How totally disappointing. I am disappointed in Richardson, not only for forgetting who has helped him in the past as so many Obama supporters have, but for the latino community who have remained loyal to Hillary because she helped them and they are a loyal people, who must be badly hurt by this endorsement. The people saw thru the Kennedy endorsement and they will see thru this one too. How shameful Mr Richardson did not do the right thing. Talk about politics as usual. I honestly thought he might be one of the ones who were above it. Obama/Richardson? Is that the deal?

I do wonder about the timing of the endorsement by my governor, and posted a question on my blog. Why would Bill pick Good Friday morning to endorse? No big newspaper headlines, and Good Friday?

I don't know how much this helps Obama. It does help but it may have more influence with other SD's than it does with voters. Tough to say.

It is interesting that Richardson chose Obama over his buddy's wife. Very interesting.

I suspect Richardson's endorsement is the first of a cascade of big-name superdelegate endorsements for Obama over the next couple weeks or so.

Richardson is a well-liked and well-respected party elder. You can be sure his endorsement of Obama was not made without consultation with his peers in the party. With Obama obtaining both the most popular votes and pledged delegates a virtual certainly, I don't think the party elders are going to allow the primary fight to continue much longer for the good of the country and of the party.

I can't believe Hillary supporters are so dismissive of anything that happens to Barack it then means rewriting the truth about bad things that happened to BILL. That passport fiasco was a politically-charged investigation, swept under the rug.

Richardson’s strength in Western states shouldn't be underestimated. Apart from Obama securing the caucus format and the left-left liberal hold outs (both strong in activism), Barack doesn't match up the best with demographics out West. Richardson could do him some good in Eastern Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota and maybe later in CA Central Valley if Obama wins the nomination. Richardson's strongest shows are said to be with the Latino vote, but they don’t factor in the last stretch of the race as much as the overlooked (far too long overlooked -if you ask this “half-breed”) First Peoples vote. Richardson, under Clinton, did some real good work for the Indian population. Actually, the best examples of working toward equality in the history of this Nation happened under the Clinton Era. For blacks, Latinos, and First Peoples. There is no ifs, or buts on this one, and Richardson certainly recognizes this reality -as well as his former role -as he tries to rustle up votes for Obama.

There is no cynical reason to believe Hillary Clinton will be any less successful securing rights for all members of society as well as honoring treaties and securing health care. Former Principal Chief Wilma Pearl Mankiller supports Hillary because of her decades of long and trusted commitment to the health and wealth of First Peoples, and for her dedication to securing health care.

Central talking points for Richardson will need to offer more than the rhetoric arguing Obama is “once in a lifetime” or “you get only one chance”. People know water rights, education, equal pay, health care, and treaty rights are long lived struggles surpassing far too many “best of the best of the best” presidents.

I tend to think Richardson should try to work the domestic side of the argument. Richardson would do himself and Obama a favor and not talk foreign policy, least he frighten some of Obama’s antiwar votes. He “should” make Obama’s largest and most active group of voters -- the garden variety soft foreign policy oriented liberal-- cringe. Richardson turned off several left liberals early on -and was effectively labeled hawkish and too close to Clinton! I believe even Josh Marshall criticized Richard’s hawkish foreign policy views. Since Zbig Brzezinski (creator of the “Soviets Vietnam”) is the premiere mastermind behind Obama, I sincerely doubt Richardson backing Obama will even make waves. Still, the bulk of the Obama antiwar foreign policy voters will feel better if Richardson doesn’t mention his own foreign policy views and sticks to the glamorous “once in a lifetime., ...you get only one vote” oratory.

Finally, I think talking about Super Delegates calling the race is way too early. If Clinton wins big in PA and ties or even perhaps wins NC, that would be one more serious win for Clinton after the TX and OH shakedown. A NC win seems hardly likely, but she recently gained nearly 3 points and is currently 5.4% behind Obama in NC --A state with roughly 20% of the population African-American and another 6.5% Latino and/or Hispanic. I’d argue Richardson is trying to keep Obama’s lead and smooth out the racial tension rather than signify that Obama is the guaranteed winner.

.....
also, as I noted over at http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/03/reduced-impact-for-richardson.php#comment-2669786
the EdOP questions the importance of timing for Obama's wins. The timing of wins is discussed by Jay Cost who runs the horseraceblog at realclearpolitics (dot)com. Cost argues Clinton closes well (see TX and OH), and Obama does best 30 and 15 days from the vote. So, Richardson coming exactly 30 days before PA seems pretty much like standard strategy....

"what his actions have done to the party"

I know...I don't know why it's not legally called treason when someone who's winning an election is selfish and cynical enough not to drop out.

For sure, Richardson will add some experience and credability to Barack's campaign. I'll wait a bit to comment on judgement.

I can't think of a better man for Barack to pick as a running mate. We will have to wait to see if it actually happens, or if it was just a carrot, dangled at a very convient time

Anyone have any better candidates to suggest?

The endorsement would have meant a lot less if it hadn't turned into such a wonderful photo op. Talk about giving the nightly news something to run!

And what was it that ran? A politician revealing the good humor and generosity of another politician when they're supposed to be opposing each other.

What does that say about their relationship? What does it say about Mr. Obama's persona?

That they actually like each other even when competing? Yup. (And we saw Mr. Obama doing that during the debates he's had with Mrs. Clinton, too.)

That Mr. Obama appears to prefer working with, rather than working against? Yup.

That Mr. Obama is willing to jump in and help a competitor rather than throw him under the train? Yup.

That even when he should be taking himself deadly seriously, Mr. Obama does the good willed and generous thing? Yup.

That Mr. Obama is behaving the way he's been talking about on the campaign trail? Yup.