aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Endorsements

Of course I was pleased to hear Bill Richardson say just now on The Today Show that his endorsement came as a result of Obama’s speech on race:

I’m a hispanic. And I felt that what he said about being a nation of all us being together and not stereotyping, really clinched it.

I read Richardson as generous in discussing Clinton, and making the call, but as with John Lewis it was an intensely difficult decision and the Clintons didn’t make it any easier.

An example from the NYTimes today:

“An act of betrayal,” said James Carville, an adviser to Mrs. Clinton and a friend of Mr. Clinton.

“Mr. Richardson’s endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic,” Mr. Carville said, referring to Holy Week.

I once had great admiration for Carville but that’s now long gone. He’s become a smarmy snake-oil salesman who will do whatever it takes to keep his spot on Meet The Press next to his fact-challenged wife.

But back to the topic of endorsements. The on again off again rumors of an Edwards endorsement of Clinton is officially off again:

John Edwards is unlikely to endorse either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton before the nomination is decided, according to interviews with several members of the former candidate’s inner circle.

At least three individuals who have recently spoken to Edwards expect that he will choose to stay out of the fight, though they warn that no one other than his wife, Elizabeth, can be certain of his thinking.

“My gut instinct, at this point: He’s probably going to remain neutral and sort of try to play on that Al Gore status as party elder,” said a former Edwards operative who is in regular contact with the former North Carolina senator and who asked that his name be withheld.

So for the moment it doesn’t look like there are any more big endorsements on the horizon. But then, times change....