Passport Hubbub, Endorsement Offer Needed Relief for Obama
Barack Obama picks up the endorsement of Bill Richardson, right, at Portland's Memorial Coliseum in Oregon Friday. (AP Photo)
Good Friday was a very good Friday for Barack Obama, as news of passport breaches in the State Department and a much-sought endorsement from New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson shifted the focus away from the racial controversies that have dogged him for more than a week.
Obama tried to put to rest discussions of race on the campaign trail Tuesday, when he gave a speech addressing his relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose anti-U.S. sermons dominated campaign coverage for days.
The Wright controversy proved difficult to shake, however. Obama’s speech did not immediately stop the media replay of Wright’s most heated sermons, and polls indicated the Illinois senator was losing ground because of the focus on the issue.
But as reports of high-profile passport breaches developed between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon, the presidential candidates were handed a common target: the State Department. And the endorsement from Richardson, the nation’s only Hispanic governor, also helped Obama move on.
“This is a real good thing for the Obama campaign, GOP strategist Andrea Tantaros said of the endorsement from Richardson, who called Obama a “once-in-a-lifetime leader.”
“They change the subject … it also sends a message to other superdelegates that Obama still has strength, still has power to move ahead,” Tantaros said. “This is bad news for the Clinton campaign. It’s just another crack in her political dam.”
Democratic strategist Julia Piscatelli said the endorsement from Richardson, who was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under Bill Clinton, helps Obama with his foreign policy credentials.
And political analyst Keli Goff said the endorsement helps deflect reports that Obama is not popular among Hispanics, as well as shift focus away from Wright.
Speaking Friday at a town hall meeting in Salem, Ore., Obama referred to the Wright controversy as a “bunch of turbulence” for his campaign.
The passport flap — in which the files of Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Obama were improperly accessed — brings a new set of turbulence, and could offer at least a temporary sense of relief to Obama’s campaign, which until recently was basking in the glow of front-runner status.
Clinton is still trailing in delegates, and Politico reported Friday that un-named campaign aides were giving her no more than a 10 percent chance of winning the nomination.
A photo was also posted on The New York Times’ Web site Thursday night showing Bill Clinton and Wright shaking hands at a White House prayer breakfast 10 years ago.
The Times site said the Wright photo was provided by Obama’s campaign, and in a statement Friday morning the Clinton campaign accused Obama of straining to shift the tide.
“It’s no secret that the Obama campaign is in political hot water given the news stories of the last few weeks and is desperate to change the subject,” the memo said. It accused Obama of peddling the Wright-Clinton photo and blasted the campaign for suggesting they were involved with his passport breach.
Obama’s campaign released a statement Thursday suggesting political motives were behind the breach, but on Friday it was clear the violations were not limited to Obama himself.
But if Obama is consciously trying to steer the political discourse away from the race topic, it’s an effort he proved only partially committed to Friday, when he responded to more questions about Wright at a press conference in Portland, Ore.
Obama said again that he was not aware of the most offensive Wright statements until they were broadcast on the Internet and TV, and especially was not aware of Wright’s claims that the government was responsible for HIV.
Obama called that “completely out of line and off the wall.”
FOX News’ Bonney Kapp contributed to this report.
Just about all of the people that I know that are voting for Obama are doing it for many reasons. “Because” Because i like him” “Because he speaks well” ” because he looks good” “Because he’s for change” All really fabulous reasons.
Gov., Bill Richardson endorsement of Obama is overrated…. I am Hispanic-American, and his endorsement of Obama does not change my views on Obama a single bit, myself and most of my Hispanic relatives would rather see H. Clinton as president than Obama, and yes in my case the rev Wright issue has changed my views on Obama, greatly. And from what I understand, most Hispanics favor greatly H. Clinton, in my case I am seriously thinking, as well as some others, to vote for McCain, of which has a more presidential atmosphere look to him, and a longer public service track of which we all know more about, compared to Obama, which I don’t think is sincere about his association with rev Wright’s and his church extreme views on our government and racial relations.
Richardson wants the vice-presidency. He hopes to get the nod from Obama. The endorsement was more of a personal request from him to the Obama campaign for that office. Nothing more.
I really hate to see all the hate that is spewing out of all these postings. If one cannot or will not read more than a few lines of a news article or can’t take the time to listen to more than a few words of a comentary. Maybe watching a bit of a couple of vidios will help you in your decisions.
You won’t have to read a thing, all that is necessary is patiently watching the vidios to their finish. I hope these will help you. You can copy and paist the address.
http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/?page_id=237
Well, I believe that this passport invasion is from the Obama campaign! For whatever reason, they are responsible for this, but will without a doubt, blame Hillary, as usual!!!
How many more times is Obama going to change his stance on whether or not he heard the hateful remarks of Jeremiah Wright?
He continues to prove himself as another lying politician, who clearly doesn’t truly know what Christianity is! So much for “change we can believe in”!!!!
I continue to be utterly disgusted with the other media stations that have without a doubt continued to sway people to believe in a better side of this whole Wright issue. Wrong is wrong! Hate is hate! It doesn’t matter what context this mans words are looked at! They are spoken with a enormous amount of passion and belief. All I can say is I surely hope Obama drops out soon! He is a disgrace for our country! He surely doesn’t qualify nor deserve the highest office in the world!
Bill Richarson is probably one of the most qualified Hispanic/Latino politicians of our time in the United States. He got where he is now because he is a dedicated, intelligent and educated individual, and in that sense he is accountable only to himself. But also, he is there because the system needed a Hispanic/Latino of his qualifications to represent us, and in that sense he is accountable to Hispanic Democrats. By endorsing Senator Obama, he is ignoring the wishes of 65% of the Latino Democrats who are voting for Hillary Clinton, he is telling us that he doesn’t have to be loyal to his friends or to the Latino Democrats who help him in his political career. Loyalty is a very important aspect of our character as Hispanics. I feel that Bill Richarson sold his soul to the highest bidder for his own personal gain.
Hugo Urizar, CEO
Ohio Hispanic/Latino Democratic Party Caucus
Westlake, Ohio
Bill Richardson truly an opportunist I feel ashamed I really thought he was going somewhere only going to end up on skidrow after he finds out Obama doesn’t win the election. HAHAHAHAHA……..
I would REALLY like to see the news agencies report on how Hillary & McCain attend Easter services on Sunday, while Obama is basking in the sun on an undisclosed Tropical island. And some people want this joker to run our country?
Your individual passport applications contain information which is important and should be protected but keep it in perspective, it is not (classified) National Security Information.
Our attention is being diverted to one of many spin-offs from our national debates as to who we should elect to be our next President of the United States of America.
I wonder how many of the nominees and elected officials could pass the scrutiny of an extended background investigation required to be granted a Top Secret security clearance.
Do the contenders for the office of President of the United States of America get a free pass on this issue?
I am of the opinion that some of these individuals would be denied a security clearance if they were members of the United States Armed Forces, let alone the Commander in Chief.
This hub bub over passports. They tell nothing! So what they have his social, that can be fixed with a company that detects users that aren’t allowed. This is a distraction. That’s all plain and simple. Plus it is a chance to put down the Bush bunch…I sure hope more sh–t hits the an on Obama, he is sooo lame. Your typical white person…