Team Obama: Richardson misled us
posted at 5:06 pm on January 4, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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It looks as if Barack Obama and his transition team know how badly Bill Richardson’s resignation reflects on them. They have started leaking to the press that Richardson’s to blame for the embarrassing spectacle this afternoon of his withdrawal as a Cabinet nominee. Jake Tapper has the details:
Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming with them about the federal investigation that is looking into whether the governor steered a state contract towards a major financial contributor.
Once the investigation became more widely known through national media reports last month, sources tell ABC News, the Obama Transition Team realized the FBI would not be able to give Richardson a clean political bill of health before the new administration is ready to send his nomination up to the Senate for confirmation.
Meanwhile, Richardson and his team has to defend themselves:
The Richardson camp says the governor was forthcoming, with sources close to the governor noting that there had been reports about the controversy in local media such as the Albuquerque Journal as far back as August 2008. The governor discussed the investigation with the Obama team, they say, and believes that he and his administration have done nothing wrong.
I’d guess that Richardson probably didn’t disclose the extent of the problem. Richardson feels it necessary to resign now after the published reports from the last three weeks, but he had to know these issues when he accepted the position. If all that has happened since December 15th is that the facts he disclosed to Team Obama were made public, it would hardly require a resignation now.
But beyond that, this is a pretty lame attempt to shift blame away from the incoming administration. They should have done their own homework on Richardson once they heard about the investigation. In the end, they have the responsibility to make acceptable appointments for Cabinet positions. If the extent of the vetting Team Obama is doing is reading resumés and accepting explanations for federal investigations without question or further checking, then they’re pretty obviously incompetent at it.
They also seem to have no compunction about calling Richardson a liar in public. I wonder how that will play politically with their base.
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Oh, more of the “everyone is corrupt and evil but the messiah” BS.
ToddonCapeCod on January 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM
This is not the Bill Richardson I knew.
Canon on January 4, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Will he be thrown under the campaign bus, or is there a new bus for the administration?
flyoverland on January 4, 2009 at 5:12 PM
“He misled us”. Is this the most naive, ill informed person ever to elected POTUS? I’ scared when it comes time for him to actually do something.
Tommy_G on January 4, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Obama seems to be outside the loop on the news. What a joke. He knew this was going on, so it was politically expedient to throw someone else under the bus. If he can throw his own grandmother, the woman that raised him, under the bus, no one else is safe. Hillary better watch out. He seems to be one step above her in that game.
jencab on January 4, 2009 at 5:14 PM
“And when I read Michael Goldfarb [on the Israel-Gaza conflict], I become more and more aware of just how disgusting the McCain campaign was; and how lucky we are to have removed these thugs from office.”
Andrew “The Sarah Palin Vagina Monologues” Sullivan
This is what apparently set Sully off:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/01/a_supposed_serious_person.asp
What has happened to Sullivan? He just cannot let it go can he? Still going on and on about McCain and Palin. Still ignoring the fact that Hamas started this by lobbing missiles against Israel. Calling anyone supporting Israel thugs (will Bloomberg be included in that)? McCain is evil now because he picked Sarah Palin and was dishonest in telling the truth about Obama’s strange pals. When the One disappoints him, will Sully go completely insane? Nope, he will just create a double standard. This is not madness but dishonesty.
Mr. Joe on January 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Hell, at least during the Clinton Administration the scandals started after the inauguration.
Percy_Peabody on January 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Bullsnacks.
If there was even a whiff of a controversy, Richardson should never have been offered the job. Obarfy’s team knew enough to be skeptical, they simply bought the ongoing meme that the Super Messiah can do whatever he likes and no one will really care.
Bishop on January 4, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Who didn’t predict this (or something like it)?
What, no hands?
Bob's Kid on January 4, 2009 at 5:16 PM
CHANGE you can believe in (okay, stop laughing).
savvydude on January 4, 2009 at 5:16 PM
That all has the “look and feel” of somone in the investigation telling Team Obama that they have really got the goods on Senor Richardson.
MB4 on January 4, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Major League Baseball heroes never lie!
Mr. Joe on January 4, 2009 at 5:17 PM
Not really. Remember Betsey Wright and the “bimbo eruptions”?
