And So It Begins...

This headline caught my eye:

REPORT: HILLARY STEPPING DOWN, RICHARDSON TAKING OVER STATE

If true, the Hillary 2012 campaign is about to get underway. Seems like I predicted something like that one year ago almost to the day. My guess was that Biden would go to State to clear the way for a better VP candidate for Obama in 2012, but there's still time to move Biden out of the way.

The Grudge Report

Bill Clinton still gets heartburn over people he had counted on to support Hillary, but who chose hope and change instead:

The New York Times Magazine has a must-read profile of Bill Clinton and how he's adjusted to having a Democrat once again in the White House -- but one who is not his wife.

"People close to Clinton said he has largely got over his resentment at Obama but not toward Ted Kennedy and his niece, Caroline Kennedy. As Clinton sees it, they say, he did so much for the Kennedys over the years that he felt they became almost family. Nor has he forgiven Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who endorsed Obama even though Clinton appointed him to two cabinet posts."

Bill really wanted back in the White House.

Dems and the Culture of Corruption

Remember when it seemed there was a scandal a day in the Republican party? The vaunted "culture of corruption" cost the GOP control on Capitol Hill and possibly the White House.

Well, we got rid of our problem children. Now it's the Dem's turn:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration and the new Congress are quickly handing over to Republicans the same "culture of corruption" issue that Democrats used so effectively against the GOP before coming to power.

Freshman Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., is only the latest embarrassment.

Senate Democrats accepted Burris because they believed what he told them: He was clean. Burris now admits he tried to raise money for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who authorities say sought to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"The story seems to be changing day by day," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

The political mess for the Democratic Party, however, isn't Burris' conduct alone; it's the pattern that has developed so quickly over the past few months.

_The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is the subject of a House ethics investigation. It's partly focused on his fundraising practices for a college center in his name, his ownership financing of a resort property in the Dominican Republic and his financial disclosure reports.

_Federal agents raided two Pennsylvania defense contractors that were provided millions of dollars in federal funding by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

_Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on federal charges, including allegations he schemed to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder.

_Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader from South Dakota, abandoned his bid to become health and human services secretary and the administration's point man on reforming health care; and Nancy Killefer stepped down from a newly created position charged with eliminating inefficient government programs.

Both Daschle and Killefer had tax problems, and Daschle also faced potential conflicts of interest related to working with health care interests.

_Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was confirmed after revealing he had tax troubles.

_Obama's initial choice for commerce secretary, Bill Richardson, stepped aside due to a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.

_While the Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm William Lynn as deputy defense secretary, Obama had to waive his ethics regulations to place the former defense lobbyist in charge of day-to-day operations at the Pentagon.

This list doesn't include the big Dem contributor now suspected in an $8 billion bank fraud and laundering money for Mexican drug cartels.

And he won't be the last.

And for my lefty readers, don't worry, there's still plenty of room for GOP corruption. In fact, the Murtha mess may involve as many as 42 GOP congressmen as well as 62 Dems who had earmarks for clients of a particular lobbying group. The whole bunch of them on Capitol Hill should be flushed.

Obama Known by the Company He Keeps

With tax cheats Tim Geithner and Tom Dasche in or on their way to cabinet positions, Don Surber looks at some of the other associations of the man in the White House:

Let us review the list of people who belong in jail he has hung out with over the years: William Ayers. Rod Blagojevich. Tony Rezko. Timothy Geithner. Tom Daschle.

The rest of Obama’s cast of imbeciles: Arne Duncan whose 7 years as Chicago schools CEO was highlighted by worsening test scores and no-bid cappuccino machines.

20 years with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I give Obama credit. He titled his book from the “Audacity of Hope” sermon and not the “God Damn America” sermon.

Nadhmi Auchi, the Iraqi-born billionaire who loaned Obama the money for their $3 million mansion they got at half price courtesy of Rezko.

Bill Richardson, his second choice as commerce secretary, had to withdraw because of a federal corruption investigation of his administration as governor of New Mexico.

Penny Pritzker, his first choice at commerce, who was chairman of a bank that the FDIC had to take over due to mismanagement. Her family agreed to shell out $460 million over a 15-year period to cover some of the losses from that fiasco.

Small wonder that Obama has to look outside the Democratic Party for a commerce secretary as Republican Sen. Judd Gregg is rumored to be in line for the job.

It is sort of like Bill Clinton picking the childless Janet Reno as attorney general after his first 2 picks were embroiled in nanny controversies.

Eric Holder was appointed attorney general despite his role in pardoning terrorists in a votes-for-pardon scam and his role in pardoning a billionaire who failed to pay $100 million in taxes in 1983 dollars.

Hillary Clinton was appointed secretary of state despite the millions Saudis and other foreign interest groups have given her husband, who has shown a willingness to pardon $100 million in taxes for a few million donated to his presidential library, the modern equivalent of a pyramid.

