Obama Lands Endorsement of Bill Richardson

By JACKIE CALMES

After a perilous week of racial controversy, Barack Obama showed the continued strength of his efforts against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, gaining the coveted endorsement of former candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

While Sen. Clinton's chief strategist sought to dismiss the Richardson endorsement Friday, Gov. Richardson's choice of Illinois' Sen. Obama was a blow to her on several levels, not least because it lent much-needed lift to her rival. For days, Sen. Obama has been on the defensive over racially charged remarks, widely viewed over the Internet, from his longtime pastor.

Associated Press

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announced his endorsement of Barack Obama at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore., Friday.

As a Mexican-American, Gov. Richardson is a leader among Hispanic voters, a group that has been particularly supportive of Sen. Clinton, but which Sen. Obama has refused to cede. She narrowly won his state's nominating contest in February, helped by Hispanic support.

In their joint appearance Friday before an estimated 12,000 in Portland, Ore., Gov. Richardson said that as a Hispanic, he was "particularly touched" by Sen. Obama's Wednesday speech on racial understanding -- a response to the furor over his minister's comments decrying America's injustice to blacks. Speaking in Spanish, Gov. Richardson called Sen. Obama "un buen amigo" -- a good friend -- of Hispanics.

Gov. Richardson's support is also helpful because he is a leader among the 795 Democratic "superdelegates" to the party's late August nominating convention. These governors, members of Congress and party officials can pick the candidate of their choice, as opposed to the pledged delegates the candidates win through the votes in the primaries and caucuses.

Sen. Obama, who leads in pledged delegates, had also cut deeply into Sen. Clinton's lead in superdelegates in recent weeks. But several hundred superdelegates remain on the fence; among their major considerations is which candidate would be most electable -- and helpful to down-ballot candidates -- in November. Democratic strategists expected the racial controversy to give superdelegates new doubts about Sen. Obama's electability, making Gov. Richardson's nod a well-timed boost for the senator.

It also was a particular snub to Sen. Clinton, given Gov. Richardson's long association with her and her husband as a member of Bill Clinton's administration, both as United Nations ambassador and energy secretary. In his endorsement, the former diplomat challenged the central assertion of the Clinton campaign -- that Sen. Obama doesn't have the experience to be commander-in-chief on day one.

"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," Gov. Richardson said. "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."

Both camps had courted the governor after he dropped out of the race in early January. Bill Clinton watched the Super Bowl on TV with the governor and repeatedly pressured his former official. Once, according to the Associated Press, the former president blurted in frustration, "What, isn't two cabinet posts enough?"

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Nonetheless, Clinton strategist Mark Penn told reporters in a conference call Friday that Gov. Richardson's endorsement wasn't significant. "The time that he could have been effective has long since passed," he said.

Mr. Richardson shot back in an interview with CNN, "You know, that's typical of some of his advisers that kind of turned me off." Mr. Penn, among others at the Clinton campaign, formerly worked for Bill Clinton.

The Clinton campaign also cited Gov. Richardson's past remarks that "superdelegates should reflect their state or constituency" -- which, in his case, would mean he'd back Sen. Clinton.

Among other past Democratic presidential candidates, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd also has endorsed Sen. Obama. Past advisers to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards dismissed rumors this week that he would endorse Sen. Clinton, suggesting instead that he remains undecided.

Sen. Clinton now has about 250 superdelegates, compared to about 215 for Sen. Obama.