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on January 4, 2009 at 5:17 PM
No, in the end it is how many more of these nominees will embarass the incoming junta by “undisclosed” issues that make them unable to serve. I think that Hillary Clinton still has an uphill battle in explaining how exactly she can serve as SECSTATE after her husband got those millions from foreign sources for the past eight years. I think that the worst of the transition team discussions with Blagovich have yet to be disclosed (even if not criminal, frank political discussions about the merits of potential successors to the Senate are not always meant for public consumption).
The Richardson resignation is an indicator of an administration already in well above it’s level of political competence.
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Obama: Not the
WrightRichardson that I knew.Obama v. Richardson, would be a beautiful thing to behold.
Emmanuel, Richardson, etc. are good teasers for the main event, Obama v. Clintons. I predict an Obama TKO in the 7th round.
petefrt on January 4, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Not to split hairs here but wasn’t that pretty much gossip as opposed to an incoming chief-of-staff with regular (taped by the feds) contact with a man under arrest for trying to sell a Senate seat or a Commerce Secretary nominee who has to bail out because he’s under investigation for steering government contracts to his political contributors?
Obama administration- most corrupt ever!
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:21 PM
There is something more than just an investigation.
Why would Richardson take the post if he thought the investigation would find something serious? Was he expecting The Obama administration to spike the investigation?
Why would The Obama transition team take Richardson’s explanation without validation from an independent source?
Would the prosecutor handling the investigation disclose his findings to The Obama transition team if asked?
After accepting the assignment, what changed that was of enough significance the Richardson would give up his chance at clearing the senate confirmation?
With all the other blemished candidates for other cabinet posts why is Richardson suddenly not acceptable?
Like the song says; “Can’t you smell that smell?” (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Skandia Recluse on January 4, 2009 at 5:22 PM
What happened to that phone book size questionnaire that team Obama was going to use?
Tommy_G on January 4, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Can a POTUS be impeached before actually taking office?
Bishop on January 4, 2009 at 5:23 PM
What goes around comes around. Obama has been misleading the American public since he began campaigning. Too bad there weren’t more people who realized it.
backwoods conservative on January 4, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Obama is clearly racist against Hispanics.
Mr. Joe on January 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Sweet Jesus, if the likes of Richardson can “mislead” Obama, how in the hell does he think Putin will treat him?
This man thinks he can lead the world, but he can’t even choose a freaking cabinet without making big mistakes.
redshirt on January 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Off topic: Mr. Joe, please quit spamming the same damned post over and over again on every comment thread.
On topic: If Richardson misled Obama so easily does he really believe that Imadinnerjacket will treat with him honestly?
Blarg the Destroyer on January 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
It’s getting crowded under Obama’s bus.
paustin110 on January 4, 2009 at 5:33 PM
To a certain degree I agree with you if talking in generalities. The point that kills Obama here is the fact that they shamelessly courted Richardson to defect from supporting Hillary Clinton both as a Hispanic and a former Clinton appointee. It would have looked odd for such a high-profile endorser not to have been at least on the short list for nominations. Personally, I think that there was a deal made before Richardson cut ties with the Clintons and it has come back to bite the filthy Obama administration.
As a resident of Michigan, I’m thrilled. Governor Jennifer Granholm (who single-handedly killed the economy here years before the national recession) who was rumored to be on the short list for Commerce and made no bones about the fact that she’d be out of the state as quickly as possible if nominated didn’t get a single job offer (leading to the I have the only job I want speech). There is renewed hope that we can get rid of this failed politician and Michigan can start the slow recovery process after all these years of ignoring the state’s needs in favor of the UAW and teacher’s unions!
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Rats, I was looking forward to Horatio Sanz doing cameos on SNL while Richardson was under investigation during the time he served in Obama’s Cabinet.
batterup on January 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
This is going to be hilarious.
For 8 years, these dummy dems have been trying in vain to pin any crime on Bush. Anything.
Now the make believe office of the pres elect cannot escape the play-2-play chitown politics and the inauguration not for another 16 days. How many more culture of corruption cabinet members will be outed. Inquiring minds wanna know.
Popcorn, I need more popcorn!
Kini on January 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I’m not picturing a bus at this point so much as one of those massive earth-moving machines that they use in pit mining.
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I would think that this line is going to be used more than once in the next four years………………
………… unless Mr. Obama, President Elect, the Office of is standing in front of teleprompters, studio lighting, Hollywood scripts, magazine covers, answering questions only he wants to, photo ops on the beach, 60 Minute puff pieces, handlers totally controlling the situation and perception of…………. “the One”.
Congratulations America……………… you got exactly what you deserve.
Seven Percent Solution on January 4, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Whether its B.R or R.B. These two should be kept under super secret government protection.
Exit question: Does B.O have any associations that aren’t baptised in stinky scandalous waters?
canditaylor68 on January 4, 2009 at 5:37 PM
This guy doesn’t know anything going on around him and yet I’m supposed to believe he can fix the economy and keep us safe? Yeah there’s this bridge in Brooklyn I wanna sell ya.
Defector01 on January 4, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Can and will the FBI give Obama a clean bill of health?
Johan Klaus on January 4, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Unfortunately, I don’t think we would see any impeachment because, even if we found out that Obama had a pointy tail, horns and a pitchfork and sacrificed 12 yo virgins every night on a bloody altar, the democrats would never vote to impeach him or convict him after an impeachment… Won’t happen.. no way, no how..
OTOH, if the dems found out that a republican removed the tag from their mattress, there would be hell to pay.
bullseye on January 4, 2009 at 5:38 PM
Wow. I guess Bill Ayers really is going to end up getting a cabinet spot after all.
Sgt. Hartman on January 4, 2009 at 5:38 PM
No wonder this loser had to enlist so many Clintonites, he must have zero friends.
There is something fundamentally flawed about someone who constantly blames others for their mistakes.
reaganaut on January 4, 2009 at 5:39 PM
So I guess someone forgot to read Richardson’s twenty bazillion page disclosure form. An unfortunate mistake.
fiscallyconservative on January 4, 2009 at 5:39 PM
By definition, no. You actually have to take office before being removed. Nevertheless, I’m guessing the Impeach Obama signs will be up before the filthy Chicago politician has even been in office a year. It’s going to be Biden-Clinton in 2012.
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:40 PM
This will be their excuse re: Iran, Venezuela, N. Korea, blah, blah blah.
SouthernGent on January 4, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Listen for an incredibly loud cackle. It could be Hillary enjoying the schadenfreude.
She might not have an easy time of it herself, assuming there is someone on the Foreign Relations Committee with the balls to ask hard questions.
Wethal on January 4, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Yes, a prophylactic impeachment is clearly within the penumbra of our living Constitution.
petefrt on January 4, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Obama says, “I was too busy ignoring what Rev. Wright and Tony Rezko and Bill Ayers said to focus on my job. And, no, you’re not going to trick me into commenting on the similarities to the Blago investigation.”
snaggletoothie on January 4, 2009 at 5:42 PM
And Richardson is outside looking in now. He knifed Bill and Hill so he could suck up to The One. Now The One has thrown him under the bus. Poor liitle orphan.
And as has been suggested here already Hill could be next. The One made the effort to be “inclusive” but what is he to lose now if the FBI suddenly finds something nasty about Hill and Bill ? I know that is a far fetched idea (que the giggles), but what could Bill and Hill do at that point? Aint no one going to jump off the Obama express as it leaves the station on the 20th, just to make Bill and Hill happy.
JonRoss on January 4, 2009 at 5:42 PM
As much as I hate Obama and all the morons who think he is without flaw, I really don’t want to get to the point where a federal agency issues “bills of health” of incoming administrations. It’s ugly but the corrupt bastard about to take office needs to be exposed only after taking office. It will happen and very quickly.
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:43 PM
+1
without Blago, this deal would probably have sailed through. I don’t like Richardson, so I’m happy
funky chicken on January 4, 2009 at 5:43 PM
The Democrats’ skill at vetting people was manifested in how well they vetted Obama.
backwoods conservative on January 4, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Didn’t they start during the primaries?
…
Clinton will forever be pictured in his boxers. Will the bus be Obama’s trademark?
Count to 10 on January 4, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Do not forget about the power to pardon.
Johan Klaus on January 4, 2009 at 5:48 PM
It just keeps getting gooder.
I remember the “We’re Screwed 08″ jpeg that Michelle used to display over on her site. I thought for such a wonderful American and Conservative woman that she sure was pessimistic.
SHE’S CLAIRVOYANT!!!
Is it too early for the “We’re Screwed 09″ and would it be a total breach of etiquette to just go right to the “America Is Just Totally Screwed”?
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 5:49 PM
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Another one thrown under the bus!
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Another one thrown under the bus!
And another one thrown!
