Richard Whalen

New Mexico’s Governor Bill Richardson, the nation’s only Hispanic governor, shocked the political world in general and the Clinton camp in particular by endorsing presidential candidate Barack Obama for president March 21.

And while many political analysts have pointed out that Richardson’s timing was a bit off – Obama narrowly lost the Texas primary because Hillary Clinton ran strongly among Hispanics – nevertheless, Richardson’s endorsement is seen as crucial for Obama to win the backing of the nearly 800 superdelegates as well as America’s 35 million Hispanics. Richardson is a superdelegate and the 62nd superdelegate to endorse Obama.

Quite moved by Obama's major address on race relations and Obama’s response to the controversial remarks of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Richardson said: “Your candidacy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our country, and you are a once-in-a-lifetime leader….As a Hispanic-American, I was particularly touched by his words.”

Richardson’s endorsement is considered a stunning rebuke of Clinton because of his deep ties to both Hillary and Bill Clinton. Under President Clinton, Richardson was Secretary of Energy and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Naturally, the Clinton campaign shrugged off the endorsement.

While Richardson said his “affection for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver, it is now time for a new generation of leadership.” He said he spoke with her on March 20 and later joked: “We’ve had better conversations.” Richardson is the second former Democratic presidential contender to endorse Obama, after Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut.

The New York Post reported that “The endorsement comes after months of heavy courtship by former President Clinton, who realized the importance of Richardson’s clout among Hispanics and understood just how devastating such a defection would be….the entreaties from the Clintons [were like] a carpet bomb with surrogates and supporters as well as calls from the candidate herself” all the time.

Richardson, a savvy politician and a practiced international troubleshooter with foes from Saddam Hussein to Fidel Castro, claims he loves his job in Santa Fe and doesn’t want to go back to Washington. But you know that line. His endorsement has touched off a flurry of speculation and rumors of a Obama-Richardson ticket – not really a bad idea.

The Clintons made Richardson and the only meaning behind his endorsement of Obama is that Richardson believes Hillary is over. I think he’s right.