LAT: LOVE STORY, Bill R. spills the beans on Obama nod!!!

The LA Times has put out a blockbuster piece detailing the back story on Richardson endorsement, from the man himself, Bill Richardson. This is a must read, as Bill gives a blow by blow account of how he strayed. As with more and more folks, his shift after nearly endorsing Clinton was a combination of being won over by Obama... combined with a growing unease about the Hillary campaign. What really fascinated me though, was the fact that the more I read the more it reminded of a love triangle, with the Clinton's in the roll of the jilted spouse that Richardson left for Obama.

More plus quotes below.  

This paragraph pretty much summed up how Richardson went from almost endorsing Hillary to formally endorsing Obama;

He was impressed by the mostly positive tone of Obama's campaign, and grew to appreciate the substance and depth of their private conversations. The more Richardson heard from the Washington heavyweights backing Clinton, the more convinced he became of the need for a change inside the beltway.

Richardson explains that immediately following his withdrawal from the race he went into a funk and swore of national politics for the duration, something as a Deaniac that I understand perfectly. He soon got drawn back in though, and then the calls from both camps started coming...

Their manner of courtship,one wooing, the other arm-twisting---seemed to reflect the candidates' different personalities and campaign styles.

Obama, Richardson disclosed, called him personally about about every three days to discuss policy and campaign issues at length, and their relationship grew and deepened. Meanwhile he got 8 or more calls a day from the Clinton camp, from Bill and a host of others, some of whom implied he owed his whole career to Clinton and now was the time to pay them back. These tactics started pissing him off, and he began to feel that the Clinton's thought Hillary was entitled to the nomination.

And then there was how the Clinton's campaigned, probably because Richardson was steadily growing closer to Obama he was pretty upset about the 3am call. And over time he drifted closer and closer what to him was an agonizing decision. He revealed that both he and his wife really treasured their relationship with the Clinton's, in fact she had hung pictures of the two couples together around the house... as well as warning him of the personal consequences of endorsing Obama. As a matter of fact they haven't heard from the Clinton's since, something that has clearly hurt Richardson who prominently referred to the rupture. Hammering the point home the article ended with this plaintive line;

He's very much a part of my life, Richardson said of the former president. The pictures are still hanging in the mansion's private quarters.

And then of course, the article describes the effect on the jilted Clinton's, including Bill's surprising explosion a few days after the endorsement while meeting with some superdelegates, which now makes more sense given this context.  

Sounds like a classic love triangle to me, check it out for yourselves and weigh in below.

http://www.latimes.com/...

•  Tip Jar? n/t

  by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:27:05 PM PDT

  •  I am cynical about Richardson...I admit it.

    I've been observing him for many years, and I would be very surprised if his primary motivation was not that it became indisputably clear that Obama would win the Democratic nomination with or without his endorsement - he chose the winning side and created a nice fairy tale to explain his decision.

    Don't get me wrong - I'm pleased that the Guv endorsed Obama and pleased that he signaled to the Supers that it's important that they respect the will of the vast majority of Democratic voters.

    But my rose colored glasses were shattered by Richardson when as Energy Sec, he opened the radioactive dump (WIPP) that he campaigned against to win his Congressional seat in NM-3.  His credibility deficit rivals that of the Clintons.

    And although I don't pray much - I do pray that he will not be on the ticket as Obama's running mate.
    
    
    ````
    peace
    
    

    by peace voter on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:39:07 PM PDT

•  Then? Then what? ;)

  (last word of diary is 'THEN'...with nothing following...I'm hangin' here!!)
  ;)

  by carolinadreamer on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:33:06 PM PDT

  •  Then ... they lived happily ever after?

    Interesting to hear Richardson's thinking although he has been pretty open about his conflicted feelings - future vs. past, etc.

    Hey, where'd 'then' go? Put it back and give us a juicy ending ;)

    by speck tater on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:36:58 PM PDT

  •  Sorry....

    I didn't realize that... It took so long to write (because I am a slow composer) I wanted to get it out there before editing it. I have corrected and added a bit.

    by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:44:44 PM PDT

•  I also think

  the article shows that Richardson was very sincere about this endorsement, by revealing the personal cost to him. At least from his presentation, in which he claims they didn't discuss the VP slot or any other jobs in a possible Obama Administration, Richardson didn't make the jump for political gain.

