(CNN) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson Tuesday suggested he may endorse a former rival in the Democratic White House race sometime this week.
In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer set to air at 6 p.m. hour of The Situation Room, Richardson praised both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and suggested now might be the right time he publicly backs one of them.
"I may make a decision and do an endorsement," Richardson said.
Asked if the endorsement could come within the next couple of days, the New Mexico governor replied, "Possibly, yes."
Richardson, a former member of the Clinton administration, wouldn't hint at which candidate he was leaning towards, and said it's still possible he may make no endorsement.
"I'm just not trying to be cute. I just have felt that an endorsement by me, I don't think it is that significant," he said. "But I still might do it."
Both Clinton and Obama have heavily sought Richardson's backing since he dropped out of the race in January. Richardson, one of the highest ranking Hispanics in the Democratic Party, could give either candidate a boost in the Latino community ahead of Texas' primary on March 4. Latinos are expected to play a big role in that contest.
In the interview Tuesday, Richardson praised both candidates, and said the two are running a "classic race."
"Change versus experience," Richardson said of the race. "And obviously I ran on the experience mantle. It didn't work out too well. But I think they are both exceptional candidates, represent fundamental change. I think it is going to be very, very close. I don't think this race is over."
Watch the full interview with Richardson tonight on The Situation Room, 6 p.m. ET.
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
I hate it that Richardson is having to endorse either of them. He should have been the Democratic nominee. He shined in the debates, and I don't know him personally but something tells me he is a gem of a person.
He has foreign policy experience and had great ideas for our country.
I don't understand it, but nobody asked me.
Undecided in '08
NM Latinos went for Obama!!
Bill,
No need to endorse either one of them! Just stay away, it is over!
I really like Richardson. He is a decent and smart person.
I REALLY HOPE HE supports EXPERIENCE AND ENDORSES HILLARY. I thought what was QUOTED ABOVE HINTED THAT HE WOULD ENDORSE HER!! Down the road I would love him to be Hillary's vice president. They would make an amazing team!!
It would be cool to vote in a woman president and a latino vice prez!!
I believe he really likes the Clintons and will support her. I think he believes in the Clintons and respects how much they have supported Hispanics.
Hillary – Richardson '08
You all are getting kind of ugly. I hope he does endorse Obama. They would make a good team. Let's face it, Hillary is losing in the Lone Star State. I don't see that changing even if Richardson endorses Hillary.
Hillary really shouldn't have done her little scolding routine or the mockery heavenly routine. We Texas voters can figure this out for ourselves pretty well.
By now, we are very informed and have had a chance to evaluate the candidates personalities and character. It's been trickey with there being so many personalities and such little character coming from Hillary. But I think we have just about got this figured out.
the same people who complain that all of the black people vote for obama are the same ones saying that richardson should endorse hillary because the latinos "do". smacks of hypocrisy to me.
This is a non story... why report what may or may not happen?
NEXT!
Is anyone else starting to feel disenfranchised with the Dem Party? Maybe Lou Dobbs is right:
Caucuses are a joke and definitely don't speak for the majority of Dem voters; Primaries and Caucuses for the Dem Candidate should be decided by Dems WHO ARE 18 YEARS OR OLDER; The rules should be the same nation-wide, not state-by-state since this is a NATIONAL election. All states should hold these primaries on the same date for an entire day; all states votes should count.... how on Earth under any "rule" can you not count the votes of 2 states? The madness goes on and on and on.
There has to be a better way than the free-for-all we've experienced this election cycle.
He worked in BC's administration and watched the one best superbowl games ever. Not endorsing anyone is endorsing Obama. Sorry HC!
I don't know why New Mexico and Gov. Richardson are so worried about Hillary Clinton. YOU ARE A SMALL STATE. Haven't you heard about her love for the BIG populated STATES. Obama has embraced us all regardlees of a Big or SMALL state status. If the honorable Gov. Richardson doesn't endorse Hillary, her spin doctors will say that was nothing anyway and marginalize his thoughtful endorsement. WAKE UP New Mexico, Hillary is now saying "YES WE CAN" every chance she gets. GO OBAMA!
