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The Super Bowl schmooze didn't matter. According to the New York Times and the Associated Press this morning, former Democratic presidential contender and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will back Barack Obama for president.
Richardson, who served as U.N. Ambassador and energy secretary under President Bill Clinton had been one of the most courted of the remaining superdelegates. While lauding Hillary Clinton's qualifications, he called Obama a "once-in-a- lifetime leader" who could unite the country and restore its international standing. The nation's only Hispanic governor, Richardson's support was sought furiously and publicly by the Clinton campaign. On Super Bowl Sunday, Bill Clinton made a well-publicized stop at Richardson's house in Santa Fe to watch the game.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama has the judgment and courage we need in a commander in chief when our nation's security is on the line. He showed this judgment by opposing the Iraq war from the start, and he has show it during this campaign by standing up for a new era in American leadership internationally," Richardson said.
Obama said he was "deeply honored" to have Richardson's support.

I don't put a whole lot of stock in endorsements but this is more noteworthy than most -- it comes amid the lingering Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy that has dogged Obama for a week -- and rebuts Clinton's efforts to convince superdelegates that the Wright controversy will doom the party and turn Obama into a George McGovern like candidate (1972: McGovern lost all states but one, Massachusetts, to Richard Nixon.) Richardson is also the second former Dem candidate to back Obama. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut announced his support of Obama last month.

Don't know if this will lead to more SuperD support for Obama but Richardson showed some spine -- he wasn't going to be cowed by the doomsday talk of some Dems who remain terrified of their own shadow when it comes to winning the election and taking on the GOP smear machine.