Richardson: "The Clintons Should Get Over This"

UPDATE: Mark Halperin is reporting comments from an anonymous Clinton official:

"Bill Richardson is clearly embarrassed that he broke his promise to them. He should come out and tell the truth and admit that he told both Clintons that Obama wasn't ready and can't win."

The comments are on in a line of statements about what Bill Richardson did or did not say to former President Bill Clinton. Recently, Richardson responded to Clinton's suggestion that he would support Hillary:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Wednesday sharply disputed Bill Clinton's reported claim that Richardson promised to endorse Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House.

"I never did," Richardson told CNN. "I never saw [President Clinton] five times. I saw him when he watched the Super Bowl with me. We made it very clear to him that he shouldn't expect an endorsement after that meeting."

Comments

[SifSkade]

Just a general comment (and I am a vehement Obama supporter, as anyone who clicks my profile will see, so this is not motivated by partisan politics, but by genuine concern for HuffPost's journalistic flippancy of late): over the course of the past month, the HuffPost article headlines have been moving further and further away from the actual content of the articles they lead. Sometimes the headlines are FOX News-style soundbites of a segment in the article; sometimes they're completely off the chain, like this one, which suggests that Bill Richardson said, "The Clintons should get over this." He didn't say that in the article you've published under this headline, and you did not refer readers to another article where he said it. I would understand if you were using the quotation marks as indicators of forthcoming irony, but this isn't ironic. At best, this headline consists of an encapsulation of what Bill Richardson could perhaps be envisioned as having thought or said to someone in his private moments. Possibly. Putting that in quotes is rough trade. The HuffPost shouldn't sink to sensationalist headlines like this; it only gives detractors ammunition, and the HuffPost is a great publication that I don't want to see undercut. Blogs or not, remind your posters of the cardinal rules of responsible journalism; if there's no such thing, invent some, but please stop with these BS headlines.

[anney]

The Clintons are obviously furious at Richardson because they've thought they have the Hispanic vote in the bag. His support would have helped seal that segment of the population to them. It's hard to know how Hispanics might vote as a group, but Hillary was confident about it, and Richardson's move to Obama probably splits that vote.

[halyscomet]

For an endorsement that the Clinton's claim is immaterial, they sure are continuing to emphasize the fact that one of THEIR insiders went against them. Obviously, Richardson knew them well enough to have made a sound decision. The Clinton's response proves him to be 100% right!

Superdelegates, don't let the Clinton Mafia scare you. Make your move like Richardson did!

[Brooklyn11205]

Amazing, maybe Bill Richardson changed his mind (which the Clintons have been trying to tell us is the right of the supes), or (more likely) the Clintons are pissed that someone they gave a couple of jobs to (who actually did those jobs) committed some supreme act of disloyalty, whatever the reason for their outrage is ridiculous.
The Clintons have screwed over, jettisoned, thrown under the bus and discarded any number of folks who were supposed to be their friends when they’ve become challenging, inconvenient, or no longer useful (see: Jocelyn Elders, Lani Guinier, Peter and Marian Wright Edelman, Peter Paul, Sox the cat, etc., etc., etc…), and now everyone’s supposed to stay in line and say “God bless Bill and Hillary?!” No, no, no, God damn Bill and Hillary…

[brooklyncitizen]

Let's not forget Al Gore. Bill sabotaged his run for the Presidency in 2000; look where that led us.

[Brooklyn11205]

too right...

[kittyma]

When John Gotti was going through his trial, all sorts of people who he had "helped" were made to come outside the court and join the crowd of supporters. those who were high profile had to speak to the media and say what a good man Gotti was. I remember it so clearly because I was shocked and disappointed to see the actor John Amos come out and tell the media what a good man Gotti was. I also remember it because he was obviously embarrassed. I suppose if they did not do as they were "asked", bad things could have happened to them. I also suppose that examples were made of some who did not do as they were asked.

I also thought at that time that, suppose some of those people instead of buckling under the pressure, got fed up of being bullied and gave the details of what they know.

I wonder why our present discussion makes me remember that trial and its supporters and John Amos?

[unmutual]

He is a Judas. I'd never vote for any ticket Richardson was on.

[pilotinfla]

Bill Clinton is not just a garden variety liar but an admitted perjurer who lied under oath. His word has essentially no value.

[dill]

Oh, grow up!!

[missjabez]

I don't know why the Clintons and their goons can't get over this. They make themselves look like vindictive bullies. They look very foolish, too, what with Carville's rants and Billyboy's rages. They should go out and have a few drinks and just chill.

[SharonB]

Hillary, you know you said it. There are several reasons that you may not recall it:
Are you sleep deprived? Try to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night.
Maybe it is because you are suffering from Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome from dodging bullets every 15 minutes. Get some help. Maybe you can go on Dr. Phil.
Perhaps Mr. Richardson is a card carrying member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and just pretending to be a democrat.
You are upset because your mother lied to you about naming you after Sir Edmund Hillary and this is just your little way of rebelling against her.
Your new maid has a suspicious looking stain on her uniform. She and Bill did spend an awful lot of time together in the garage yesterday evening...­.
You were busy writing letters to your fans in Ireland for personally bringing them peace in our time.
Oh, and let's see... when you appeared before congress you said, "I don't remember." about 100,00 times. So, Just say it here... it is just as credible.
Oh, the list of excuses just goes on and on. Just pick one, Hillary, and run with it.

