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Transcript of Richardson on CNN Post-Endorsement
KING: Governor Bill Richardson joins us now from Portland, Oregon, after his big endorsement today.
Governor, thanks for joining us in THE SITUATION ROOM.
A big event for the Obama campaign today. They are highlighting this as proof that he is gaining Democrats of stature on his team. But you, yourself, were on this program just a couple of weeks ago with Wolf Blitzer, and you were asked about the possibility who you might endorse, and this is what you said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Quite frankly, I don’t feel, Wolf, that endorsements by politicians help each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: You also went on to say, “I don’t consider myself that important.”
So, why should anyone look at this endorsement and say this matters?
RICHARDSON: Well, I still believe that one politician endorsing another doesn’t make that much difference. But Senator Obama had been talking to me pretty extensively since I got out of the race. So did Senator Clinton, who I deeply admire. And it reached the point when I felt that the campaign has gotten too negative.
Instead of unifying as a party, we’re kind of tearing each other apart.
We have to be ready in November for a very strong Republican candidate.
So I felt stepping in, taking a stand for Senator Obama, who I believe can bring us together, was the right step to do. And that’s what I’m doing, John.
KING: Do you believe Senator Clinton cannot bring the party together?
RICHARDSON: Well, I believe that she has every right to continue. She’s running a very good campaign. But I think that Senator Obama has something special, something that can bring internationally America’s prestige back, that can deal with the race issue as he did so eloquently last week, that can deal with the domestic issues in a bipartisan way.
And there’s something special about the guy that I found out during the campaign.
He’s a good, decent man with an enormous ability to inspire. I just saw thousands of people here in Oregon just hanging on to his every word, but with hope in their eyes, with excitement. I’ve never seen that before. There’s something special about this guy, and I want to be a part of it.
KING: Well, you say something special about this guy. You know, you were a cabinet member, you were an ambassador in the Bill Clinton administration. Bill Clinton flew out to spend Super Bowl Sunday with Bill Richardson, and you say it was just two old friends getting together. I see — we’ve got a photo of you up on the couch watching the ball game.
Look, the Clinton campaign said today, this is no big deal, this endorsement doesn’t matter. Mark Penn said that on a conference call.
But the former president of the United States came out to see you, they clearly wanted this endorsement. Bill Clinton put you in a cabinet position, gave you international profile, not just a high national profile.
Why not Senator Clinton? What is it about her that made you say no?
RICHARDSON: Well, I owe a lot to Senator Clinton and to President Clinton, to the Clinton family. But I served well. I paid it back in service to the country.
President Clinton is a good friend. And we have been good friends.
It was very difficult for me to make this decision. It was a painful conversation for me that I had with Senator Clinton last night. But, you know, I believe that my personal feelings, I did run against Senator Clinton and others for president. I feel that you’ve got to get beyond those personal issues and do what you think is best for the country.
But it was painful, John. It wasn’t easy. I do believe she can be…
KING: I don’t want to interrupt, but you say it was painful and it wasn’t easy. I’ve spoken to some others who have had that same conversation, and they say at the end it’s not all that pleasant.
Take us inside a bit of that conversation.
RICHARDSON: Well, let’s say it was a difficult conversation. But, you know, I resent the fact that the Clinton people are now saying that my endorsement is too late because I only can help with Texans — with Texas and Hispanics, implying that that’s my only value.
You know, that’s typical of some of his advisers that kind of turned me off. And I see a positive thrust by Senator Obama and his people and want to bring the country together.
But I have enormous respect for the Clintons. If she’s the nominee, I’ll fight very hard for her. But this was a personal decision that I felt had to go beyond personal feelings and loyalties and what’s good for the country.
KING: As you know, back when you were in the race, one of your early ads was a humorous ad, but it was meant to deliver a powerful statement. It was the resume ad. You were sitting across the table, essentially saying, I’m a governor, I’ve been an ambassador, I’ve been a cabinet secretary, I’ve been in the Congress, I’ve been around the world dealing with these hotspots and hostage negotiations and the like.
You billed yourself as the most experienced candidate in the race. Today you’re endorsing a man that many would say is the least experienced candidate in this race.
How can you make up that gap, if you will?
RICHARDSON: Well, clearly, I believe that Senator Obama is the best person to bring this country together and to restore our strength internationally. He has great judgment.
He does have a solid legislative experience in the U.S. Senate. He does have exceptional judgment. I mean, his decision on Iraq, the fact that he saw this as a real abyss, makes a lot of sense.
But I’ve gotten to know the guy — his values, his intelligence at debates, his humanity. And I just believe that there’s something special about the guy to bring the country together that the country needs now.
Clearly, my message of experience wasn’t working. I tried to say that I’d bring change with my experience, but the public, the American people, want change, and they want something new and different that somebody — that can inspire them. And they’re seeing this in Senator Obama. And I’m seeing it, too, and so this is why I endorsed him.
KING: If you look at the polling right now, Governor Richardson, it’s clear the American people want the troops out of Iraq, they want the war over. Yet, when you them the question, who is best able to handle Iraq?
John McCain beats Obama and Clinton by a significant margin, which leads most to believe the American people, even though they disagree with McCain on the war, have decided he has the better experience, the better judgment to be commander in chief.
Do you have any worry that Senator Obama, if he is the nominee, that the “He needs on-the-job training, I don’t” argument would work?
RICHARDSON: Well, what you need in a commander in chief first is values.
And Senator Obama has that.
Secondly, you need good judgment. And he has that.
Third, you need to surround yourself with good people and have contingency plans on what you’re going to do if there’s a crisis affecting Americans’ national security.
On all those fronts, he scores extremely well. And perhaps the most important one, he can inspire and bring the country together internationally at a time of crisis to tackle our global challenges.
We don’t have that. So I see him as a very viable commander in chief who has excellent judgment and would surround himself with some very good people.
KING: Any discussions that one of those good people might be Bill Richardson if Barack Obama wins the nomination?
RICHARDSON: No. You know, John, I love being governor of New Mexico and growing my beard, and, you know, riding my horse. So I’m going to work very hard for him to get him elected.
KING: Next time we do the interview it will be on a horse.
Governor, thanks so much for joining us today.
RICHARDSON: Thank you.
http://thepage.time.com/transcript-of-richardson-on-cnn-post-endorsement/
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