Category: Politics

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who quit the presidential race Jan. 10, says Barack Obama calls him every three days or so and that about 10 supporters of Hillary Clinton call him on a typical day.

Their goal: obtain his endorsement for president.

The New York Times says Richardson is one of the biggest prospective endorsers in the Democratic Party because he is a former candidate, Hispanic governor and a superdelegate.

Richardson tells the newspaper that he is “genuinely torn.” He says he may make an endorsement next week, or not at all. (Story continues below interactive map.)

Former President Bill Clinton went to New Mexico early this month to watch the Super Bowl with Richardson. Obama heard about the trip, Richardson said, and also called, saying, “You know, I’d be good company, too.”

Of the attention, Richardson told The Times, “I want to make it clear that I’m not annoyed by any of this.”

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The Democratic Party will make history this year, nominating either a woman or an African-American for president.

But there’s speculation that the Republicans could make history, as well, not in nominating Sen. John McCain to run for president, but in choosing a vice presidential candidate.

Some conservative commentators, and at least one website, are urging McCain to select former Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts Jr. as his running mate. (Story continues below interactive map.)

Watts, 50, was the sole African-American Republican member of Congress from 1995 to 2003.

The former University of Oklahoma football star is now the head of several companies and a member of a handful of corporate boards. In addition, he’s a commentator on CNN and a sought-after motivational speaker.

“This is the right man for Senator McCain, at the right time,” suggests the website Draft J.C. Watts for Vice President.

The double use of the word “right” is probably no accident. Watts is politically to the right of McCain and a star among conservatives.

Were he on the ticket, his supporters argue, some voters would feel more comfortable voting for McCain, who has some conservative opposition.

Watts’s supporters also contend that Watts might serve as a counter to Sen. Barack Obama were the Illinois senator to get the Democratic presidential nomination.

Both Watts and Obama are African-American, just as they are dynamic speakers, Watts’s backers say.

Obama became a national star after his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Watts came into his own because of his speech to the 1996 Republican National Convention.

At that time, Watts was a first-term congressman from a predominantly white and Democratic district of Oklahoma. He went on to serve three more terms. He was the fourth-highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives when he left at the end of 2002.

A native of Oklahoma who grew up in poverty, Watts quarterbacked the University of Oklahoma to victories in the 1980 and 1981 Orange Bowls. He then played six years in the Canadian Football League.

Returning to Oklahoma, Watts first served as a youth minister and then an associate minister in a Baptist church. In 1990, he was elected to the Oklahoma Corporations Commission, a regulatory agency. Later, he became chairman of the commission.

In 1991, Watts was one of 10 people focused on by the Justice Department during an investigation of bribery allegations related to the commission. He was not charged with any wrongdoing, and he stressed at the time that the investigation was directed at the commission and not at him.

Watts also received negative publicity from financial problems in Oklahoma in the 1980s. His investment in an oil business went bad, and he had some bad debts and unpaid taxes.

“Guilty as charged,” Watts told The New York Times when asked about the debts, all of which he paid.

After leaving Congress, Watts formed J.C. Watts Companies, LLC, the parent company for several other concerns, including Watts Consulting Group, a lobbying firm.

Watts Consulting has represented NASCAR, Wells Fargo, Deere & Company, the Republic of Senegal and historically black colleges and universities.

Watts’s company also owns Mustang Equipment, a John Deere dealership in San Antonio and Marble Falls, Tex.

According to its website J.C. Watts Companies had revenues of $25 million in 2005.

McCain has not mentioned specific people as possible vice presidential picks. He and Watts are said to be friends. However, earlier in the campaign season, Watts appeared to be backing former Sen. Fred Thompson for the Republican presidential nomination.

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