The Wall Street Journal reports that “The Bush administration and the two major presidential campaigns are beginning an unprecedented attempt to prevent the transfer of power in January from disrupting defense and counterterrorism efforts.” Talks are going on between both candidates and the White House to secure a smooth transition. In addition both candidates are already considering their picks for top national security appointments so that if elected, Congress can begin immediately the process of confirming their nominees.
Also of note aides say Obama is considering asking current Defense Secretary Gates on in his current position.
And I see you have a picture with Bill Clinton.
Yeah, I still do. [laughs nervously] You know, I had all my—If you go to the governor’s residence, we have a bunch of pictures with me and my wife and Bill. And we’re not taking them down. You know, he’s a part of my life. But he’s a little pissed off.
The Obama endorsement had to be kind of painful.
Yeah. I did it because it was the right thing to do for the country, really. It is painful. But it’s done.
Bill Richardson sent out a campaign e-mail entitled “endorsement” today which had me thinking I would have major news to blog. Sure enough, the e-mail was a bust, Richardson had no new position on a candidate of choice but instead was looking for $$$.
The title was obviously a great way of getting readers to open the mail but the “grrr” factor was enough to send my mouse to the “delete” at the speed of light.
“An exhilarating and humbling year” Bill Richardson just announced he is ending his campaign for the Democratic party nomination. Will not endorse another candidate.
CNN cut him off just a few minutes into the speech.
MSNBC gave him a few more minutes but then cut him off.
I don’t even see that FOX News is covering it at all.
CNN is reporting that Governor Bill Richardson will drop his bid for the nomination tomorrow after receiving limited support in both the New Hampshire primary and the Iowa Caucus.
Despite a hefty resume Richardson was unable to gain much traction in polling or fundraising.
“The numbers are the reason — not enough votes and not enough money,” a Democratic strategist close to Richardson’s campaign told CNN. However, “He enjoyed it and believes he made a contribution,” the strategist said.
CNN is reporting that Gov. Bill Richardson, who placed fourth in the Iowa Caucus, is laying off staff.
“We had an extremely large staff in Iowa, and since we have moved onto New Hampshire we have had some layoffs,†Richardson’s presidential campaign spokesman Tom Reynolds told CNN Friday.
Citing strategic political reasons, Reynolds would not say how many campaign aides were let go. He did say that no senior campaign staffers have been asked to take pay cuts.
“We have the resources we need to be competitive in the early states,†Reynolds said.
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has been writing a book about his term in the administration. This morning his publisher released a small nugget from the book in which McClellan reveals he passed along false information on behalf of the admin in the Valerie Plame CIA leak case.
The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.
There was one problem. It was not true.
I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President’s chief of staff, and the president himself.
“I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today. The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people’s lawyer, not the President’s lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution.” - Barack Obama
“Better late than never.” - John Edwards
“Long overdue. The president must nominate an attorney general who is a lawyer for the American people, not a political arm of the White House.”  New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.
Governor Bill Richardson did a lot of waffling around on the nature of homosexuality last night describing it as a “lifestyle” and choice much to the dismay of those in attendance.