The vetting of these people was done by Valerie Jarrett, who Obama wanted to take his seat in the Senate. Let’s see, she is CEO of Habitat Co., which operates housing projects. After 5 years of her management, one 504-unit scored an 11 out of 100 in a federal inspection.

Small wonder she never discovered Daschle and Geithner are tax cheats.

Does he have any honest friends? One crooked friend or associate can be a misunderstanding. Multiple crooked friends or associates indicates a serious moral flaw.

Grading the Obama Team

Don Surber takes a look at the team Barack Obama has put together for his cabinet:

Let us review that cabinet that President Obama built.

In order of importance, with my grade on the choice.

Vice president — Sen. Joe Biden. Bob Uecker, except he does not realize it. Wanted to divide Iraq into 3 parts. Are the hairplugs on too tight? F.

Chief of staff — Rahm Emanuel. A knee-capper, which I like. You want an enforcer in the White House so that the president may preside. But the taint of the Blagojevich scandal may touch him. What am I saying? Patrick Fitzgerald is a bungler who wants to keep his job. There will be other scandals. B.

Defense — Secretary Robert Gates has done a good job and I hope he is able to rebuild the military and make it less dependent on reservists and National Guardsmen. I am not knocking the reserves or the National Guard. But we lean on them way too much. A.

State — Sen. Hillary Clinton may just be man enough for the job. I trust she learned from her husband’s mistakes. Better to be feared than loved. She knows it. Bill didn’t. B.

Attorney general — Eric Holder is a disastrous pick. He was the Clintonian henchman whose work included the deportation of Elian Gonzalez, the pardon of Marc Rich and the pardon of 16 Puerto Rican terrorists. F.

National security adviser — Retired Marine commandant Gen. James Jones. ’Nuff said. A.

Homeland security — Gov. Janet Napolitano. Supports amnesty for illegal aliens. And there is no Sarah Palin to save her. D.

Commerce — Gov. Bill Richardson was so sloppy in running the Department of Energy (he screwed up the Los Alamos spy case) that Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd vowed in June 2000 to never support the guy again. Obama picked him anyway. That blew up in Obama’s face when a pay-to-play scheme surfaced in New Mexico and the governor was forced to step aside. F.

Transportation — Republican Roy LaHood was an earmarxist while in Congress. This is like giving the keys to the liquor cabinet to the town drunk. So much for Obama’s vow to cleanse the budget of earmarks. D.

CIA — Leon Panetta has no intelligence experience. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Considering the CIA sent Democrat Joe Wilson to Nigeria to undermine President Bush’s plans in Iraq, I am not really inspired by the complaints of the careerists in the agency. Panetta does seem to have some management experience. C.

Labor — Hilda Solis. Nice story of a daughter of immigrants making it to Congress. A union lackey who swoons about “environmental justice.” I have no idea what that means. Maybe it means polar bears stop eating those delicious baby harp seals. C.

Energy — Steve Chu. Nobel laureate. Into alternative energy. Fine, but what about energy independence? Eh, maybe he will inject actual science into the global warming debate. A.

Energy czar — Carol Browner. She shredded her computer files on her last day as EPA administrators so she is about as trustworthy as a snake. No energy experience, other than stopping the refining of oil and the creation of electricity. I’m curious as to why we have an energy secretary and an energy czar. The redundancy shows indecision on Obama’s part. Hack. D.

EPA — Lisa Jackson.has a lot of EPA. 20 years as an EPA. B.

Agriculture — Tom Vilsack. Don’t look for any farm subsidy reform. But he has gubernatorial experience. A.

Interior — Sen. Ken Salazar. We sort of want to protect our national parks. As long as he allows people to carry sidearms in Yosemite, he’ll be OK. A.

Education — Arne Duncan. As “CEO” of Chicago’s public schools he oversaw a politically correct failure that spent $67,000 for 30 cappuccino machines in a no-bid contract. But, hey, he plays basketball and he’s from Chicago, right? If only Bill Ayers could dribble. D.

The rest either haven’t been appointed or don’t really matter to me.

Cabinet overall grade: A gentleman’s C. He has spotty judgment, and the choices for attorney general and vice president are real troubling. For a man whose selling card is his perfect judgment, he sure pulls more than his share of boners.

That seems about right. For all the hope and change it seems an inauspicious start.

Bill Richardson Out at Commerce

Another "pay to play" problem for the new Obama administration:

WASHINGTON (AP) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation into how some of his political donors won a lucrative state contract.

Richardson's withdrawal was the first disruption of Obama's Cabinet process and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has touched Obama's transition to the presidency. The president-elect has remained above the fray in both the case of arrested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the New Mexico case.

