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.