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BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS RICHARDSON CALLS OBAMA A 'ONCE-IN-A LIFETIME LEADER' ... WHO CAN UNITE THE NATION AND RESTORE INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP. KAYLA ANDERSON IS LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM WITH DETAILS: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONFIRMED THE ENDORSEMENT EARLY THIS MORNING ... AND REPORTS RICHARDSON WILL JOIN OBAMA AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT TODAY IN PORTLAND, OREGON. THE ENDORSEMENT COMES AT A CRUCIAL TIME FOR OBAMA ... WHOSE POLL NUMBERS HAVE BEEN DROPPING BECAUSE OF CONTROVERSY OVER STATEMENTS MADE BY HIS FORMER PASTOR. BOTH OBAMA AND HILLARY CLINTON HAVE SOUGHT THE GOVERNOR'S ENDORSEMENT SINCE HE GAVE UP HIS OWN BID FOR THE PRESIDENCY FOLLOWING THE IOWA PRIMARY. BACK THEN, RICHARDSON WENT ON C-N-N TO DENY REPORTS THAT HE'D ENCOURAGED SUPPORTERS TO VOTE FOR OBAMA IF THEY DIDN'T THINK HE HAD A CHANCE. THE GOVERNOR THEN HOSTED FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION FOR THE SUPERBOWL. BUT STILL -- NO ENDORSEMENT. HISPANIC VOTERS HAVE SO FAR FAVORED HILLARY CLINTON IN THIS RACE. BUT WITH THE NATION'S ONLY HISPANIC GOVERNOR NOW FIRMLY IN OBAMA'S CORNER ... POLLSTERS WILL BE WATCHING TO SEE IF THAT CHANGES. REPORTING LIVE FROM THE NEWSROOM -- KAYLA ANDERSON EYEWITNESS NEWS 4 TODAY. RICHARDSON'S ENDORSEMENT COMES DESPITE A LONG PERSONAL HISTORY WITH FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON. CLINTON APPOINTED RICHARDSON AS U-S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN 1997 ... AND ENERGY SECRETARY IN 1998. DURING CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR THAT -- RICHARDSON WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT WHETHER HE CREATED A JOB FOR MONICA LEWINSKY AT THE UNITED NATIONS ... WHICH SHE TURNED DOWN. BUT THE GOODWILL ENGENDERED BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT MAY NOT HAVE EXTENDED TO HIS WIFE. DURING THE SUPERBOWL -- THE ONLY MENTION THE GOVERNOR MADE OF SENATOR CLINTON WAS TO BRING UP A JAB SHE TOOK AT HIM DURING ONE OF THEIR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES.