Eagleburger Unloads on Obama, Hitchens and Richardson

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At 78, Larry Eagleburger hasn't lost his fastball.  Since leaving government, he might actually have added some MPH.  Appearing on MSNBC this afternoon, the former Secretary of State in George H.W.'s administration warmed up with some rough words for Barack Obama and Christopher Hitchens . . .  then absolutely rubbished Bill Richardson.

Andrea Mitchell had invited Eagleburger on to assess the list of potential Secretary of State nominees.  While he wasn't wildly enthusiatic about Hillary, she was his pick among those under serious consideration. When Mitchell suggested that Bill Clinton's foreign policy experience might prove useful, Eagleburger unloaded on Obama's lack of experience..

LAWRENCE EAGLEBURGER: Personally I don't think—let me put it this way—I don't think the President-Elect knows a foreign policy from a hole in the wall.

When Mitchell rolled tape of Christopher Hitchens from yesterday's Hardball calling the potential pick of Hillary a "ludicrous embarrassment,"  Eagleburger unleashed on the critic extraordinaire.

EAGLEBURGER: First of all, I have never heard of Hitchens do anything right, so I'm [not] worried about that comment of his.

But all that was high praise compared to Eagleburger's absolute burying of Bill Richardson.

EAGLEBURGER: I don't want to beat everybody to death, but I have very little respect for his intelligence and his knowledge of foreign affairs.

Ay caramba! Good thing Larry was going easy!