When former presidential candidate Bill Richardson threw his support behind Barack Obama last week, some in the Clinton camp were deeply affronted. The New Mexico governor served in President Clinton's cabinet in the 1990's and had been intensively wooed by the Clinton campaign.
Clinton advisor James Carville even called Richardson's support of Obama "an act of betrayal" and told the New York Times, "Mr. Richardson’s endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate."
On Monday, Carville refused to apologize for his words, telling CNN, "I wanted to use a very strong metaphor to make my point. ... I doubt if Governor Richardson and I will be particularly close in the future."
Questions about his statements continued to follow Carville when he appeared the next day with ABC's Diane Sawyer, who wanted to know, "Is this morning the time to take that back?"
"A cattle rancher in eastern New Mexico or an advertising executive on the East Side of Manhattan would agree that proper branding is important," Carville replied harshly. "I wanted to be sure that Richardson's act was branded properly."
"But Judas?" asked Sawyer. "What are you saying? ... Are you saying that he made a deal of some kind when you talk about 30 shekels?"
"I thought this one was special and it needed to be properly branded," Carville repeated, pointing out that he hasn't condemned other friends of his who now support Obama.
"I don't regret it," Carville stated. "I was quoted accurately. ... I think when people look at him they'll remember the quote, and that's what it was intended to do. ... I wanted his act to be remembered for what it was."
Carville also shrugged off Clinton's embarrassing misstatement of the danger involved in her trip to war-torn Bosnia in the 1990's. "It happens in campaigns," he explained, comparing Clinton's exaggerations to John McCain's stroll through an allegedly peaceful Baghdad market last year.
When Sawyer noted that a recent poll shows that Clinton is considered honest and trustworthy by only 44% of voters -- compared to Obama and McCain, who both score in the 60's -- Carville replied, "She's been in public life for a long time. She's been subjected to some rather vicious attacks."
This video is from ABC's Good Morning America, broadcast March 25, 2008.
Transcript via closed captions
:: but first, the race for '08 and pressure fears for the democrats and constant back and forthor senators clinton and obama had hurt the party's chances november. and misstating her story of a 1996 trip to bosnia when she was first lady. abc's david wright is in washington. good morning.
:: reporter: good morning, robin. this is embarrassing for senator clinton because she's campaigned hard on her notion of strength and experience. and she herself is pointing to the trip to bosa as an example of how she's ready to answer that 3:00 a.m. crisis call from the white house. well, the news video from that trip tells a different story. on a day when barack obama was off vacationing with his family in the virgin islands, hillary clinton had hoped the focus would be on her major policy speech on the economy.
:: to extend $30 billion to help bear stearns address their financial crisis, the federal government could provide at least that much emergency assistance to help families and communities address theirs.
:: reporter: instead, her campaign was on the defensive. fending off questions about the details of a trip she took to bosnia 12 years ago today.
:: there's a saying around the white house that if a place was too small, too poor or too dangerous, the president couldn't go so send the first lady.
:: reporter: just last week, clinton described her trip to tuzla like a scene from "private ryan."
:: there was no greeting ceremony and we basically were told to run to her cars that is what happened.
:: reporter: actually, there was a greeting ceremony. a bosnian girl read a poem and she posed for pictures and climbed up on a guard tower. no signs of snipes are.
:: the whole tuzla sector was under 9 control of the americans and it was a pretty safety sector. we were driving around in soft-skin cars. no reporters that i know of were wearing flap jackets tests. it was a peaceful area.
:: reporter: peaceful enough for a performance by sheryl crow and comedian sinbad.
:: it was a moment of great pride for me.
:: reporter: chelsea clinton was asked.
:: yes, i was there as well. i'm so honored that i was there with her and that i had the opportunity to travel with her.
:: reporter: her mother was asked about it, too. by the two philadelphia newspapers.
:: now, notice in the news pictures from the trip, neither clinton nor her daughter chelsea appear to be wearing flap jackets. clinton said she did write about the tuzla trip in her book. remember, diane, on two occasions she has embellished the story.
:: thanks.
:: joining us the author of "40 more years" clinton supporter, democratic strategist james carville. good morning, james.
:: good morning, diane.
:: how does somebody misspeak about sniper fire and ducking her cover?
:: first of all, it happens. i remember with senator mccain, that embarrassing thing in baghdad when he said how safe it was. circumstances weren't exactly like that. you never like to see these things happen but they're not unusual in politics.
:: you're stopping there.
:: well, did you want me to continue?
:: well, i think it does go to some other issue. now, gallup has been polling questions about trustworthiness in general. just five days ago, take a look it says, on honest and trustworthy, senator mcchange, 67%, senator obama, 65%. senator clinton, 44%, what does she have to do about this?
