RUSH: Now, James Carville. You know, this is kind of refreshing. I kind of like somebody saying what they meant to say and then standing by it, and not whining and not apologizing and not cowering in the corners, and Carville is standing by his Judas remark involving New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. This is last night on CNN’s The Situation Room. Wolf Blitzer was talking to Carville about this, and Blitzer said, ‘Here’s what the New York Times quoted you Saturday as saying. ‘Mr. Richardson knows endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing’s appropriate if ironic.’ Is that an accurate quote, Mr. Carville?’
CARVILLE: I have to say that he quoted me accurately and in context. It was, uh, yes. That’s exactly what I said, and — and, by the way, I think the quote had the desired intent, that people saw Richardson and saw somebody who was disloyal. It’s a seasonal metaphor I was using. But I — wh-wh-wh-when — when people see it, that was — that was — it had — it — it — it was what I said and it was quoted accurately and, uh, it had its desired intent. People like called me left and right and says, ‘Whenever I see that guy I can’t help but think of that quote.’ (nervous laugh) I thought this was an egregious act.
RUSH: Blitzer said, ‘Well, James what was so much of a betrayal here?’
CARVILLE: I’m very satisfied with the response I gave. He served in — in the cabinet in two different positions. I think that he invited President Clinton to come to his Super Bowl party. I think that seems to me, to James Carville — see, I’m not — if — if there’s something that I think is outrageous, I’ll comment on it. Maybe I have a different sort of code than people in Washington, I don’t know, maybe I do. This just — just seemed to — it seemed to strike me the wrong way, and I was quoted very accurately and very much in context.
RUSH: He’s reminding everybody. He stands by this quote. It was accurate; it was in context. Now, Blitzer keeps trying to get Carville to take it back but Carville won’t do it. Blitzer says, ‘So your bottom line is that you think that Bill Richardson having served as Clinton’s energy secretary, UN ambassador, you think he owed Bill Clinton?’
CARVILLE: What he did is — is — is certainly could have stayed neutral in my opinion, and I wanted to use a — a very strong metaphor to make my point, and that’s — and I — I I’d again be very, very, uh, uh — many, many have Senator — David Axelrod is a dear friend of mine, and they will be friends of mine and if he wins the nomination, I’ll be a thousand percent supportive. I doubt if Governor Richardson and I will be particularly close in the future.
BLITZER: Alright. Judas, his betrayal led to the downfall, obviously, of Jesus.
CARVILLE: No.
BLITZER: Is Bill Richardson that important?
CARVILLE: I don’t think… No, I don’t think he’s… It was a metaphor I was using. You do these things and people come up and you say, ‘You comparing,’ and everything else. I wanted — I got one in the wheelhouse, and I tagged it.
RUSH: Meaning, he was delivered a hanging curveball and he knocked it out of the ballpark, and he’s proud of it, calling Bill Richardson ‘Judas.’ Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver. (laughing) You know, in this day and age of political correctness when people jump on your case for saying what you meant to say, and you, say, ‘I — I — I should take that back. I should have phrased it better,’ Carville says: No! Screw y’all. I meant to say it! I said it, and they quoted me accurately. Get over it.