Disloyalty That Merits An Insult
By James Carville
Saturday, March 29, 2008; A15
Last Friday the New York Times asked me to comment on New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. For 15 years, Richardson served with no small measure of distinction as the representative of New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. But he gained national stature -- and his career took off -- when President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and later made him energy secretary.
So, when asked on Good Friday about Richardson's rejection of the Clintons, the metaphor was too good to pass by. I compared Richardson to Judas Iscariot. (And Matthew Dowd is right: Had it been the Fourth of July, I probably would have called him Benedict Arnold.)
I believed that Richardson's appointments in Bill Clinton's administration and his longtime personal relationship with both Clintons, combined with his numerous assurances to the Clintons and their supporters that he would never endorse any of Sen. Hillary Clinton's opponents, merited a strong response.
I was fully aware of what kind of response calling someone a Judas would evoke.
Certainly, it didn't take long for the resign-renounce-denounce complex to kick into high gear.
In a bit of bloviation that brought joy to my heart, Bill O'Reilly pronounced himself "appalled."
Keith Olbermann, about two degrees shy of the temperature necessary for self-combustion, quipped, "So if he's Judas in this analogy, who's Jesus?"
Even Diane Sawyer took the analogy to the extreme, questioning, "Are you saying that he made a deal of some kind when you talk about 30 shekels?"
Others opined that my remark was "tactless" and "ugly."
Heck, I give myself some credit for managing to get the Clinton and Obama campaigns to agree on something -- that neither wanted to be associated with my remarks.
I know enough to know that comparing a former Cabinet secretary and sitting governor to Judas is inflammatory and provocative. I expected the coverage that it evoked.
Was it a desperate gambit for attention? Was I just trying to prove my point that both Samantha Power's resignation from the Obama campaign for calling Sen. Clinton a monster and the Obama campaign hysterically promoting Geraldine Ferraro's misguided statements were equally silly and superficial?
Not really. I was saying what I felt as an individual who -- with no encouragement from the Clintons but as someone who is proud to consider himself a friend of theirs -- thought that Richardson had done something deeply disloyal.
Earlier this month I decried the political environment in which, by whining about every little barb, candidates seem to be trying to win the election through a war of staff-resignation attrition. Politics is a messy business, but campaigning prepares you for governing. It prepares you to get hit, stand strong and, if necessary, hit back. I've worked on enough campaigns to know that the most aggrieved candidate rarely emerges victorious. And for all of the hypersensitivity we're seeing this cycle, this campaign has not been particularly negative or nasty compared with previous elections.
Fully aware of this supercharged environment in which the slightest slight is elevated to the most egregious insult, I waded in -- okay, dove in -- by demonstrating what constitutes a real insult.
I believe that loyalty is a cardinal virtue. Nowhere in the world is loyalty so little revered and tittle-tattle so greatly venerated as in Washington. I was a little-known political consultant until Bill Clinton made me. When he came upon hard times, I felt it my duty -- whatever my personal misgivings -- to stick by him. At the very least, I would have stayed silent. And maybe that's my problem with what Bill Richardson did. Silence on his part would have spoken loudly enough.
Most of the stuff I've ever said is pretty insignificant and by in large has been said off the cuff and without much thought to the potential consequences. That was not the case in this instance. Bill Richardson's response was that the Clinton people felt they were entitled to the presidency. In my mind, that is a debatable hypothesis. But, even more than that, I know that a former president of the United States who appointed someone to two Senate-confirmed positions is entitled to have his phone calls returned.
If Richardson was going to turn on the Clintons the way he did, I see no problem in saying what I said. Because if loyalty is one virtue, another is straight talk. And if Democrats can't handle that, they're going to have a hard time handling a Republican nominee who is seeking the presidency with that as his slogan.
James Carville, who managed Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, is a political commentator for CNN.
- Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
Are Clintons Gods?
How arrogant and stupid! He even dares to consider Clinton as Jesus. Haha…
- Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
Also please note, "a Judas" is not exactly "the Judas". - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
I was a Bill Clinton's supporter, but now I support Obama, you can call me Judas too, I am glad to betray Clintons ;)
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
- posted on 04/02/2008
It's interesting you took it upon yourself to be Clinton's long time friend, someone who the Clinton made, and someone who swore up and down that he'll never endorse the Clinton's opponents.
Your switching to Obama as a stranger and an ordinary voter is not as much of a betrayal to start with. Yes if you were Richardson I'd call you Judas as well. But you were not Richardson, you see the difference?
And for the record I am unbiased between Clinton and Obama.
Judas wrote:
I was a Bill Clinton's supporter, but now I support Obama, you can call me Judas too, I am glad to betray Clintons ;)
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
- Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
Do you owe your career to Clinton? Did Clinton ever appoint you, not once but twice, to any cabinet level position? :-)
Judas wrote:
I was a Bill Clinton's supporter, but now I support Obama, you can call me Judas too, I am glad to betray Clintons ;)
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
- posted on 04/02/2008
Is Bill Clinton Judas? He betrayed his wife.