:: well, she's been in public life for a long time. i think she's probably been the subject of more attacks than any politician in recent political history. some of it taking a toll. i think she's a very honorable person, i'm crazy about her. with strength on the economy and things like that she does quite well.
:: but this is a vulnerability, isn't it?
:: well, everybody in politics has a vulnerability. as i'm saying, she's been in public life for a long time. she's been subjected to some rather vicious attacks. some of them have taken a toll. i think during this gain, she's shown herself to be a woman of remarkable strength and remarkable courage. and i'm quite proud of her. and i think she'll continue down this road.
:: let me turn to something else that you said over the easter weekend, as we know governor bill richardson endorsed senator barack obama. and you said in light of the season, it was like judas. it was like an act by judas with the 30 shackles and all. is this morning the time to take that back?
:: you know, i think a cattle ranch in eastern new mexico, advertising executive on this side of manhattan would agree that proper branding is important.
:: blanding?
:: i want to make sure richardson's act was branded properly.
:: but judas? what are y saying? because he said quite specifically, he made his decision on the fact that this is a once in a lifetime leader, he was talking about senator obama. he respected senator clinton. but he said obama represents something new that unifies people. are you saying that he made a deal of some kind when you talk about 30 shekles?
:: what i'm saying here, me and my friends' endorsement, obama have remained very close to him. i haven't spoken out against him. i thought this was just special and it needed to be properly branded and i did so.
:: are you saying that anyone whoever had a job in the clinton administration should be for senator clinton or stay neutral? is that the rule?
:: well, there are a number of people that have jobs in the clinton administration i don't think -- again, i think proper branding is important. i don't regret saying it. i was quoted in context. i was quoted accurately. and i'm not -- i did -- i gave it a proper branding. i put my opinion on it and i'm glad i did.
:: you know how governor richardson responded. let me play that clip.
:: well, i'm not going to get into gutter like that. and, you know, that's typical of many of the people around senator clinton. they think they have a sense of entitlement to the presidency.
:: your reaction?
:: well, i don't think a sense of entitlement to anything. again, he's been branded properly. i think when people look at him, they'll remember the quote and that's what it was intended to do. it's one of those things in life you that do, it was the right thing to do. i did it -- like i say, i wanted this act to be remembered for what it was and it will be?
:: no regrets?
:: no.
:: are you going to speak to him again? he to you?
:: i doubt if he takes very kindly to it. i don't -- you know, i've said my peace. and you know, if senator obama is the nominee, i said this is one corporal that i'll throw chevrons back on. i have more dear friend whose respect obama. i respect him dearly. they remain close friends of mine. i think this was a special case that required special attention and i gave it special attention.
:: let me turn if i can to the wear and tear of the democratic party on this long, long race. and senator obama has actually talked in support of an idea that it would be a superdelegate primary to resolve this whole issue of which way the superdelegates will weigh in, in june, to reach a past decision before the party convention. are you in favor of this? is the clinton camp in favor of this?
:: i don't know what the clinton camp position is on this. just like the clinton camp had absolutely nothing to do with what i said about governor richardson. i think what we need to do is let this process go through. i think it's very, very unfortunate that senator obama's lawyers topped people in michigan from voting. i think it's a sign of weakness. i think it's unfortunate for the party. i think it's unfortunate probably writing florida off in the general election. and in michigan, however that was a political decision that they made that they didn't want to face voters. i think we have an important contest in, pa, north carolina, kentucky, oregon, indiana, south dakota, puerto rico. a bunch of other places i think we should let democrats vote and be herd. after that, a conclusion can be reached. and one i'm fully prepared to support.
:: quick final question to you, because you have said that the narrative will dictate what happens, whatever people are doing and adding up the numbers and saying it's impossible for senator clinton. you're the pro here. what do you predict for pennsylvia? let's hear it.
:: well, you know, well, i would say, what i said earlier, a long time ago that senator clinton had to win pennsylvania.
:: but how much? 50%, 60%?
:: i'm not going to go into numbers. i said before, she had to win, ohio, texas and pennsylvania. i'm sticking with that. by the way, if the democrats in pennsylvania want to end this, they could end this by voting -- if senator obama wins that would pretty much end this process. we'll see, if they send a signal they want it to go on, then it will go on to north carolina.
:: all right, james carville, great to you have here this morning. chris has the other news.
:: good morning, everyone. let's get right to a dramatic
When former presidential candidate Bill Richardson threw his support behind Barack Obama last week, some in the Clinton camp were deeply affronted. The New Mexico governor served in President Clinton's cabinet in the 1990's and had been intensively wooed by the Clinton campaign.