Bill Richardson has announced his candiacy for President. He’s one of the few Democratic candidates I am really interested in, despite (or perhaps because of) not knowing much about him. Nobody other than Obama really excites me, and I am worried about the issue of inexperience.
Essentially what I know about Richardson is that he was governor one of those states between Texas and California, that he was Bill Clinton’s secretary of potato chips or something, and that despite his white bread name is the great Hispanic hope.
So, could somebody please educate me about who he is, what his views are, how he did in his previous jobs, what you think of him, could he beat the other Democratic candidates and could he take the general election?
He knows he is running for Vice President. A Clinton/Richardson team would be able to hold New Mexico if McCain ran. I’d imagine it would be competitive in Nevada and Colorado as well. IF McCain isn’t on the Republican ticket, Clinton/Richardson could win Arizona.
Well, I’d try Wikipedia’s article first. Anyway, some highlights:
7 terms in NM-3 in the House (the northern part of New Mexico that includes Santa Fe, Taos, Los Alamos, and so on.)
UN Ambassador from 1997-1998.
Energy Secretary from 1998-2001.
Governor of NM from 2002-present.
He could be easily attacked on the Wen Ho Lee affair. I’m sure opponents could dig up other things, but this would be an easy starting point.
He’s spent a lot of time out-of-state (and out-of-country) on diplomatic missions and trying to promote New Mexico and a lot of time working with the state’s Democratic legislature to pass all sorts of legislation, from tax cuts to large public works projects to the partnership with Branson to build a spaceport in southern New Mexico near TorC.
New Mexico is only 5 electoral votes and a traditional bellweather state to boot. Being able to possibly get Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona would be a much bigger deal.
He’s the current gov of my home state. I’ll leave it to others to talk about the technical aspects of his career, what he’s done and hasn’t done well, etc. My impression of him are a bit skewed as he’s a friend of the family so to speak…so my judgement is biased by that filter. I personally like the guy and was happy when he announced…not surprised, but pleased.
I think he’ll be a very personable candidate. He’s kind of folksy I guess, and really earnest when he talks and comes across (IMHO) as Joe Everyone…sort of like Bush but with the ability to articulate. His record aside, I think he, personally, makes a very good candidate for the Dems.
That said, I think he’ll be better in the second slot as VP than he would be in the top slot. I think his hispanic heritage will be a huge boost as VP to whoever the Dems DO choose (maybe Hillary…sort of a twofer, first woman first hispanic :)).
In general I like the guy, but the bizarre resume-padding incident (claiming that he had beed drafted by the Kansas City A’s) raises some flags with me.
True, but there are very few states which are in play in 2008. Those 5 votes may be the difference between a win and a loss. North Carolina, with Edwards on the ticket, isn’t going Dem. Even if the Dems don’t win some of the other Western states with Richardson on the ticket, it will force the Republicans to spend time and money there. That is money and time that isn’t being spent in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
The Dem field is now almost full, since anyone else is just about out of time. For reference:
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson
Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich
Delaware Sen. Joe Biden
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (maybe, I doubt it)
Former VP Al Gore (maybe, I doubt it even more)
Richardson looks more like a good ticket-balancing running mate than a plausible President, but one never knows who’ll take off - and be the subject of predictable stories from the self-important, insulated commentariat about having “transformed” themselves. :rolleyes:
He was re-elected governor of New Mexico in 2006 with 69% of the vote, including 40% of Republican voters. That may appeal to voters looking for someone who can actually walk the bipartisan walk.
In my career as a journalist I have covered him on the stump. Honestly, I have never seen a politician who works a crowd better. I have covered both Bushes, both Clintons (Bill was up there), Carter and Nixon. The only one I could compare him to was Lindsey, the former mayor of New York. He also could work a crowd well.
Since he is half Hispanic and speaks Spanish fluently, he could be a very effective campaigner.
I’m from New Mexico and consider myself a New Mexican though I now reside in Texas.
He spoke at my high school graduation in the 1980s in an impromptu arrangement, and my father gave him a tour of his workplace back then too (his purpose for being in that part of NM). The impressions that he made on both of us weren’t really positive.
Richardson was for NM concealed handgun carry. He’s a pro hunting and fishing. I don’t about trapping and utilizing dogs as is currently done. I assume positive though.
He’s also anti-oil and gas (even though NM would be a shit hole if it wasn’t for tax revenue in the NW and SE part of the state). It’s currently a bi-partisan, populist thing to do in New Mexico now though. The Republican State Land Commissioner is also anti-oil and gas. The environmental extremists and the ignorant in the population centers (votes) in and around Santa Fe and Albuquerque just eat it up.
He came out against cockfighting this year after previous mild support of the sport. He did this along with supporting some other animal rights legislation. Again, buying votes from the NM population centers and politically correctizing his self for a National run.
I think that he is a politician that will sellout his principles for enough votes. I think that is what he’s doing with the animal rights nonsense that he once thought was simply part of our unique cultural heritage. Hopefully he wouldn’t do that on the gun and hunting stuff. If he could garner a higher NRA rating than his Republican opponent, wouldn’t that be something.
Despite the animal rights and environmental nonsenses and him coming off as an idiot during his speech at my HS graduation, I kind of like the guy. He’s certainly more polished than he was back in the 1980s. He is certainly a better candidate than Obama, Clinton, or Brownback to me. He is much more down to earth and more personable and real to me.
He’s actually my favorite of the Dem candidates (granted I don’t know anything about half the Dem candidates yet).
I’ve seen him on CNN a few times and he certainly comes across well, as well as having quite the resume in this election-cycle when the Dem field seems to be dominated by one-term senators. Also the Dems best chances for picking up electoral votes is probably in the West.
Alas the various scandalettes that have been mentioned upthread are probably going to mean the best he can hope for is a vice-prez due to a perception of having “baggage” that could be used against him in the general election.
Probably not electable, but I like Richardson quite a lot. Of all the people running on the Democratic side, I think he’d make the best President.
He might be running for Vice President. A candidate can’t come out and say that, but Richardson is perfectly positioned to be picked as VP. The Democrats need to pick up at least two states in the South, and he can help deliver.
His record aside, I think he, personally, makes a very good candidate for the Dems.
I realize all the states out here look alike to you easterners…