A federal grand jury is investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's political activities won a New Mexico transportation contract worth more than $1 million. Richardson said in a statement issued by the Obama transition office that the investigation could take weeks or months but expressed confidence it will show he and his administration acted properly.

"I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process," Richardson said. "Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the president-elect and his administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done."

Richardson said he will remain as governor and told Obama, "I am eager to serve in the future in any way he deems useful."

At least he didn't say he wanted to "spend more time with his family".

For John Kerry, It's a Blue Christmas

Move over all you people under Barack Obama's bus, there's a high profile Senator who needs a spot:

SENATOR John Kerry's fate illustrates the new political order under President-elect Barack Obama: Reward your enemies, not necessarily your friends.

Hillary Clinton, Obama's tough primary opponent, became Obama's choice for secretary of state; Kerry, an avid Obama ally, was passed over. Obama's vice president, Joe Biden, is also a former rival. Yesterday, Obama named Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, another primary challenger, as his pick for commerce secretary.

What's next, Dennis Kucinich as secretary of labor?

Before that, Obama stood behind Senator Joseph Lieberman, a Democrat turned Independent who campaigned hard for Republican John McCain. With Obama's blessing, Lieberman retained a prestigious committee chairmanship.

If you're Kerry, you've got to be feeling a bit like the Rev. Jeremiah Wright - thrown under the Obama bus, while ex-rivals climb merrily aboard.

Poor John. It just hasn't been his decade.

Obamessiah's VP Candidates Working Hard to Disqualify Themselves

We've already seen how on Fox this morning Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine effectively took himself out of the VP running with his stupid statement about Obama, and on Sunday Bill Richardson did much the same thing (from George Will):

On ABC's "This Week," Richardson, auditioning to be Barack Obama's running mate, disqualified himself. Clinging to the Obama campaign's talking points like a drunk to a lamppost, Richardson said that this crisis proves the wisdom of Obama's zest for diplomacy and that America should get the U.N. Security Council "to pass a strong resolution getting the Russians to show some restraint." Apparently Richardson was ambassador to the United Nations for 19 months without noticing that Russia has a Security Council veto.

There's still Evan Baye and my favorite bumpersticker: Obama-Bayh.

Why Richardson Didn't Endorse Hillary

I'm wondering if Bill Richardson is regretting his decision to endorse Obama in light of the "bitter America" comments. If he is, he isn't saying so...yet. The LA Times has a piece on why he chose Mr. Hope instead of Mrs. Harpy:

SANTA FE, N.M. -- Before he endorsed Barack Obama, before he drew the wrath of the Clintons and was likened to Judas, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson nearly endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.

But Richardson hesitated, and as the Democratic campaign turned ugly, he grew angry.

There was that "3 a.m." TV ad, in which Clinton questioned Obama's personal mettle. "That upset me," Richardson said.

There were some ham-fisted phone calls from Clinton backers, who questioned Richardson's honor and suggested that the governor, who served in President Clinton's Cabinet, owed Hillary Clinton his support. "That really ticked me off," Richardson said.

Still, even as he moved from Clinton toward Obama -- "the pursuit was pretty relentless on both sides" -- Richardson wrestled with the question of loyalty. After 14 years in Congress and a measure of fame as an international troubleshooter, Richardson was named Clinton's U.N. ambassador, then Energy secretary: "two important appointments," Richardson said.

He finally concluded that he had settled his debt to the former president: He had worked for Clinton's election in 1992, helped pass the North American Free Trade Agreement as part of his administration, stood by him during the Monica S. Lewinsky sex scandal, and rounded up votes to fight impeachment.

"I was loyal," Richardson said during an extended conversation over breakfast this week at the governor's mansion in Santa Fe. "But I don't think that loyalty is transferable to his wife. . . . You don't transfer loyalty to a dynasty."

The endorsement was a blow to Clinton as evidenced by the blowback from Bill Clinton and James Carville. Note the item below about why Clinton has continued to hang in there and stay in the race. We'll see who made the right choice.

Clintons: "Barack Obama Can't Win"

The Clintons effort to win the nomination now involves telling anybody who will listen that Barack Obama can't win:

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos Reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and former President Bill Clinton are making very direct arguments to Democratic superdelegates, starkly insisting Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., cannot win a general election against presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Sources with direct knowledge of the conversation between Sen. Clinton and Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., prior to the Governor's endorsement of Obama say she told him flatly, "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win."

Richardson, who served in President Clinton's cabinet, disagreed.

At a rally in Oregon, standing next to Obama, Richardson insisted, "My great affection and admiration for Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton will never waver." But he added, "It is time, however, for Democrats to stop fighting among ourselves and to prepare for the tough fight we will face against John McCain in the fall."

Interstingly, according to Karl Rove's evaluation of the current state-by-state polls, Hillary is doing worse against McCain than Obama is. Bottom line - they both lose.

