Election Central | Talking Points Memo | Richardson to SEIU: "Thank You, AFSCME!"

Richardson to SEIU: "Thank You, AFSCME!"

By Eric Kleefeld - September 17, 2007, 4:35PM

It seems Bill Richardson has no shortage of gaffes. Addressing SEIU today, Richardson thanked them for their applause: "Thank you, AFSCME!"

That's right, Richardson named the wrong union. And it gets worse. SEIU, unfortunately, is an organizational rival to AFSCME in many states, and SEIU's audience responded to Richardson's closing line by shouting, "S-E-I-U!"

Good work.

Late Update: Richardson's gaffe occurred at the end of his speech, not the beginning.

Comments (21)

michael valentne wrote on September 17, 2007 4:48 PM:

Oh well, it's all alphabet soup. Just as long as the check clears, there is a check involved isn't there?

Outside the beltway wrote on September 17, 2007 4:52 PM:

I think Richardson and Romney should open up a car dealership..

they could sell a convertible to people with bubble boy syndrome

mopper wrote on September 17, 2007 5:04 PM:

My understanding is that after that little mis-step, he did quite well, getting a couple of standing O's. And Obama just killed, or so says Dana Goldstein over at [i]Tapped[/i], who's live-blogging the event.

Hillary is also getting solid reviews.

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped

gqmartinez wrote on September 17, 2007 5:16 PM:

*Sigh* I love Richardson, but it seems as though he's not taking this campaign seriously enough. He's too good for this crap. He's also the only candidate who has a shot, IMO, to beat Clinton but won't get it done if he continues to do stupid things.

NCSteve wrote on September 17, 2007 5:20 PM:

If the guy didn't seem to make one of these "little missteps" every time he makes a major appearance, he might manage to overtake Hillary's #3 spot on my preference list. Personally, after the last six years, My tolorance for goofiness from people who want to be POTUS is at an all-time low.

bob wrote on September 17, 2007 6:01 PM:

Richardson is a walking gaffe-mobile. If he were actually in contention in the race, it would be a bigger deal, since he would be an extremely dangerous general election candidate, in terms of the potential for unprovoked self-destruction.

MarcNYC wrote on September 17, 2007 6:14 PM:

Not ready for prime time. But, he also "thought" that he was taken in the major league baseball draft (it was on his resume), and wasn't, so stuff like this can't be a shocker.

Reece wrote on September 17, 2007 6:50 PM:

Maybe he was joking. After all, if you google afscme, the 5th return is the great AFSCME video on youtube.

libra wrote on September 17, 2007 8:55 PM:

Reece (@ 6:50 PM)

Maybe he was joking... I dare say that's what his campaign will say. And it may even be true. But it wouldn't be the first time that one of his jokes/"jokes" has bombed because people took it seriously which made it look like a gaffe rather than a joke.

He's not running for the position of the premiere comedian in a Las Vegas casino, for Pete's sake; he's supposedly running for POTUS. And, supposedly, as the most experienced candidate. How can one treat his candidacy and his experience seriously if every time opens his mouth it's just to change feet?

colonpowwow wrote on September 17, 2007 9:51 PM:

Ouch!

I like Richardson okay, but I really think it's about time he puts himself out of our misery.

Or something.

markg8 wrote on September 17, 2007 11:51 PM:

"Oh well, it's all alphabet soup. Just as long as the check clears, there is a check involved isn't there?"

Yeah there's a check involved. It's made out to Bob Richardson.

Me wrote on September 18, 2007 1:49 AM:

I think if things like this are habitual with him, it points to a subconscious problem...maybe he doesn't think he's good enough, or something.

Leon723 wrote on September 18, 2007 2:04 AM:

The shlub factor. It's very superficial, but he's always looked like a shlub. When he acts like one, though, it translates into unelectable and not even worth giving him the job I think he really wanted: Veep. Gore and Kerry both turned him down after putting him on the short list.

CC wrote on September 18, 2007 7:45 PM:

Who? Bill Richardson? Oh, right, the wannabe presidential candidate who knows he hasn't a chance in hell. But, he's not in it for that anyway. He just wants to permamnently be absent from the state he supposedly "governs". He'll take any cling-on cabinet position Queen Hillary or Hussein Obama offer him. He's pathertic as a governor and as a "candidate".

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