Decision time. Heads Hillary, Tails Obama, Heads Hillary, Tails Obama. or Einee minne miny moe. Word of Advice from this Chicano Advocate. Stay out of this choice. You can't win no matter which way you.
HILARY=PRESIDENT
BILL RICHARDSON=VP
PLEASE do not endorse either....Let the people decide and please encourage Obama to tell us what kind of Change he hopes to give the people of the United States
Richardson will endorse Hillary. It's all leading up to the latino vote in Texas.
Richardson knows what is going on around the world & what it takes to fix it. He ain't going to endorse OBAMA the cute preacher. He will endorse the next President ,which is going to be Hillary.
Well of course he should endorse Clinton. Isn't that who won the primary in New Mexico? Doesn't Sen. Obama feel as though the "will of the people be heard"? Or is that just "his people".
How is this news? Someone with little national recognition and even less influence drops a hint that he's close to making a decision?
Come on Bill, throw your support behind experience, not the 30 second soundbite master.
VOTE HILLARY in 2008!
I don't get it....
the blacks can vote as a block but it is not about race....
but a woman can't support Hillary or it is about gender...
excuse me!
Hillary is the most prepared and ready to lead candidate.
His last comment "This race is not over" should clue you in: He's supporting Hillary. It makes sense: his state chose her. However, palying the race card here should be behind us. To argue that Richardson should support Clinton because of his ethnicity is silly. With that said, it's going to be Clinton.
Bill Richardson, I hope u will endorse Barack Obama for President. Your endorsement will be good for him. He's the best candidate that can bring people together, and he also proved his good judgement on the Iraq vote. He's the best presidential material out there this year. I respect Hillary too, but it's time that she drops out, and brings the party together & support Obama. All americans need change, our world is changing everyday, we cannot live in the politics of the past. We need someone new, a vibrant face, that will bring people together irrespective skin color, religion or ethnic background. That's how a president should be. Obama is the best. So, Gov. Richardson, please endorse Obama after tonight's debate, it will help him with the Latino votes too. Latinos for Obama too. Thanks all. CNN please post my comments
Therefore, don't let her down! You know she's worth it__.
A real Genuine C. I. C. The US has needed for the past 50yr's.
Hillary, and pro-hill moderator asked hill about her comment that Obama plagiarized some words of Deval Patrick who told Obama to use this particular line.
Hill has BORROWED throughout this campaign, without acknowledgment Obama's own lines, her slogans change daily: experience, change, solutions…..all with no substance….she might as well butcher spanish like bush to pander to hispanics….and then ignore hispanic concerns like bush….
She copies her own philandering impeached husband Bill:
Hillary: "You know, the hits I've taken in life are nothing compared to what goes on every single day in the lives of people across our country"—eerily similar to:
Bill Clinton in 1992 declared that: "The hits that I took in this election are nothing compared to the hits the people of this state and this country have been taking for a long time."
Hill "borrowed" verbatim NY Gov. Spitzer's "on day one" campaign slogan….
Her unaffordable health care is borrowed exactly from 1993 when Bill floated it and it failed…..when there was a budget surplus!!!
yeah, media are SO unfair to hill….ha….what a shameful hypocrite she is…..and saying whoever does not vote for her is delusional….SHE would know about deluding people….
We need to break the trend going back to 1988 of either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House this year.
Almost anybody but Clinton '08
Gov. Richardson has had the time to grow his beard, and take a retrospective look at what's atually happening. His resume is fully loaded with the most admirable experiences but somehow it was a tough sell for him – he dropped out of the race.
The American image both home and abroad strongly needs to be revamped. It needs to be lifted up or it will cascade into a level of irrelevance. The truth is not that Obama is too loftty in his rhetorics but that he understands the inner yearnings of the ordinary American who wants to reclaim the respect America once possessed – a connection to the higher ideal that can motivate you to solve insurmountable problems. A belief in America again – that's what Obama is offering.