Bill Richardson: A Judas who should be branded like cattle?

Bill Richardson is the governor of New Mexico and a former Democratic presidential candidate. He also served as ambassador to the United Nations and energy secretary during the Clinton administration. But, more to the point, he is currently the most popular Hispanic in American politics.

Therefore, it’s understandable that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama coveted his endorsement like lovesick puppies. In fact, Hillary even pimped out her husband to woo Richardson. This is why Bill flew to New Mexico to curry favor with him while watching this year’s Super Bowl. And, no doubt, central to his rap was reminding Richardson that “it was the Clintons who made him what he is today”….

Therefore, it must have come as a tremendous blow to Hillary’s campaign last week when Richardson endorsed Obama:

Barack Obama will make a great and historic president…. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our nation. I am very loyal to the Clintons. I served under President Clinton. But I served well. And I served the country well.

Alas, team Clinton’s reaction was vintage, and no one expressed it more poignantly than James Carville, Hillary’s campaign advisor and designated hitman:

Richardson’s Obama 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….

A cattle rancher in eastern New Mexico or an advertising executive on the East Side of Manhattan would agree that proper branding is important…. I wanted to be sure that Richardson’s act was branded properly.

Let me hasten to disabuse you of any notion that Carville was just being a rogue warrior. After all, the fact that neither Bill nor Hillary denounced his bestial attack on Richardson suggests that they condone it.

Moreover, Carville is just a clown in the three-ring circus of race-baiting, gutter politics that has characterized Hillary’s campaign. And, of course, the ringmaster of this circus is none other than the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

For his part, here’s all Richardson had to say in response:

I’m not gonna get in the gutter with them. That’s typical of many of the people around Senator Clinton. They think they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency.

But can you imagine if Carville had said this about a black politician – like John Lewis who also “betrayed” the Clintons to support Obama, and whose endorsement was just as coveted?

So where’s the outrage – especially among Hispanics?

That said, in light of this latest episode, I feel obliged to reiterate the admonition I issued in December 2006 and again just weeks ago:

It’s going to get really ugly…. Recall that Hillary’s campaign (i.e., not John McCain’s) was the first to insinuate that, because Obama’s middle name is Hussein, he must be a closet Muslim who can’t be trusted…. As I warned in December 2006, when it comes to dirty tricks, the Clintons will make Republicans look like boy scouts.

[Super Tuesday…, The iPINIONS Journal March 5, 2008]

And, frankly, national issues and the Democratic Party be damned. The Clintons really do feel entitled to return to the White House, and they’ll try to get back there by any means necessary. Although, to be fair to them, all of the complaining about these personal attacks detracting from the issues and hurting the party is patent bullshit! (It has always been thus.)

In fact, there have already been too many debates on the issues (and it would not surprise me if the people complaining haven’t seen a single one). Moreover, there’ll be plenty of time after this nomination fight is settled for Democrats to kiss and make up, which they will do notwithstanding fatuous talk about them voting in droves for McCain in November.

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Bill Richardson Judas