Composite image by POLITICO Richardson has harsh advice for HRC

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, fresh off his endorsement of Barack Obama this week, suggested Sunday that Hillary Rodham Clinton should consider dropping out of the race if she trails in the delegate count and popular vote at the end of the primary process.

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Richardson also decried the negativity in the Democratic primary, adding that John McCain is coalescing his support as the Republican presidential nominee while Obama and Clinton continue to attack each other.


Richardson, who served under President Bill Clinton as energy secretary and as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, also took what appeared to be a shot at his political patron. When asked about Clinton confidante James Carville’s comment that his endorsement was an “act of betrayal,” Richardson offered his own tough talk.

“I’m not going to get in the gutter like that, and that’s symbolic of many of the people around Sen. Clinton. They think they’re entitled to the presidency,” said Richardson. “It shouldn’t just be Bush-Clinton, Bush-Clinton, you know, what about the rest of us...It’s important we bring in a new generation of leadership.”

Richardson’s sharp criticism of the Clintons is especially striking because he often defended Hillary Clinton while he was still in the race — even in the face of sharp attacks from the other presidential contenders.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a leading Clinton surrogate, responded with his own questions about Obama’s electability against McCain in the general election.

Rendell cited statewide polling from automated pollsters Rasmussen and SurveyUSA that shows Obama trailing McCain in New Jersey, Ohio, Florida and Missouri — and only running even in Massachusetts.

“Our job is to nominate the candidate with the best chance to win,” said Rendell. “Bill, does it bother you that Sen. Obama is behind in New Jersey and even in Massachusetts?” Rendell asked Richardson.

Hooverville

Herbert Hoover is making a comeback in today’s political discourse.

On ABC’s “This Week,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) invoked the nation’s 31st president on several occasions, accusing the Bush administration of having a “Herbert Hoover mentality” in its lack of involvement in dealing with a stagnating economy.

“Had the administration acted more pro-actively earlier, particularly about the housing crisis, we wouldn’t have gotten up to this point,” said Schumer. “We’ve learned over 100 years of economic history that smart, measured government involvement to try and deal with problems in the economy… makes a great deal of sense.”

Sen, Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), in response, blamed the Democratic-led Congress for offering too generous incentives to first-time homeowners, which he argued precipitated the current housing crisis.

“It was Democrats in Congress who were pushing the lending institutions to get out there and lend more money, even to unqualified buyers…so that everyone could own a home,” Kyl said. “And as a result, a lot of people took loans who couldn't qualify.”

Not to be outdone by Schumer, Kyl compared the Democratic leadership’s opposition to certain free trade agreements to the prevailing protectionist mentality in the 1930s — even invoking the tax cuts of former President Calvin Coolidge.

“It's Senator Schumer and his Democratic colleagues who want to raise taxes, like Hoover did when he refused to allow the Coolidge tax breaks to stay in effect,” said Kyl. “And they of course are opposing the free trade agreements that the president is trying to bring up.”

Iraq War

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), who briefly mulled an independent campaign for president, declined to endorse McCain for the presidential race at this point in time.

“I've obviously got some differences with John on the Iraq war. That's no secret,” Hagel said on “This Week.” “Certainly doesn't put me in Obama or Clinton's camp. But John and I have some pretty fundamental disagreements on the future of foreign policy.”

Hagel continued his sharp criticism of the administration’s handling of the Iraq war, despite the surge’s reduction of violence, hewing closer to the views on Iraq held by Obama and Clinton.

“What the surge was all about… was trying to buy time for the Iraqis. They have not used that time very well,” said Hagel. “I think we need a clear plan, and yes, withdrawal. We're going to have to start working our way out of this.”

But on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — just back from a trip to the Middle East with McCain — argued that the United States has turned the corner in Iraq. He said that a premature withdrawal would be “a complete disaster.”

“There have been major political breakthroughs. Economically, oil revenues are up by 30 percent, inflation has gone from 66 to 5 [percent], sectarian violence is down by 90 percent, our casualties are way down,” said Graham. “We’ve got a long way to go, but I believe the surge has worked on all fronts.”

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), echoing Hagel, said that the Iraqis have not “gotten their political act together" and argued that a phased withdrawal would pressure the them to more quickly reach political reconciliation.

“The longer [the Iraqi government] feels that we will take the lead, the longer they feel we will be there indefinitely… that sends the message you don’t have to do anything that’s tough.”