Sunday, May 20, 2007

Richardson Cracks Double Digits in Iowa/New Hampshire

According to the latest poll from the Des Moines Register (5/20/07), Governor Bill Richardson continues to advance on the top tier in Iowa with a 10% showing, trailing Sens. Edwards, Obama and Clinton in that order. The poll also shows that Governor Richardson holds a 48%-25% favorable/unfavorable impression with 27% unsure.

Though 11% of those polled are still undecided as to whom their pick might be, 78% of likely caucus participants could be persuaded to support another candidate as their first choice.

The top issues rated as `extremely important' by the respondents are; Iraq and the War (46%), Relations With Other Countries (37%), Health Care and Health Insurance (35%), along with Economy and Jobs, National Debt and National Security all at 33%.

In New Hampshire, a Zogby poll released on May 17 shows that Governor Richardson had surged ahead with support in the Granite State, jumping up from a 2% showing in April to 10%, only five points behind Edwards.

Friday, May 18, 2007

A Call To Action

Richardson Outlines Bold Vision For America's Energy Policy

You may have often heard Governor Richardson discuss the need for an "Apollo Program" effort to help initiate a sense of stewardship on the part of our nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and alleviate the harmful effects of energy consumption upon the world in which we live. On Thursday, May 17, Bill Richardson outlined the most comprehensive and visionary plan yet seen by any candidate to help achieve this important goal.

The Richardson Plan: source

* Cut oil demand: 50% by 2020
We must reduce oil imports from around 65% to 10%. We can reach these goals in part by getting the 100 mile per gallon (mpg) car into the marketplace, push fuel economy standards to 50 mpg by 2020, and set a life-cycle low-carbon fuel standard that reduces the carbon impact of our liquid fuels by 30% by 2020, including increasing use of alternative fuels.
* Change to renewable sources for electricity: 50% by 2040
I am calling for a national renewable electricity source portfolio standard of 30% by 2020 – which will rise to 50% by 2040. This is aggressive, but necessary as we start using more electricity for automobiles. I will push for an energy productivity law requiring a 20% improvement in energy productivity by 2020. We could easily save customers $21 billion a year by 2020. Also, my market-based cap and trade program for greenhouse gas emissions will create incentives for the electric and industrial sectors to make significant reductions in their carbon emissions.
* Dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions: 90% by 2050
20% by 2020, and 80% by 2040 -- ten years faster than scientists say is necessary, because we must lead the world, and we can’t afford the possibility of backsliding and inaction. We will start with a market-based cap and trade system. Economists say the world can protect itself from drastic climate change at a cost of 1-3% of our economic activity. We can afford to protect the climate. Given the risks of catastrophic climate change, we can’t afford not to.
* Lead by example and restore America as the world’s leader
We must return to the international negotiating table and support mandatory world-wide limits on global warming pollution. We will work closely with fast-growing nations and, as President, I will cooperate with the European Union, the World Bank, and other allies to help finance the incremental cost of “doing it right.” I will create a North American Energy Council with Mexico and Canada, which supply about 20% of our oil, and make sure our relations with these neighbors are firm and friendly. As we reduce our demand for foreign oil, we should work with the Persia Gulf nations, and our partners in consuming nations and the United Nations Security Council, to try to create a multilateral system for protecting the Gulf so that within ten years the U.S. presence there could be sharply and safely reduced.
* Get it all done without breaking the bank
We will raise some revenue from the sales of carbon permits, for example. Further, I will get out the “green scissors” to cut back on wrongly-placed tax subsidies. Over time, this program will yield huge productivity increases in our economy, as well as significant budget savings and revenues. We will create more than ten times as much value in the American economy by reducing our oil imports as we spend to make this program happen.

On energy policy, we need to change fast or sink slowly. We need to act boldly and act now. Defy conventional wisdom and join the revolution -- endorse Governor Richardson bold new agenda for an American energy and climate revolution.

__________________________________________________________________________________

You can read the entire speech here

...Or Watch It Here!

The Early Reaction Has Been Phenomenal
* Governor Richardson Will Be America's Energy President: NH Insider

*Richardson's Energy Plan a Hit With Environmentalists

* As of today, Bill Richardson has become the boldest, most visionary Democratic presidential candidate on climate and energy policy... (David Roberts: Huffington Post)

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Overqualified For the Job?

