April 19, 2007

Bill Richardson not yet supporting Alberto Gonzalez ouster... because he's Hispanic

Bill Richardson has shown once again that he's completely unfit for any political office. From this:

Presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) said Monday the reason he has not called for the removal of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is that the two both have Hispanic backgrounds.

Richardson, in an interview with The Hill, said he is "pretty close" to making such a call, but added that he is reluctant to do so before Gonzales's Senate testimony despite the high-profile involvement of New Mexico in the U.S. attorneys scandal.

[Richardson says] "The only reason I'm not there is because he's Hispanic, and I know him and like him... It's because he's Hispanic. I'm honest... I want to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Needless to say, if Richardson were white - or even black or Asian - he couldn't get away with making such a comment. In Richardson's case, the usual suspects will downplay it or change the subject.

Recall that he said the following back in 1995:

"We have to band together and that means Latinos in Florida, Cuban-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, South Americans - we have to network better - we have to be more politically minded - we have to put aside party and think of ourselves as Latinos, as Hispanics, more than we have in the past."

He also has/had an unpaid job with the Organization of American States as their Special Envoy to 'promote dialogue on issues... such as immigration and free trade'.

4/20/07 UPDATE: This morning, Richardson appeared on the Bill Press show and called for Gonzo to go (1.4 Meg MP3 link). Press referenced the Hill interview - without refering to the ethnic solidarity remarks - and Richardson now says:

"I believe he should resign... ...I like the guy, Bill. You know, he's a fellow Hispanic, he came up from very humble means... He's an able guy, but it's obvious that he wasn't engaged in his department and he couldn't answer the testimony in the Senate, and I waited until the Senate to make any view that he should or shouldn't resign... ...The Justice Department should be above politics..."

Posted to Politics at April 19, 2007 10:53 PM