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Richardson Explains How Obama and Clinton Woo

This whole article is worth reading because it has Bill Richardson's personal thoughts on the Clinton and Obama campaign's attempts to court his endorsement. But this passage is particularly interesting:

Their manner of courtship -- one wooing, the other arm-twisting -- seemed to reflect the candidates' different personalities and campaign styles, he said.

Obama preferred the soft sell, calling Richardson every three days or so -- "dialing the phone himself, no operator" -- for long discussions about policy and campaign issues. The two developed a bantering relationship, building on the camaraderie they shared off-camera during debates, when they would roll their eyes at some of their rivals' statements.

Clinton was more persistent and tactical. There were eight or more phone calls a day, Richardson said: "Bill calling, Hillary calling, friends of mine that were in the Clinton administration, Clinton operatives, Clinton Hispanic operatives, New Mexico Clinton Hispanic operatives."

Some callers, who suggested Richardson had an obligation to back Clinton, did more harm than good. "I think the Clintons have a feeling of entitlement . . . that the presidency was theirs," Richardson said, and the persistent lobbying from "Washington establishment types" convinced him of a need for some fresher faces on the scene.

The Clinton campaign must be pulling out its collective hair — a persistent, efficient, and professional full-court press got bested by one dude picking up the phone himself and calling once every few days.

That sense of entitlement that Richardson describes must have been awfully strong. Or maybe it was this.

Posted by Jonathan Stein on 04/14/08 at 9:06 AM | Comments (0) | Email | Print

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