Check Out Bill's Creative New Adverts:

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Governor Richardson on The Huffington Post:

De-Authorize the War Now, No Residual Troops

I first called for de-authorization of the war in Iraq in January, and I have repeated that call all around the country -- because I believe immediate de-authorization and removing all of our troops from Iraq this year is the only way to end Bush's war.

Congress should de-authorize the war today and demand that the President begin redeploying our troops.

There would be no need to negotiate the withdrawal with the President, and he could not veto the resolution.

The time has has come for Congress to stand up to this President who refuses to recognize that his war is bleeding our military and weakening our country. He believes mere stubbornness is a foreign policy and that he can just ignore the will of the American people. In the interest of our national security, he must be stopped.

Congress has the ability to end this war under the War Powers Act -- let's not wait or waver while more people die. And de-authorizing the war should mean removing all our troops. Every last one.

This is essential, because our presence in Iraq worsens the violence and enables our enemies to portray us as imperialist occupiers. If we announce that we are getting out completely, we undercut this propaganda. We need to get all our troops out of the crossfire of this civil war.

Anything less than immediate de-authorization, and beginning the process to remove all troops, is not a real plan to end this war. I know this region well, and understand how people there see the world.

I have served as US Ambassador to the UN, President Clinton's Special Envoy, and as Secretary of Energy. I have been there. I even met with Saddam Hussein and secured the release of hostages. I applaud Senators Clinton and Byrd's steps to begin the process of getting us out of this disastrous war. But I urge them and their colleagues in Washington to commit to the full task at hand:

Immediate de-authorization, and the removal of all U.S. troops.

________________________________________________________________
The Huffington Post. 05.04.2007

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Challenges President Bush to Renew Commitment to Comprehensive, Fair Immigration Reform

Richardson says May 1 should mark the beginning of a new effort to pass real reform and move past partisan gridlock


SANTA FE, NM -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today called on President Bush to renew his previous commitment to passing comprehensive immigration reform and reject the unworkable and divisive laws favored by extremists. The Governor issued the challenge on the eve of the one-year anniversary of nationwide protests by as many as one million immigrants and those who support implementing a practical and humane immigration system in the United States.

"A year has passed since these remarkable and emotional demonstrations and not only has there been no progress, the country is even more divided and frustrated than before," said Governor Richardson. "Once again the administration has failed to follow through on its pledge to address one of the most serious issues facing our country. I am disappointed the President has retreated from his previous position favoring realistic reform to a position that virtually guarantees nothing will be accomplished."

The Governor stated that the President's plan to require undocumented immigrants to pay $10,000, return to their home country and apply for legal entry into the country is unworkable.

"The majority of illegal immigrants in the United States are hardworking, law-abiding people trying to improve the lives of their families. They don't have that kind of money, and it is unreasonable to force them to leave the country. What about children who are US citizens? Breaking up families is not an answer. All this would do is force immigrants farther into the shadows."

Bill Richardson is the Governor of a border state and deals with the effects of immigration, legal and illegal, virtually every day. He has proposed a detailed, realistic plan for comprehensive immigration reform that would help secure our borders, bring the estimated 11-12 million illegal immigrants out of the shadows, and help strengthen our economy:

  1. The US must first secure its borders, and do it by doubling the number of Border Patrol agents and providing the latest technology to monitor remote areas. The Governor also believes the border fence will not work, sends the wrong message, and should be torn down;
  2. There must be a practical, humane plan to give illegal immigrants a path to legalization, and eventually a path to citizenship. Immigrants must be law-abiding and pass a background check, pay any back taxes and a fine for entering the country illegally, they must learn English, and they would not jump in front of those applying to enter the country legally. Eventually, after meeting all specified requirements they would be granted legal residency and ultimately would be allowed to apply for citizenship;
  3. Employers who knowingly hire illegal workers should be hit with stiff penalties. These laws have been on the books for years but have not been enforced;
  4. The United States should significantly increase the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country, based on employer needs; and
  5. The US should engage Mexico and convince the Mexican government to do its part to stop the northward flow of illegal immigrants. Last fall, Governor Richardson spoke with Mexican President Calderon, who admitted that Mexico should have a role in solving this problem. The two countries should also work together on economic development efforts, especially in the border region, and should initiate joint border law enforcement patrols to reduce violence, drug smuggling, and illegal immigration.
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Source

