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After Hillary Clinton appeared on the front of the Post in a report claiming that she told Bill Richardson “Obama can’t win” in a bid to get the New Mexico governor to endorse her, her staffers are trying to spin the story — spin it around 180 degrees. A campaign source told Time’s Mark Halperin:
“Bill Richardson is clearly embarrassed that he broke his promise to them. He should come out and tell the truth and admit that he told both Clintons that Obama wasn’t ready and can’t win.”
In other words, it was Richardson who hexed Obama, not Hillary. This not only covers her butt but also feeds into a strategy that the campaign (Bill Clinton in particular) has been taking lately to discredit Richardson as a political force. By deflating his respectability, they reduce the impact of his endorsement of Obama and also raise questions about his credibility in case the Illinois senator picks him as a running mate. If they goad Richardson into a flustered rebuttal, this strategy just might work.
BARACK’S A LOST CAUSE: HILL VAIN BID TO WIN RICHARDSON’S SUPPORT [NYP]
Comment from Clinton Associate [Page/Time]
