Richardson: Keeping Iowa First is God's Will (Very Bizarre)

[Colobo]

Sioux City, Ia. — God’s will is for Iowa to have the first-in-the-nation caucus, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson told a crowd here today.

“Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons related to the Lord should be the first caucus and primary,” Richardson, New Mexico’s governor said at the Northwest Iowa Labor Council Picnic. “And I want you to know who was the first candidate to sign a pledge not to campaign anywhere if they got ahead of Iowa. It was Bill Richardson.”

Several people in the crowd snickered after Richardson made the comment.
“That was a little weird,” said Sioux City resident Joe Shufro. “I don’t know what God had to do with choosing Iowa among other states. I found that a little strange.”

Sioux City resident Jan Hodge agreed that Richardson’s statement was odd.

“It’s the kind of thing that would make me wince if, for instance, George Bush said it,” Hodge said. “Richardson has the saving grace of not taking himself too seriously. It was one of those off the cuff remarks that can’t be taken as seriously as the punsters will make it.”

Much of the crowd that had gathered earlier to hear Hillary and Bill Clinton has left by 1 p.m. when Richardson took the stage. During a roughly 15-minute speech, he highlighted many of his key campaign points and professed his commitment to unions.

More at:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070903/NEWS/70903012

Please, someone please tell Bill to shut up...

[msongs]

1. maybe he is joining the obama people of faith crusade? nt

[ripple]

29. Generalize much?

As an Obama supporter who happens to also be agnostic, I take exception to your broad-brush stereotype. While I don't ascribe to a particular religion, I'm certainly tolerant and respectful of those who do. How unfortunate that you would consider tolerance a religious crusade.

[Debi]

36. not to defend the above poster - do you know that Obama just put out a list

of people of faith who endorsed him? http://faith.barackobama.com/page/content/faithhome

[Yukari Yakumo]

2. The state of the Richardson campaign:

{flush}

[Stop Cornyn]

9. lol

[seasat]

3. I think he probably meant to say "law" instead of Lord.

It sounds like a simple malaprop and "law" would fit in that context.

[BeyondGeography]

6. That sounds plausible

and, even if it's not true, Bill should run with it...

[lvx35]

8. I'll bet you're right. He's done that numerous times.

There was something in the debates I recall where he almost accidentally said "sluts" when he meant something else, I can't remember what it was but it caught my attention.

[seasat]

10. When he gets tired he commits some malaprops.

I've followed his campaign for a while and noticed that he sometimes minces words when exhausted. He's made over a 193 visits to the early primary states, has had numerous fund raisers in other parts of the country, and still has his job as governor. The only other candidate with more early state visits is Edwards at 201.

I've noticed lately that Richardson does slow down, now, before major interviews and the debates so that he doesn't make mistakes in front of the major media outlets. He has greatly improved since his misstatement in the LOGO debate. However, if I was basing my vote on who's the best orator, Obama would certainly top Richardson.

[lvx35]

26. Interesting info. I do like Richardson.

I hope he gets judged on the content of his policies, not superficial things. I also really do like Obama as an orator. Edwards and him sometimes come off as a little too polished for my tastes though.

[JohnnyLib2]

4. Ridiculous. The Lord told me that Nevada is first, and the

overall caucus plan has been intelligently designed,too.

[Kahuna]

5. That can't be serious. If it is, Richardson wins the prize for world class

pandering. :crazy:

[KatyaR]

7. And he's the guy the Oklahoma DP has named as their candidate of choice.

Ugh--just another excuse for people to make fun of us.

[sandnsea]

11. He's the best on policy

I think your party made a great choice, today's oddity aside. I have a feeling he said "law", as was indicated above, and was heard "lord". The sentence makes no sense and doesn't fit Richardson at all.

[saltpoint]

12. I've long felt that God held a special affinity for Iowa and Iowans,

and that it is His distinct and abiding preference that Iowa's political caucuses be the nation's first.

[More Than A Feeling]

15. It's as likely as anything else.

:rofl:

I never thought I'd be one of god's chosen people, but it's a welcome surprise!O8)

[saltpoint]

16. LOL! Send me some sod from your front lawn! A mailbox handle!

A section of your weather vane! Any religious trinket at all from God's Chosen Land!

[TwilightGardener]

20. It's true. Remember "Field of Dreams", when the baseball player

asked, "Is this heaven?" and Kevin Costner said, "No, it's Iowa". God made Iowa the Promised Land, and you don't argue with God.

[saltpoint]

22. That's right. Heaven. Iowa. Whatever.

Not a big Kevin Costner fan, but that film charmed my socks off.

The tension between the doctor as an older man and the younger baseball player just went into my head and has never come out. A beautiful passage.

[PurityOfEssence]

13. Shecky Richardson strikes again.

He oughta have his own show; he's almost as good as Carrot Top.

Too bad Admiral Stockdale passed away; they'd be a great team...

This guy needs more damage control than the Bismarck.

[TwilightGardener]

21. ...

:rofl:

[IndianaGreen]

14. Is Richardson smelling ethanol fumes?

Or is he eating some of those fine New Mexico mushrooms?

[Yukari Yakumo]

31. Peyote {nt}

[SaveElmer]

17. He has been a big disappointment...

His debate performances have been quite bad (except one), he made the very poor decision to say that being gay was a lifestyle choice, and now this...

I had very high hopes for him at the beginning of this campaign, he has been so successful in the offices he has held...but if his performance up to now is any indication, he would be a terrible candidate to put up against the Republicans...

[abq e streeter]

18. It must be his baseball background

Remember " Is this heaven? No, Iowa"

[AtomicKitten]

19. I don't like the sound of that.

:-(

[jmp]

23. "Keeping Iowa First is God's Will"

That's as legitimate a reason as I've heard so far.

[IndianaGreen]

25. Who are we to deny the Divine swill!

The scary shit is that GAWD speaks to Bush and Richardson at the same time!

[jillan]

24. Just what we need - another Prez talking to God.

[cobalt1999]

28. My thoughts exactly.

Can't we get someone who is grounded for once? I'd so love a president who understands science and isn't talking to invisible men, spirits, astrologist's, karma, or whatever.

That isn't too much to ask is it?

[penguin7]

27. He must have meant that in jest.

[LiberalFighter]

30. Then why wasn't Iowa the first state to join the union?

Why wasn't Iowa the first state to be discovered by Columbus?

[Debi]

37. God didn't need directions from Columbus or the colonists

He knew where Iowa was :7

[maxanne]

32. no way

Baby Jesus has clearly stated that it's NH.

[ludwigb]

33. Yikes, Katzen....

Talk about coming to conclusions with no basis. In all likelihood Richardson was kidding.

[Colobo]

38. It's a news article. I based my opinion on what it says.

[seasat]

34. According to the campaign it was a joke that fell flat.

Richardson mixes a lot of humor in with his speeches and according to the campaign tried to make a joke about the importance of Iowa being first. Hopefully, he'll drop that one from his repertoire.

[Debi]

35. This is old news - Richardson was making a joke as well as blatantly pandering

nobody (not even us Iowans) took it seriously. :eyes: