Bill Clinton Still Holds Grudge Against Bill Richardson; Guv. Stumping Hard for Obama

Richardson at Obama rally in Espanola NM last month

Gov. Bill Richardson has gotten a lot of flack from both Clintons for his endorsement of Barack Obama. And remember when longtime Clinton pal James Carville called Richardson a "Judas" for supporting Obama? Carville is now out and about on TV spinning on behalf of Obama, but at least one Clinton hasn't gotten over the perceived slight. According to a report on Politico, Hillary has managed to move on, but Bill is still fuming:

“It could be pretty much a permanent fissure. But that’s politics, that’s OK,” Richardson told National Public Radio’s Renee Montagne in an interview that aired Thursday morning on "Morning Edition." “I did what I thought was best for the country. I’m still very fond of the Clintons. I’ve reconciled with her. But with him — he wants to keep a grudge, that’s fine with me. I move on. I’m governor of New Mexico. I’m happy where I am."

... Bill Clinton, who had personally pleaded for Richardson to endorse his wife, was said to be especially incensed. Richardson told Montagne he’s spoken to Hillary Clinton and that a fundraiser he held two months ago raised nearly $250,000 to help her retire the debt she accrued during her presidential campaign.

“She appreciated it. You know, we talked,” Richardson said. “Have I heard from President Clinton? No.” But, he added “I’m very comfortable with what I did, endorsing Sen. Obama.”

Richardson on the Road for Obama
Richardson has been working very hard to promote Obama and fundraise on his behalf, traveling to swing states like Nevada, Colorado, Florida and Wisconsin to work the crowds and work the donors for Barack. He's also reaching out to voters in New Mexico to urge them to vote for Obama, especially in heavily Hispanic areas of the state.

This coming Saturday, Richardson will be canvassing in Albuquerque's South Valley along with NM-01 Congressional candidate Martin Heinrich and DPNM Chair Brian Colón as part of the coordinated campaign on behalf of Dem candidates.

This past Saturday, Richardson was in Nevada for the Obama campaign, reports the Las Vegas Sun:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson gathered with local Hispanic leaders for a discussion on the economy at the College of Southern Nevada before setting off to canvass, attend a Telemundo soccer tournament and deliver remarks at the Clark County Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner.

... “John Kerry lost Ohio,” Richardson said in an interview. “If he had won Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, he would be president today. I think the key to the election are these three Western states — and the margin of victory is in the Hispanic vote.”

(Richardson said he would be spending much of his time campaigning on behalf of Obama in those three battleground states, as well as Florida.)

Reaching out to Hispanics
Obama gets it. The campaign and the Democratic National Committee plan to spend $20 million on grassroots organizing and advertising efforts targeting Hispanic voters -- more than doubling what the Bush and Kerry campaigns spent together on Hispanic outreach in the last presidential cycle.

Obama, speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus last week, said turning those voters out in November will be critical.

“If you have any doubt about whether you can make a difference, just remember how, back in 2004, 40,000 registered Latino voters in New Mexico didn’t turn out on Election Day. Sen. Kerry lost that state by fewer than 6,000 votes,” he said. “Six thousand votes.”

The Surrogate Shuffle
Richardson has also been doing numerous TV interviews as an Obama surrogate. Here he is on a recent Rachel Maddow Show discussing McCain's nasty "kitchen sink" strategy:

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When (okay, if) Obama wins, what job do you think Richardson will hold in an Obama administration? Interior Secretary? Ambassador? Secretary of State? Fed Chairman (not)? Special envoy to somewhere? Head of the World Bank? Only time will tell.

Photo by M.E. Broderick.

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