  That being said, the moment I saw them together at the endorsement I thought Richardson would be a great VP for Obama.

  by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:41:20 PM PDT

•  Excellent article

  This is so ham-fisted as to be nearly unbelievable.

  some of whom implied he owed his whole career to Clinton and now was the time to pay them back.

  This implies that Richardson was some bum off the street on whom the beneficent Clintons bestowed undeserved privilege and status. As the article points out, Richardson was a highly accomplished pol in his own right and more than pulled his own weight in the Clinton administration during some tough times. The Clinton camp would have served themselves better by using sincere flattery expressing their deep appreciation for Richardson's valuable contributions to Bill Clinton's success.

  The Clinton camp gives new meaning to the word, "ingrates".

  by peraspera on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:42:49 PM PDT

  •  Very true...

    Obama certainly handled the whole thing better. I loved the description of how Obama built on a friendly relationship that had started during the debates, when they would "Roll their eyes" at each other when their opponents said "silly" things.

    by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:49:04 PM PDT

  •  Feudal

    Isn't this what old-school royalty did? Give out peerage in exchange for blind loyalty and other favors?  The world is not the yoyo at the end of King Bill's string. But, Carville is making a great court jester!

    by elropsych on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 06:10:36 PM PDT

•  The whole thing makes me sad for Richardson, that

  he ever found himself in that position in the first place. He just strikes me as a really good, thoughtful, kind of guy. I can't help wondering if, now that he's lost his friends the Clintons, he regrets his choice, or if maybe, now that he's lost his friends the Clintons, he feels vindicated in his choice, recognizing that they were never really such great friends to have.  

  by gaije on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 04:54:49 PM PDT

  •  Presisely

    why I was reminded of a bad break up, your rose colored glasses have fallen off but you can't just move on. Witness Richardson saying "He's very much a part of my life", like a guy in denial.

    I must admit I am more in favor of an Richardson VP pick after reading this... It really seems like Richardson paid a high price for doing what he thought was right for the country.

    by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:13:38 PM PDT

•  twisted

  by erin r on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:15:31 PM PDT

•  Cue Carvillew/staged freakout...

  ...you know, the freakout he DIDN'T have when Joe Lieberman endorsed McCain in December?

  by Phoenix Woman on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:17:44 PM PDT

  •  And interestingly,

    the article pointed out that the "freakout" only elevated the importance of the endorsement. Which is more evidence to me that the Clinton's are reacting from an emotional place not a rational one, because it wasn't smart politics to elevate the importance of the Richardson endorsement.

    The Clinton's aren't acting like the smart politicians they are, in fact, they are headed for a cliff... and then there are the red faced rants, lots of clues that these folks are dominated by their emotions right now.

    If they were in a rational place she would have waited about 5 days after the Richardson endorsement, then claim she suddenly got "religion". She didn't lose, she got "converted". Her popularity would have soared, and she would have faced a bright future, Now? Now we have Kosovo, Mark Penn, numerous other lies, missteps and low campaign tactics. She looks desperate and has lost stature to boot.

    by PLS on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:57:22 PM PDT

•  My respect for the Governor has just grown

  Thanks for pointing out this article. It's good to see a politician standing up for principle, breaking the cycle of the "good ol' boys club" and acting independently. This is indeed what we need more of in our government - people who are capable of evaluating the best course of action for them to take and then willing to act according to their principles.

  We've had enough of "loyalty" and "closing ranks" from this administration!

  by 1BQ on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:21:06 PM PDT

•  thanks for pointing this out, PLS

  very interesting article. You can really see how hard this was for Richardson, which makes his endorsement all the more valuable and important.

  by kainah on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 05:30:20 PM PDT

•  I was a Richardson supporter

  There was always something very sincere and honest about him.   He was not particularly articulate, but he was the most thoughtful of all the candidates, and he certainly had the experience argument on his side.   I could see how he could be effective in negotiations, given his sincerety and his patience.   Thanks for the article

  by whenallthestarsarefallingdown on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 07:45:52 PM PDT

•  I read this article this morning

  Was thinking of diarying it myself...really needs to be on the rec list, or FP--what it shows about the styles of the two candidates is REALLY revealing.  I am even more proud of Obama than I was before!  And SOOO glad to know that he is lobbying the SD's with grace and respect, not pressure and bribes.

  by oscarsmom on Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 08:30:12 AM PDT