Watch: Anderson Cooper Asks James Carville, "Dude, Aren't You Mr. Washington?"

UPDATE: Check out Carville discuss cattle branders and Richardson in the same conversation on Good Morning America.

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Democratic Strategist and Hillary Clinton supporter James Carville on Monday defended comparing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama to Judas' actions in the bible, saying the comment was an "appropriate metaphor." Speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Carville said that Richardson needed to be "singled out for special treatment," and that he was speaking for himself and not the Clinton campaign. Carville also said that "he and I know the reasons" why the Clinton ally considered the move so disloyal, and that "I knew what the effects of this would be and it was exactly as I predicted."

When Carville tried to tell Cooper that he was "not of the Washington world," Cooper retorted "Dude, aren't you Mr. Washington?"

See Cooper bust out the surfer lingo at about 1:30 into the video.

Comments

[snowcat]

he's aiming (warning shot ) this at latinos and hispanics whom he is marginalizing along with Richardson by focusing on the religion most belong to. I guess if FOX has Rove and MSNBC has Buchanan , CNN should have Carville. The politics of fear.

[Ginko]

If you think that Latinos are happy with Richardson's throwing in with Obama you don't have a clue what is really happening. Latinos are NOT HAPPY with their Governor. Latinos that I know are extremely LOYAL and HILLARY supporters. They agree he's a Judas. His state went Hillary, their governor betrayed them. They will not forget come election time Bill, you Judas you.

[londubh]

Dear Mr. Carville, Go Cheney yourself!

[savertime]

This is getting ridiculous. The idea that those who supported Bill Clinton, even worked in his administration, must transfer some kind of "loyalty" to his wife is totally absurd. Carville is a crazy man for implying such a thing. It only reaffirms that the Clinton campaign is really about Bill Clinton - a third term for Bill, and that is probably the last thing he should be doing. After seven years and three months of loyalty over competency, that word is the last thing I want to hear.

[jsinclair]

But the Clintons are like the Mafia. They see loyalty to them as more important than loyalty to one's country or one's principles and values. Plus, they made Richardson an offer he couldn't refuse. And he refused it. Now they've sent thugs like Carville and Wolfson to destroy him (and who knows what behind the scenes). More than anything, they're trying to scare and intimidate other supers. Hopefully, Richardson, Kennedy, etc. will provide cover for them. The Clintons play dirty.

[Ginko]

You just don't GET IT. How can you have such a double standard!! You stand by Obama's "loyalty" to a racist hate spewer as a MENTOR no less, and you are AOK with that "loyalty"

[isis]

I think that Bill Richardson is really cute and the way he can think for himself is sexy.

[mix2007]

I can't wait til the entire ugly Clinton machine goes away.

[pennyfortheguy]

Not until Othello's neutralized.

[Fabienne]

If the remark about Othello isn't racist, I don't know what is.

[smzzzz]

Here, here. they have done nothing except for themselves; while they took power and grew rich, they served their corporate masters with NAFTA and later Hillary did the bidding of Big Pharma and the defense industry. All th while the Democrats lost both houses of Congress, no health care plan was passed and middle class Americans lost jobs or saw their income stagnate or decline. Yet to the Clintons and Wall Street types it was wonderful because they care for no one except themselves and their ruthless pursuit of power. PLEASE, Pennsylvania, or North Carolina, end this regime of Clintonism and give the Democratic Party back to the people.

[naturesway]

The momentum of Clinton is undeniable. Obama needs to quit the race now. He has divided and hurt the Dem party. He can not win in the GE. Time to give it up Obama.

[lrmconnect]

Carville used a metaphor that carried significant weight. Betrayal ..... it's a very serious act. Can Obama be in line racism and now betrayal and disloyalty? Let's hope he isn't voted in.. let the popular vote speak.

[Fabienne]

That's right. Let the popular vote speak. Obama is 760,000 votes ahead of Senator Clinton this primary season. It's unlikely she can close the gap.

[Hallucinocynic]

Well, the votes do count, no doubt. But, per the Boston Globe today, we know from exit polling, that more than a quarter million votes for HRC were cast by Republicans in MS, TX and OH (more than 100K in Ohio) who will not vote for her in the general election; and that this trend will continue in Pennsylvania and other states. So, while she is behind Obama already, subtract those votes and an indeterminate number of votes in PA and elsewhere, and the fact that she is behind in the popular vote is underscored. So, unless this trend changes, the popular vote will reflect well only on Obama. It also raises the question about the authenticity of all the posters on HuffPo who are so adamantly for HRC - I suspect a large portion of these poseurs are, in fact, for McCain.

[heathehren]

I don't mean to rain on the Obama supporter name-calling parade, though I relish taking on the role of devil's advocate. Since Obama's machine has raised vastly larger amounts of money than Clinton's machine, should we stop calling them machines? The arguments become tired when the roles are reversed. I do believe that Hillary Clinton won the New Mexico primary, and if we follow the Obama superdelegate argument, doesn't that mean Richardson should maintain his support for Clinton? Another fun fact: Obama's largest campaign contributors to date are J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs. It made me giggle this morning to see the latest New York Times Obama feel-good article with the sub-title "Banking on a thirst for change." I'm not a Republican, but I love my flip-flops as much as anyone.

