Richardson: 'I'm not going to stoop to Carville's level'
Richardson recently endorsed Obama despite his longstanding ties to the Clintons.
(Photo credit: AP)
(CNN) - Barack Obama supporter Gov. Bill Richardson, D-New Mexico, responded on Sunday to controversial comments by James Carville, saying that he would not "stoop to Carville's level."
Carville, a Hillary Clinton supporter and former strategist for her husband's 1992 presidential campaign, compared Richardson to the Biblical figure Judas in an interview with the New York Times last week. When later asked whether his comment was accurate, Carville made no attempt to apologize, saying that it had "the desired effect."
"I haven't gotten into the gutter on this. And you know, I'm not going to stoop to Carville's level. I barely know the guy in the first place," Richardson told Bob Scheiffer on CBS's "Face the Nation."
Carville had argued that Richardson's endorsement of the Illinois senator was an act of betrayal since the governor has a long history of political ties with her husband. Richardson disagreed.
"I think loyalty to the nation, loyalty to the party is a lot more important than personal loyalty," he said. "I owe the Clintons a lot. I served in the president's cabinet. That loyalty is to President Clinton. That doesn't mean that I'm going to for the rest of my life be in lockstep with whatever they do."
Though Richardson did not personally attack the Democratic strategist, he criticized the Clinton campaign's behavior.
"I ran against Senator Clinton. I was a presidential candidate. And what I ran against this personal venom that people like Carville and many others in the Clinton team that feel a sense of entitlement, that the presidency is theirs. "
On CNN's Late Edition, Carville acknowledged that his comment was harsh, but said that these kind of campaign spats are "powder puff stuff" compared to the general election.
"I don't think this campaign has been particularly negative. I've probably said the most negative thing in the whole campaign," he told Wolf Blitzer.
–CNN's Peter Lanier
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WAY TO GO GUVNOR!
thank you bill for keeping your cool and not acting like a child like the clintons.
Loyalty to the nation and what is best for the country is much important than loyalty to Clintons
You go Bill; those of us in NM know there must have been something significant to back Obama after being a Bill Clinton friend and supporter for a long time. I suspect that there are some grave ghosts in the Hilliary closet or maybe you were just tired of the lies and crap.
News Flash for Richardson.... He already did!
You Richardson are right where you need to be. A loser always loves company. I never had any faith in you anyway. Guess what now you can say, I ,m partners with, Kennedy, Laehy, Kerry, Pelosi and soo to be, Obama. Nothing but a bunch of losers. HILLARY 08
Richardson is a backstabber to Latinos and the Clintons but that is the Obama way!
Welcome to the Clintonian politics of personal- and party-destruction for personal advancement, Mr. Richardson. Count yourself lucky that you got out.
Just by saying that...,.he has.
RICHARDSON IS A " AL SHARPTON" WANT-A -BE !!!!
ANYTHING TO GET ATTENTION!!!!
Carville is of the lowest form.
He has simply defiled his own state's will.
Old news...this Democratic primary has nothing more new to show.
Richardson has been mau maued. He's disgusting. He and his boy can go down together.
The endorsement was a stoop to a lower level that Carville remark
Hello??? She is Jesus! She walked on water here in Florida and healed the sick in Michigan. How dare people not vote for her!!!!!
Nobody would care who Richardson endorsed if it wasn't for the opportunities that he received from President Bill Clinton.
I agree with Carville 100%.
Have you seen voter turn out!!!!!
Obama-Clinton 08 / Clinton-Obama 08
Keep the dream alive!!!
Every citizen should do what THEY think is best for themselves and this nation in selecting a nominee. Richardson should and did follow this exact model and its commendable.
James Carville.... It looks like he just likes to hear himself talk. Blah, blah, blah... Put a sock in it.
James Carville is a nobody who is using extreme language to attract attention. It must be contract renewal time.
Its amazing how the Clintons and some of their supporters get nasty whenever things don't go their way. If someone doesn't support them, they'll try to ridcule that person. If they loose a state primary as they did majority of the states so far, they insult and marginalize those states as not important because they are small states.
Imagine what they'll call Gore when he calls for Hillary to end this 'scorched earth' policy of trashing everyone who dares to be against them.
CARVILLE IS AN IGNORANT LAP DOG.
Richardson is a traitor that just wants the VP spot.