Monday, April 30, 2007

Richardson Will One One Vote at a Time, "Going Right To The People"

This New Hampshire blogger, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, recounts his breakfast with Bill

Breakfast With the Next President

by Jeff Woodburn, NH Insider

I’ve forgotten the exact breakfast spot we’re suppose to meet, but figured it wouldn’t be too hard to find (there are only two in town.) The entourage should stick out in this little town. Just look for the suits filled with young aides worrying about things they have no control over. I enter the diner and see just one local in a baseball cap having breakfast. This can’t be it so I rush back to my car wondering where everyone is. I see a suit: just one. At 7:06 a.m., it is too early for funeral or a wedding, so I assume he’s part of the candidate’s team.

“He’ll be right along,” he says, but it sounds more like don’t leave or the next president will have breakfast alone, “snow slowed us up.” I thought there would be a few more people, not just me and the guy at the end of the counter.

A moment later, my guest walks in with a rush of busy aides, and heads toward the baseball capped man. They talk about guns. My guest’s position on gun control is rare among Democrats. I greet his handlers and we engage in small talk. In an instant, he’s back and he’s got my hand and before I know it, he slides into the booth and grabs a menu. “I’m on this crazy diet,” he announces, “I ‘m going to get some real food (sausage and eggs.)” This ordinary comment is extraordinary in modern day Presidential politics, where everything is analyzed and poll tested. Presidential candidates are a very different breed.

Since 1980, I’ve met a couple dozen Presidential candidates. To survive the endless scrutiny, they create a plastic veneer and can become paralyzed with caution. You become guarded when everyone you meet wants something from you, or wants to pin something on you. Most stuffed shirts simply try to endure this process, and look utterly uncomfortable at best or like a damn fool at worst. A few like Pat Buchanan, Bill Clinton and John McCain seem to enjoy it.

The New Hampshire Primary forces big shot politicians to come down to earth and meet real people. I realize that my address is more important than my political prowess. I find the attention to be a little odd and embarrassing. The process does work so long as state politicians don’t begin to see themselves as “King makers,” rather than simply good links to the locals. My guest has been briefed enough to know a little bit about me. So he asks a question or two. He doesn’t pander, but he does listen and offers quick, witty one-liners and thoughtful observations.

I don’t get mired in policy. Politicians provide canned answers all day long to these questions. I’m interested in what kind of person they are. Issues change, people don’t. I come with two topics about his background that I find revealing. First is that he holds the Guinness Book of World Records for handshaking. This proves to me he’s willing to take risks and that he doesn’t take himself too seriously.

The second is that, as governor, he signed a bill that banned cock fighting. As a novice chicken farmer, I followed the legislation introduced in New Hampshire this year to ban the strict confinement of chickens (even though no one uses this practice here.) I wonder how different our two states are in terms of our politics (and our chickens.) I remember that George Bush beat John Kerry in my guest’s home state. Maybe we need a candidate who can win and govern in a place where his or her own party doesn’t dominate? I can’t imagine Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama stopping a cock fight.

My guest makes me feel comfortable. We’re now going back and forth with casual banter. It’s like a Friday night at the Woodburn House (a popular local establishment owned by the author.) I like him. I’m a sucker for an authenticity. He reminds me of the best qualities of an old time politician. He’s a character, who genuinely enjoys meeting people. He doesn’t seem disturbed with his low standing in the polls; rather he believes he can win one vote at a time. “I’m going right to the people” he adds. It sounds more like a populist political philosophy, than a campaign strategy.

My guest is Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico and former Congressman, Energy Secretary and UN Ambassador. He finally gives me the sales pitch. He’s a successful governor and diplomat, with a knack for getting things done at home and abroad. As President, he certainly would have his work cut out for him.