[VPN]

Devils advocate, huh? So you believe Shillary won the New Mexico primary, funny thing is they didn't have a primary YET it won't be held until June, but I guess wishful thinking is so much more fun . What they did have was Dem party caucuses which BTW were so poorly run I doubt that anyone can really say for sure who won.

[jazmatician]

Just to clarify, when you say "his largest campaign contributors" you imply that it's the companies themselves who contribute to his campaign. It is in fact illegal for corporations to contribute directly to political campaigns. They instead set up fig-leaves called Political Action Committees (aka PACs) that make those contributions. These PACs are the "real people" Sen. Clinton accepts contributions from, but Sen. Obama does not.

What you are referring to is data deriving from the fact that i is required to disclose your employer when you make a political contribution. Over 1 million people know this fact from their contributions to Obama's campaign.

The companies that employ the people that have contributed the most money would be the accurate way to make that claim. Those same company's employees are also large contributors to Sen. Clinton's campaign. However, health-insurance company employees broadly prefer Sen. Clinton's "Full Insurer Employment Program" (aka mandated health insurance).

[Nancyann]

You are so correct. They are a scourge on American politics.....Time for them to leave....

[indie17]

First, since Carville keeps repeating this, where is Clinton's denouncement? Carville says Richardson is being 'singled out for special treatment.' No wonder the super delegates hesitate to endorse. Time for those that have any moxy to speak up against this totalitarian style of politics. In the positive side, next year when Obama is President, Carville will also be a 'has been'.

[joja]

Carville was just putting into words what everyone loyal to the Clintons thinks, all right.

[Ginko]

Carville is far from "washed up" he has always told it like it is. He knows WHY RIchardson did this, it was because he found out he was not getting the Clinton VP slot, so he tried to take his revenge and go begging to Obama who will NOT give him the VP slot, I guarantee you that.

just what we need, a bunch of inexperienced clowns on the Hill (AGAIN) who don't have the experience to clean up this horrific mess Bush has made. Gee, thanks Obama
Millenials need to take the blinders off, Obamas biggest supporter is JP MORGAN
hahaha you are crazy to think he isn't a new politician, same as the old politicians. He is most certainly NOT anything new. But you wouldn't know that cuz this is your first rodeo.

[IndyStacey]

yet another example of Clinton and her camp's sense of entitlement. How dare Richardson not endorse her?! I usually enjoy Carville even if I don't agree with him, but he was just a sullen child last night.

[anywho]

Carville is one of the reasons I could NEVER bring myself to vote for Hillary. The metaphor was quite cleaver and current but that he has shown his hand, exposed a crack is a sign of weakness. His side is freaking out!!!

[mickyx65it]

Mr. Anderson Cooper-Judas talks like a viper. How does he called Hillary's vote to go to war against Iraq, and recently against Iran in exchange of some coins from AIPAC? Also Judas, right?

[Geauterre]

James Carville did something foolish. At times we all do something foolish, but in his case it was also a little funny. He mistook himself for Jesus, Moses and Abraham, all rolled into one.

[Nicolaus]

And did that twice... Once when he said it, and again when he confirmed it.

[Soulsurfer]

The Washington Bubble Elitists get all worked up when the unwashed masses actually speak and vote their own minds. Hillary, reap what you have sown! Carville, dude! Just be glad you have a job! Bill Richardson is going to be SecState or VP, get over it.

[rwe]

This epitomizes the shallowness of the prograssives.... Carville use to be the beloved bulldog who would protect all that is liberal and you guys just loved him... Now that he prefers Hillary to Barack he is (horrors) the equal of Karl Rove..... Basically the two served the same function for both parties.

[warwick2005us]

Mr. Carville worked as a campaign consultant for Mr. Paulo Maluf, one of the most corrupt politicians in the history of my home country, Brazil, in the late 90s.

[standforpeace]

I laughed out loud when I read Carville's comments. But it all makes sense. Watching Carville and Matalin do the Sunday morning talk circuit I long ago realized that for them politics is a game. You can date and even marry members of opposing teams (because afterall it's just a game) but you never turn on your teammates because that would be the equivalent of a Biblical betrayal. Suppose however, that rather than viewing politics as some kind of game you see politics as the means by which we achieve collective outcomes in this country. Suppose you see this election as the means by which we will choose the leader who will guide us through a recession and have to figure out how/whether to bring our troops home from Iraq. Suppose you look at the make up of the Supreme Court and know that we can't afford anymore Republican appointments. Suppose you look at the continuing racial divide in this country and want to do something about it. Suppose that the gap between the haves and the have nots weighs on you. Suppose you've been watching the contest and you see the possibility of infusing some hope and some positivity into politics as usual. Suppose getting someone nominated who is both best qualified to be president and most likely to beat the Republican matters to you. In that case, you might put the interests of your country above the view that politics is some sort of game where teammates always