[NABNYC]

Remember in 2004 when lots of rock and rap groups tried to get more young people involved in the campaigns? Someone came out with the slogan "Vote or Die," which probably wouldn't do that well in a senior community but was very popular among young people. At least on their T-shirts.

Anyway, that's what I think of every time I read about the Clintons putting muscle on people to support them. It's got that kind of angry mafiosa feeling to it, like Michael Corleone to the baker, or the flower stand guy or whoever it was: You owe us. Do this or else.

Bill Richardson is OK in my book. He came across very well in the debates and in the media, and I think he's done himself proud. The Clinton people, in contrast, just keep looking more and more like thugs. Angry, coercive, manipulative, nasty thugs.

[KimberlyKay]

It seems so odd that the Senator Clinton's campaign is constantly urging the superdelegates to vote his or her conscience, but when one does, and his name happens to be Governor Richardson, all bets are off. I suppose what the campaign actually means is that the superdelegates should vote for Senator Clinton if they ever knew anyone in the Clinton administration and that the superdelegates who are more familiar with Senator Obama should forget that connection and instead, vote for her. Is this about right? I don't mean to be rude, but this particular argument is like stepping into bizarro world, it is so contradictory.

[jsinclair]

Yes, seriously. "Vote your conscience, superdeleg­ates....Bu­t ONLY if that means voting 'Hillary Clinton'."

I can't imagine Obama behaving like this if someone he desperately wanted to support him (and had tried every kind of promise or threat to make it happen) came out for Hillary.

It's unthinkable that Obama's campaign would trash a person he claimed as a "friend" like this, even if the person was a superdelegate who decided to support someone else.

The Clintons look spoiled, arrogant, vindictive and petty. On the other hand, Richardson (like his candidate) is a class act.

[lisakaz]

Glad RIchardson ain't budging. I wonder if the Clintons just blew their propensity to attract Hispanic voters with their tactics vs. Richardson. Guess they don't care since TX is behind 'em.

[KimberlyKay]

And Senator Obama won Texas last Saturday. There goes the electoral college argument and the big state argument. I think that is why this week we are hearing the popular vote argument. I sincerely wish the campaign of Senator Clinton would start arguing the why argument -- you know, the argument where the campaign, the candidate and her surrogates tell us why she would be a better candidate, rather than telling us procedurally how she can overcome an almost insurmountable pledged delegate lead, or telling us why Senator Obama has a pimple next to his nose (that is what the Clinton campaign's attacks against Senator Obama are beginning to sound like to me, anyway). I do listen to the attacks, it is just when I do the research, I find the attacks are misleading, dubious and often plain nonsensica­l....

[joeyp404]

Whatever happened Mr. Richardson, you'd be an awful VP.

[jsinclair]

But a great Secretary of State.

[LAJonathan]

Now I see why more HRC superdelegates haven't crossed the line yet, they are terrified of what will happen to them! Wouldn't be the first time, surprised that Richardson made it back from that Antigua vacation.

[foreffectivegovernment]

I dearly love the word "Liar". I am compelled to post this.

http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/

[deejsmom]

on my way back from Africa and the Irish Peace process, we stopped off in Tuzla under heavy sniper fire and NAFTA was cool in the 90's but is so blase in 2008.... yup - Rovian - when you get busted - point back to your opponent - laughable

[oma4obama]

Hillary, you are at it again. Try ducking enemy sniper fire-you wear that lie better. LIAR.

[KimberlyKay]

I have read the load of tosh you link to above. If you actually believe this drivel you need to learn how to perform a simple google search. Have you read the whole post? Do you realize the post claims Senator Obama said he won Michigan? Goodness me, why haven't I ever heard, read or seen such a claim-- because Senator Obama never ever said it. I am happy to hear you love the word liar, but you might want to work a bit harder locating real lies, rather than linking people to a bunch of nonsensical made-up surreality. And the post claims "Barack" as a muslim name, without reference to the fact that names exist everywhere -- it is also a hebraic name, and a swahili name and if I thought hard enough about it, I could probably make it an anglo-name­... names usually cross over culturally. My name, alone, exists in Korean, English, American, French, Swahili and Indian. Whoa-- which one should I say it comes from and will you call me a liar if I don't list everything? What if I miss one? This is ridiculous nonsense and I sincerely hope you realize it is.

[unenrolled]

There is only one liar in this race, and that is Hillary. A pathological liar that lives in a neighborhood of Make-Believe. It is really sad that so many are afflicted with the same illness.

[drzoon]

not many "clintonistas" on here... defending what bill clinton (might) have said! i wonder why. maybe its because...­.. he is a convicted "liar"? impeached as the President of The United States ... for... lying?

i guess its pretty hard to defend... a liar... when the issue becomes ... what did he (BC) say? and what did he NOT say

[Gasparilla]

But Richardson denied a charge that Clinton never made. What Clinton said was that Richardson promised not to endorse Obama, that he "would not do that". Richardson said he never promised to endorse Hillary. Bill Clinton did not say he did. Richardson made a very crafted answer.

[jsinclair]

Why should he have to promise either thing? I thought, according to the Clintons, a superdelegate is supposed to be free to size up the election and decide accordingly at any time?

They are such hypocrites. As well as vindictive control-freaks.

[brooklyncitizen]

He actually claimed Ricahrdson promised endorsement five times...