The Arkansas Hand Grenade

It's taking less and less these days to set off Bill Clinton:

The Bill Clinton who met privately with California's superdelegates at last weekend's state convention was a far cry from the congenial former president who afterward publicly urged fellow Democrats to "chill out" over the race between his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Barack Obama.

In fact, before his speech Clinton had one of his famous meltdowns Sunday, blasting away at former presidential contender Bill Richardson for having endorsed Obama, the media and the entire nomination process.

"It was one of the worst political meetings I have ever attended," one superdelegate said.

According to those at the meeting, Clinton - who flew in from Chicago with bags under his eyes - was classic old Bill at first, charming and making small talk with the 15 or so delegates who gathered in a room behind the convention stage.

But as the group moved together for the perfunctory photo, Rachel Binah, a former Richardson delegate who now supports Hillary Clinton, told Bill how "sorry" she was to have heard former Clinton campaign manager James Carville call Richardson a "Judas" for backing Obama.

It was as if someone pulled the pin from a grenade.

"Five times to my face (Richardson) said that he would never do that," a red-faced, finger-pointing Clinton erupted.

The former president then went on a tirade that ran from the media's unfair treatment of Hillary to questions about the fairness of the votes in state caucuses that voted for Obama. It ended with him asking delegates to imagine what the reaction would be if Obama was trailing by just 1 percent and people were telling him to drop out.

"It was very, very intense," said one attendee. "Not at all like the Bill of earlier campaigns."

While on one hand he appears to be a passionate advocate for his wife, I still can't help but feel like he has a subconscious need to undermine his wife's campaign.

I Didn't Realize That Hillary Is The Messiah

I didn't get to see much political news this weekend, but I did catch a little bit of Fox News Sunday where I heard for the first time James Carville's statement about Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama as referenced in this story:

WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton adviser James Carville is refusing to apologize for comparing New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to Judas.

Carville made the comparison to The New York Times after Richardson, once a member of President Clinton's Cabinet, endorsed Hillary Clinton rival Barack Obama last week for the Democratic presidential nomination. Carville called it an "act of betrayal," and pointed out that it came during Holy Week.

"Mr. Richardson's endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out (Jesus) for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic," he said.

Richardson's response to Chris Wallace did further damage to the Clinton campaign:

Richardson told "Fox News Sunday" that he wouldn't respond by getting "in the gutter like that."

"That's typical of many of the people around Senator Clinton," Richardson said. "They think they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency."

Carville is known for his sharp tongue, but in the past he has saved it for Republicans. Savaging a fellow Democrat like this, especially one as generally well respected as Richardson, is a major error on the part of the Clinton campaign. Refusing to apologize just confirms how deep the divisions in the party are and how hard it will be to unite should they ever settle on a candidate.

Richardson to Endorse Obama

This shoe's been waiting to drop for awhile:

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling him a "once-in-a-lifetime leader" who can unite the nation and restore America's international leadership.

Richardson, who dropped out of the Democratic race in January, is to appear with Obama on Friday at a campaign event in Portland, Ore., The Associated Press has learned.

The governor's endorsement comes as Obama leads among delegates selected at primaries and caucuses but with national public opinion polling showing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton pulling ahead of him amid controversy over statements by his former pastor.

Richardson has been relentlessly wooed by Obama and Clinton for his endorsement. As a Democratic superdelegate, the governor plays a part in the tight race for nominating votes and could bring other superdelegates to Obama's side. He also has been mentioned as a potential running mate for either candidate.

I'm kind of surprised at the timing of this. I would think it would have been more effective had it come closer to the Pennsylvania primary. I looks to me like Obama knew he was in trouble on the whole race issue and may have pressed Richardson to go ahead and pull the trigger on his endorsement to try and change the subject.

Unfortunately for Obama, Richardson's endorsement won't have a huge effect on moving Hispanics away from Clinton. There's a deep cultural suspicion (if not outright hatred) between latinos and blacks and this isn't going to change it.

UPDATE: I think Richardson is going for VP. Fox showed photos of Richardson watching the Super Bowl with Bill Clinton and Richardson's beard was mostly gray (like mine). At the press conference with Obama his beard had magically turned dark again (only his hairdresser knows for sure). He's trying to make himself look younger, and I think he wants to be VP.

Richardson Dropping Out

Fourth place finishes just aren't enough reason to keep going:

MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson ended his campaign for the presidency Wednesday after twin fourth-place finishes that showed his impressive credentials could not compete with his rivals' star power.

Richardson planned to announce the decision Thursday, according to two people close to the governor with knowledge of the decision. They spoke on a condition of anonymity in advance of the governor's announcement.

The question is will he endorse anyone? I doubt it. I think he still has his hopes on a VP slot and it's too early to tell who the nominee will be.