And another one thrown!
Another one thrown under the bus!
Hey!
B.O. gonna throw you too!
Another one thrown under the bus!
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
pilamaye on January 4, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Let’s take it easier on Obama’s developing administration. Obama’s used to associating and working with alls sorts of corrupt politicians and low-life’s – we cannot reasonably hope he will change this habit immediately just because he’s been elected President – we should give him a year or 4 to figure out how to be a politician, nay a human being, without being surrounded by corruption. I’m sure he can pull it off eventually!
Obama is either incompetent or corrupt, or some magical mixture of the 2.
gwelf on January 4, 2009 at 5:49 PM
That bus is dangerous! One hopes that Obama’s pick for Secretary of Transportation doesn’t fall under it too. At least he is a better extemporaneous speaker that Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUqGL4yI-jk
Mason on January 4, 2009 at 5:49 PM
There goes that awesomely superior judgement again! Hilary must be laughing her a$$ off.
ctmom on January 4, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Yeah really Percey. Jennie Flowers necessitated the first ever MSM interference they had to run for Bubba. I know, I know. There was just so much you tend to forget some of it.
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 5:51 PM
When I was in the service, I was requred to get a top secret clearance which was done by the FBI. Being a mere mortal and not the commander and chief, I would think that Mr. Obama would be required to get a least a secret clearance.
Johan Klaus on January 4, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Karma
Knucklehead on January 4, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Confusing post. The point there was that Jennie happened before the election.
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Richardson “misled” Obama’s team? Yet Barack thinks he can have some meaningful, trustworthy dialogue with the likes of Ahmabibblebabble?
JetBoy on January 4, 2009 at 5:56 PM
One of the funniest tags evah!
JetBoy on January 4, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Of the near instant variety.
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 5:58 PM
If Obama was smart…………….
………… he’d shift focus and bring back up all those millions he received from overseas, especially in Gaza through the Internet, that he had no knowledge of ………. and ………… then………
…….. oh, wait, ……….. never mind.
Seven Percent Solution on January 4, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Welcome back Hawk!
Knucklehead on January 4, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Obama administration. America’s best new comedy act. Show to open nationwide 20 January.
Hog Wild on January 4, 2009 at 6:01 PM
He pretty much threw himself under the bus. This is just Obama making sure everyone knows he would have thrown Richardson under himself if he’d just been given the chance.
taznar on January 4, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Hey KH.
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 6:04 PM
It’s going to be Biden-Clinton in 2012.
highhopes on January 4, 2009 at 5:40 PM
You think Hillarity would put up with that????
PaCadle on January 4, 2009 at 6:05 PM
The Clintons are laughing so hard that they probably wet their pants. This is what Governor Two-Face gets for double-crossing Billary.
Philly on January 4, 2009 at 6:06 PM
They need to pry some of the older corpses out from underneath that bus before anyone else gets tossed. O’bummer’s grandma has to be pretty putrid by now.
Guardian on January 4, 2009 at 6:06 PM
You know we have always been told to make the best of a bad situtation. This is going to be quite entertaining. The Clintons alone are going to be worth a thousand threads here. And Michelle O hasn’t even pulled her talons out yet. Makes me almost giddy.
JonRoss on January 4, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Ayers only want Education, not Commerce. After all, a True Marxist doesn’t believe in commerce and Obama wants purity of Marxist thought to prevail.
SeniorD on January 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM
They wrote up a 7 page questionnaire. What else do they need?
Phoenician on January 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Well, now. Richardson provoked the ire of Hill-n-Bill so he could get a piece of cabinet pie–and now look what’s happened. Guess he’ll be watching the Super Bowl by himself this year.
RightTurnOnly on January 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM
“I looked the man in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul. How was I to know he was worse than my Chicago thugs???”
FalseProfit on January 4, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Uh, are there any cabinet picks of obies or chief of staff picks that AREN’T under investigation or up to their shifty little eyeballs in scandal???
bullseye on January 4, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Well, at least we know that Richardson isn’t an eeeeeevillll gun owner….
bullseye on January 4, 2009 at 6:09 PM
The Clinton’s have got a way with finding dirt on people. Maybe, they found some FBI files laying around.
Johan Klaus on January 4, 2009 at 6:09 PM
This guy was an incompetent bungler at the NRC during the clown act known as the Clinton Administration.
Now it’s established that he’s corrupt.
