.

By Nolan Finley Am I Right? Host

What’s On Kym Worthy’s Mind?

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Wednesday that it will take two more weeks for her to announce her findings in a criminal investigation of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff, Christine Beatty. Most media accounts call Worthy’s probe an examination of perjury. Maybe? Maybe not.

Worthy has subpoena power and she could get access to all the text messages and any other information that she deems relevant to her probe. We know from published reports that former Kilpatrick Chief of Staff Beatty produced more than 14,000 messages over the course of two six month periods. The cumulative number of messages from all the texting devices Worthy could have access to is staggering.

From what’s been published by the Detroit Free Press, it’s possible that Worthy may need to hire TV’s Vanna White to help her spin the wheel of possible charges.

Who’s to say whether the Feds are looking at this mess as well?

It’s all speculation for now, but many people close to the situation believe charges will be filed. Detroit City Council member Joann Watson expressed that opinion this week on WCHB's Inside Detroit program. In the meantime, we'll wait for Kym Worthy's investigation to come to a conclusion, and we’ll examine the impact from all sides when AM I RIGHT? returns on Detroit Public TV on March 28.
Am I Right? What do you think?

By Tony Mottley Am I Right? Show producer.

Ferraro Incident Reeks of Double Standard by Clinton Camp

During the February 26 before the Ohio/Texas Primaries MSNBC Democratic primary debate, co-moderator and NBC Washington bureau chief Tim Russert repeatedly questioned Sen. Barack Obama concerning his endorsement by controversial minister Louis Farrakhan without noting that the campaign was quoted criticizing Farrakhan in the very article Russert cited to note the minister's support, that Obama himself said in a speech the day before the debate that he is a "consistent denunciator of Louis Farrakhan," or that Obama denounced Farrakhan's comments in his response to Russert's initial question on the subject.

Even though Obama dispelled any notion that he embraced Minister Farrakhan his opponent, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton felt it necessary to chime in. Senator Clinton emphasized that it was not enough for Obama to reject support from the Nation of Islam leader, he needed to go further and denounce it as well. Obama deftly replied that he would reject and denounce if it would it put the issue to rest.

Now the shoe is on the other foot; In an interview with the Los Angeles news paper the Breeze, 1984 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro said, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

Her comments are at bizarre, racist and untrue. Like him or not Barack Obama is riding the wave of being Barack Obama – that’s his appeal. He is the worst nightmare of Senator Clinton and her supporters who sought the nomination under the I’m entitled program. Obama is a transcendent candidate who happens to be black. That’s a huge reason why his support form many mainstream black leaders came on so late. The perception was that he wasn’t black enough.

But back to Ferraro. She has been forced to step aside for making the comments. Too little to late. Senator Clinton once again offered a weak reaction. Where’s the renounce and reject? And why is it that Obama has to be sullied by comments that Minister Farrakhan made in 1984 while Senator Clinton gets a free pass while her surrogates do her dirty work?

It’s time for the Democratic Party leadership to step in and end this madness. If the Clinton/Obama feud continues much longer there may be too much bad blood to field a candidate who can win in the fall. Six more weeks of this ugliness and Clinton’s core of women supporters may not support an Obama candidacy and it’s clear after blacks voted more than 9-to-1 in support of Senator Obama that Senator Clinton is alienating black voters. No democrat can win without the full support of the black vote – see John Kerry Ohio 2004.
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By Am I Right? Producer Tony Mottley

Clinton victories put Obama on the ropes

In a bout dubbed “Super Tuesday II” Senator Hillary Clinton got off the canvas and forced her opponent, Illinois Senator Barack Obama into the corner with a flurry of primary election victories. Tuesday’s early results gave Obama a victory in the Vermont primary before Mrs. Clinton stormed back with big victories in Rhode Island and Ohio and then pulling out a narrow win in bitterly contested Texas duel.

Obama got off the ropes with a late surge in the Texas caucus, but by then the damage was done. While some pundits thought Super II would be Hillary’s last stand Obama needs to tear a page from the book of rap super group Public Enemy and fight the power.

In the days leading up to Super II the Clinton machine worked overtime. Mrs. Clinton made some clever national television appearances on the Daily Show and Saturday Night Live. Both were opportunities that helped to buff her image without having to answer hard questions. Her team was also successful in getting the national media to focus more on Obama stumbles on the issues of National security and NAFTA. Obama was also caught in the crossfire of the opening phase of a criminal trial of a huge campaign donor and friend back in his home state.

The capper to Obama’s lost weekend was a story that ran on CBS juggernaut 60 Minutes in which Senator Clinton refused to reject and denounce the notion that her opponent is secretly a Muslim. Her tepid response to CBS’ Steve Croft’s inquiry was something like, “if he says so… I take him at his word.” This bit was followed by an interview with a perspiring Ohioan telling Croft that Obama was a Muslim. While Croft told the man that Obama was indeed a Christian, it’s clear the Clinton campaign of misinformation was working.

The lesson for Barack Obama is clear; the politics of fear are in full effect. And never, ever underestimate how low the Clinton’s will go to win an election.
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By Am I Right? Producer Tony Mottley

McCain will have to fight for attention

Conventional wisdom seems to be that Sen. John McCain gains an advantage over his future Democratic rival by wrapping up the Republican nomination with decisive wins Tuesday night.
That's true on one front. The Arizona senator will be able to conserve resources and concentrate on raising money for the general election.
But as the Democrats battle on, all of the media attention will be on Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who apparently will emerge from yet another supposedly decisive Election Day with their race still undecided.
That means all of the ink, video tape and Internet hits will be focused on the amazing Democratic race, which promises to go on and on.
McCain will be a footnote in the campaign coverage until the Dems settle on a nominee.
If the Democratic contest continues to the party's convention in late summer, as it very well could, McCain might as well take a good, long vacation.
Am I Right? What do you think?

By Nolan Finley Am I Right? Host

Welcome to the Am I Right? Show Blog

While our station, Detroit Public Television, conducts the spring on-air fund raiser we are offering our viewers this opportunity to communicate with hosts Nolan Finley and Debbie Dingell.

There are a myriad of issues that we will continue to follow until we return to the air on Friday March 28th at 8:30 PM. Until then look for posts about the issues that matter to you.