What if I think Obama will be a better president and a better man?
What if Richardson has the same thought as me?
Richardson still can be a friend with Clintons, right?
zt wrote:
Do you owe your career to Clinton? Did Clinton ever appoint you, not once but twice, to any cabinet level position? :-)
Judas wrote:
I was a Bill Clinton's supporter, but now I support Obama, you can call me Judas too, I am glad to betray Clintons ;)
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
- posted on 04/02/2008
Right on, moab. As Carville pointedly said, for Richardson, "Silence on his part would have spoken loudly enough."
For some one who owes his career, and to some extent his political life, to somebody else, if stabbing his or his wife's back does not constitute betrayal, what could betrayal possibly be?
It is a shame that Richardson right now is talking about "loyalty to my country". Deeds speak far more loudly than words, no matter how beautifully colorated.
But perhaps, he has his eyes on another cabinet-level position in the Obama administration, since Obama's stock is so high. Who knows? Whatever it might be, throw out the word "loyalty" from your vocabulary, for God's sake please, MR. Richardson.
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
Also please note, "a Judas" is not exactly "the Judas". - posted on 04/02/2008
What if Richardson thinks Obama will be a better president? Clinton was a president, right? So Richarson's career is a service for America, not for Clintons, right?
An observer wrote:
Right on, moab. As Carville pointedly said, for Richardson, "Silence on his part would have spoken loudly enough."
For some one who owes his career, and to some extent his political life, to somebody else, if stabbing his or his wife's back does not constitute betrayal, what could betrayal possibly be?
It is a shame that Richardson right now is talking about "loyalty to my country". Deeds speak far more loudly than words, no matter how beautifully colorated.
But perhaps, he has his eyes on another cabinet-level position in the Obama administration, since Obama's stock is so high. Who knows? Whatever it might be, throw out the word "loyalty" from your vocabulary, for God's sake please, MR. Richardson.
moab wrote:
I'd call Richardson Judas if I were Carville. That remark is all about betrayal and nothing more.
Also please note, "a Judas" is not exactly "the Judas". - posted on 04/02/2008
卡维尔何许人也?美国政治第一丑男,克林顿的绍兴师爷是也。
你以为克林顿当年是赏官给李察森?是利用他而已。
记者采访民主党初选中的李察森,问他为什么不愿说别人坏话,他说他要stay positive。克林顿们想要他的支持,他思考了很久,并且在宣布支持欧巴马之前告诉了克林顿们他的意向。和卡维尔之类的政治食客比起来,李察森是个厚道得多的人。
忠于克林顿,这算是什么政治?这在中国叫封建政治;在国外叫Clientelism:“扈从政治”,是个臭东西。
克林顿众叛亲离的趋势不可阻挡。走着瞧前副总统高尔吧!
声望甚高的前参议员李*汉米尔顿昨日宣布支持欧巴马。
克林顿总统梦做昏了,竟自比Rocky,今天起来电台上的人都在笑话她。
My campaign slogan: STOP THE MAD OLD BITCH!!! ;) - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
touche wrote:
卡维尔何许人也?美国政治第一丑男,克林顿的绍兴师爷是也。
His wife thought his is "very cute":) - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
Well,他老婆是美国政治第一丑女,they are America's ugliest political odd couple. Any wonder.
3mw wrote:
touche wrote:His wife thought his is "very cute":)
卡维尔何许人也?美国政治第一丑男,克林顿的绍兴师爷是也。 - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
ABC(不是Cafe的小A)的Jack Tapper那天讲了一个绝妙的比喻。说有人讲CLINTON的手法是Tonya Harding Option。 Tonya当年赢不了,就把对手Nancy的腿给敲了。Hillary要赢,就必须"break his(Obama's) back" 。阶级斗争非常激烈呀:)
James的话和文章可不听不看。永远是死挺CLINTONS的,无论他们对错。永远不会有什么新东西。 - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
This is how he looks like :-)
Sorry, I have to admit shamefully, I am Judas :-) I thought it was a funny name --- July
- Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
He IS cute. Believe it or not, sometimes, I like this guy because I think he is funny:) - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
At least, he is very loyal :-)
3mw wrote:
He IS cute. Believe it or not, sometimes, I like this guy:) - Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
Wow,for the first time I was actually able to guess correctly whom that "vest" belongs to. You've got to try harder.
Judas (July) wrote:
Sorry, I have to admit shamefully, I am Judas :-) I thought it was a funny name --- July
- Re: I still call him a Judas: Disloyalty That Merits An Insult (ZT)posted on 04/02/2008
虽然James忠诚,但他没理由骂Richardson.
Richardson说的好:CLINTON不能就以为自己entitled nominee. 也没理由就以为她就entitled for Richardson's endorsment.否则这与结党营私有什么区别?这种骂只能倒主子的牌子,帮倒忙。更说明CLINTON的负面竞选了。
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