Corrupt and incompetent? Sounds to me like the quintessential Democrat.
That’s OK Bambi. I’m sure there are plenty of absolutely worthless Hispanic quota hires out there. The Frito Bandito must be available.
NoDonkey on January 4, 2009 at 6:12 PM
If I was a betting man, I would bet that they got them stacked all over the house in Chapaqua. I would think that they have already put the fear of al-lah into to some mid level political appointees at the FBI – start feeding them to us or you are out the door sooner rather than later.
JonRoss on January 4, 2009 at 6:13 PM
The O team is lame. If they’d be clean, as they claimed for 2 years, hope ‘n change et all, they’d have thrown him under the bus as soon as they found out, not today when he removed himself.
They are wimpering weasels because Hispanic identity politics was more important than ethics. It’s business politics as usual in Washington D.C. and only fools believed/believe otherwise.
Though, it’s deliciously schadenfreudig, panem et circenses, the leftie version.
Plus, the other Hsu is about to drop.
However, they’re going to try to divert the sheep’s attention by this atrocity, which will never go away – 600,000 additional pigs at the national trough, at the working people’s expense. I think I’ll become a socialist now.
Entelechy on January 4, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Hilarious.
And to think, Richardson wanted to be president. Just imagine if he had won the democrat nomination, and picked John Edwards as his VP. Har har har.
wise_man on January 4, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Not to worry, Blago already called Richardson with an invite.
Ya know, birds of a feather.
Knucklehead on January 4, 2009 at 6:25 PM
My thought as to why Richardson is just now bowing out (being jettisoned) is that the whiff of scandal from the Blago taint has not magically blown away. The O team has realized that, although most of the press is still in love with him, there are reporters out there that love a story more. So rather than risk a rocky confirmation hearing on top of the ongoing Blago saga, under the bus goes Richardson.
zerosheep on January 4, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Billary made Richardson. Perhaps he forgot that they still have the power to destroy him. Tsk-tsk.
Philly on January 4, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Gotta agree with you there. He is about to go down hard.
conservnut on January 4, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Have anyone in mind?
Red State State of Mind on January 4, 2009 at 6:29 PM
I feel bad for him. Maybe Jon Bob Jovi can do a benefit for Bill Richardson too.
hawkdriver on January 4, 2009 at 6:29 PM
You know when I was hired for my present job I was offered the job conditionally, on a background check.
Maybe I could do vetting for Obama. I have an internet connection, and for $9.95 I can get a criminal background on a person.
What incompetence!!
Kevin in Southern Illinois on January 4, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Don’t you mean “hair, hair, hair” ?
FishFearMe on January 4, 2009 at 6:30 PM
She asked for it, she got it.
Entelechy on January 4, 2009 at 6:30 PM
With so many crooks crackpots and has beens being put forth, where do you start.
tarpon on January 4, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Osama Obama can’t seem to understand that every politician except himself is expected to be forthcoming about his or her history and make associations, beliefs and the like clear before being elected.
The more his little minions fall under scrutiny for devious (at best) behavior, the more I worry about four years under the “leadership” of a corrupt, inexperienced, arrogant fool.
If I didn’t have to live here and be directly affected by him, I’d laugh.
MrScribbler on January 4, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Plus, who knows why they didn’t throw him under the bus before the hurled himself under it?
Entelechy on January 4, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Dope and Change!
Firebird on January 4, 2009 at 6:34 PM
Maybe those journalists who went up to Wasilla and vetted Gov Palin could lend Team Obama a hand.
Red State State of Mind on January 4, 2009 at 6:35 PM
The FBI can investigate details about Bill Richardson to a degree above casual but IT CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHO OBAMA IS AND WHERE HE WAS BORN, WHEN?
I get the overall impression that as to “Barack Obama,” few in D.C. employ CARE what the Constitution says.
But about Richardson, I’ve never read of a Democrat (Richardson included) who was not grimy.
S on January 4, 2009 at 6:37 PM
………. I hear Cynthia McKinney has some time on her hands.
Seven Percent Solution on January 4, 2009 at 6:37 PM
And this is another example of “Team Obama” not being able to handle responsibility. It’s always “a distraction” or “to be discussed (later)” or otherwise, someone else’s concern, responsibility or community to organize.
Our Presidency of this nation has been reduced to worse than a local school board.
S on January 4, 2009 at 6:38 PM
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