IN THE COMMENTS: Some people are saying this was humor, in the style of Letterman or Reagan. (Take your pick.)
UPDATE: Richardson attempts to explain his remark:
"Look, that was an off-the-cuff comment where I said Iowa and New Hampshire should be first.''So, he's not going with the humor theory. He's got nothing, really.
When pressed further, he said Iowa should launch the primary calendar because "it's a tradition in American politics that has worked.''
"Iowa scrutinizes candidates through a grass-roots state. They are very good at winnowing down candidates,'' he said. "They don't listen to national polls. Iowa voters are very independent and issue-oriented.''
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23 comments:
You sure he wasn't trying to be funny?
It sounds like something Letterman might say.
I'm capable of perceiving this as a joke, but when I do, I don't see a man who's serious about running for President.
I don't get it. What does Iowa being first have to do with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
Ever since the baseball thing about him came out I've thought he was a little bit unhinged. This fits in there.
Is this heaven?
No, it's Iowa.
Bill Richardson, the Field of Dreams candidate.
(I saw that line elsewhere today, but I forget where so not attribution)
Are we sure that he didn't say "Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons relating to the law"?
Sometimes I think that the campaign season is too long & that all we hear is pap, but every once in a while some unworthy disqualifies himself by a slip which shows that he's not ready for Prime Time.
Still I wish it didn't take so long. And that all unworthies would slip.
Go slow:
"Go slow, oooooh honey, take it easy on the curves;
When love is slow, oooooh honey, what a tonic for my nerves.
Go slow, oooooh honey, we've got such a lot of time;
When love is slow, oooooh honey, how the mercury does climb."
Bill Richardson: Jesus wants white folks to go first.
Mister Bill is quickly disqualifying himself for even a VP nomination. I am not really surprised. As the governor of my state, I have watched him say anything that he thought would bring a favorable response from the audience before him on that day. Law, fiscal responsibility, or good reasoning have never constrained what he would offer in pursuit of his political objective. His craven, glad handing prevarication has caused him more than one problem. It just sticks out more on a national stage. It's not that he's not serious about running for president, he's just not a serious enough man to have any principle that would make him think twice before saying something he thought might be advantageous in the moment.
In the beginning, God created Heaven and the Earth. And Iowa.
Can we have a system reset? It's still a year out. Let's just pretend these guys were just warming up the campaign for the real candidates.
ph is spot on, right out of Lettermans realm.
The Lord part doesn't bother me as much as him thinking that the Constitution says Iowa should be first.
Just another example of the Democrats having a completely different Constitution to read from than I do.
I agree with Peter. This was a joke.
And if making jokes means a candidate lacks the seriousness to be President, then what do we say about people like Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan, all of whom told stories and made wisecracks?
In saying this, I'm not suggesting that Richardson should be put on Mount Rushmore some day. For a guy who's as smart and politically experienced as he is, Richardson has done and said some silly things during this campaign.
But this was just a joke and it's totally lame to suggest that our Presidents or potential Presidents shouldn't make jokes. Heaven preserve us from leaders devoid of humor!
Mark Daniels
Better Living
But I also believe that Richardson's delivery needs some work. People would have laughed had Reagan told this joke, because he knew how to tell jokes.
Now we know what Craig's defense *should* have been when he got hauled out of the bathroom stall.
"Hey, I was jus' clowning around!!!".
'It was a joke' - the new get out of jail free card!
This incident appeared as a three paragraph blurb in the San Antonio paper this morning titled, "Richardson recasts Iowa caucus comment."
"Look, that was an off-the-cuff comment where I said Iowa and New Hampshire should be first," he explained Tuesday.
Does off-the-cuff mean the same thing as telling a joke?
"I recast you," the wizard said and amazingly his words....... No, that's from a different story.
FYI Bill Clinton was on Letterman for quite a while last night and he said some very amazing things which also will probably need to be recasted. He was very charismatic and I have no doubt he could be reelected if the Constitution allowed it.
I think I agree it was meant to be Reaganesque Humor. Bill Richardson is no Ronald Reagan.
Have any of the candidates mentioned Iowa's recent noteworthiness in marriage equality for all? I haven't read anything, but it was over a Holiday Weekend.
I think he actually said "lard."
Iowa's crucial role in producing animal fat and butter sculptures merits electoral priority.
The Iowa/New Hampshire dog and pony show has not served the Democrats very well and they would do well to figure out a better way to jump start a candidate that could win a majority (or an electoral victory without the mind control of Ross Perot in play).
It was a joke, and that would be fine as long as he was Republican, already president, and making Dr. Evil jokes. Now zip it!
Actually, while he phrased it terribly, I would love to believe this is a joke. I want to believe.
I've sort of figured that Richardson was going to surge forward and get the nom. And I think I like him better than the three front-runners.
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