An aide interrupts, “It’s time to go.” I’m up and headed out not wanting to be the cause of his tardiness at the next event. I glance back; he’s still at the table settling up, I assume. I turn and move toward him, and say, “Governor, I’d be happy to support you.”

The New Hampshire Presidential primary doesn’t build character, it reveals it. Our great contribution to the Presidential selection process is that we can see beyond polls, endorsements, fundraising, and even issues, and look right into the eyes of the candidates. This process is just beginning, but I know now what others will soon learn: Bill Richardson is a good man and is worthy of serious consideration.

(Jeff Woodburn, of Whitefield, served as Chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party from 1997-99)


Governor Bill Richardson Calls for US Leadership and Action to Stop Darfur Genocide

Richardson tells Global Darfur Days rally time is running out- waiting just means more people will die


SAN FRANCISCO, CA - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today challenged the Bush administration to take significant and meaningful action to help end the deadly violence taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. The Governor told the crowd of people attending the Global Darfur Days rally in San Francisco that the people of Darfur want to know when the world is going to help.

"Time is running out for the people of Darfur. The people there cannot wait much longer, for waiting means more death, more broken families, more children without a future," said Governor Richardson. "This is a defining moment for the United States. We have an opportunity to lead the world in taking action to end the killing in Darfur and we must not blow it."

The Governor, who is seeking the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination, is the only candidate who has toured the troubled Darfur region of Sudan, negotiated the release of hostages and prisoners from Sudan, and brokered a cease-fire between rebel groups and the Sudanese government.

Governor Richardson outlined his strategies for US leadership on Darfur:

  1. First, America must make peace in Darfur a much higher priority. I agree with Save Darfur--we need full-time, high-level US diplomacy dedicated to ending this crisis.
  2. Second, America must engage Sudan's economic and political partners--China Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Arab League to build a multilateral coalition with real leverage. That could begin by endorsing the Arab League's commitments on Darfur--to aid the African Union's mission, to fund development in Darfur, and to support the UN hybrid force in Sudan.
  3. Third, we should deploy a UN peacekeeping force to eastern Chad to prevent a regionalization of the conflict. America should join other wealthy countries to fund refugee camps in neighboring countries and assure that those weak states bend to accommodate, but do not break from the pressure.
  4. Fourth, we should use our full diplomatic weaponry --offering incentives for compliance and threatening multilateral sanctions for resistance to both the Government of Sudan and the various rebel groups.
  5. Fifth, we must develop agreed upon negotiating positions among the rebel factions, to assure that any common resolution won't be quickly undone by one dissatisfied rebel group.
  6. Last, America should join the International Criminal Court.

"It's time for America to live up to its own ideals. It is time to do the right thing. It is time to Save Darfur," added the Governor.

Governor Richardson has dealt extensively with Africa and Sudan during his career, as a Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of Energy, and even as two-term Governor of New Mexico:

  • In 1996 Governor Richardson secured the release of pilot John Early of Albuquerque, NM, and two Red Cross workers who were being held hostage by Sudanese rebels,
  • In September, 2006 Governor Richardson negotiated with President al-Bashir and secured the release of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (and New Mexico resident) Paul Salopek and two colleagues from Chad. The trio had been arrested and charged with espionage,
  • In January, 2007 Governor Richardson met in relocation camps with Sudanese people displaced by the fighting, and negotiated a cease-fire between the government and rebel leaders in Darfur.
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Source

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

MSNBC To Broadcast SCDP Debate

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the spring colors complimenting our bluegrass,

Just thought I'd send word in case you hadn't heard that the South Carolina Democratic Party will be hosting a 2008 Presidential candidates debate this Thursday evening at 7 pm Eastern. MSNBC will be broadcasting the event live and this would be a great opportunity to spread awareness about our candidate!

If you've ever wanted to introduce the Governor to your friends who may not know enough about him, what better way than to showcase his unparalleled experience amongst the field in a lively, nationally televised debate? There will be no opening or closing statements, just the candidates’ reactions to questions and to each other.

The national campaign grassroots director is encouraging us all to use this as a first significant opportunity to showcase what we already know; that the Governor's electability, his diversity in experience and progressive leadership will surpass the media hype levied onto some of the other candidates.

If each one of us can make an effort to invite those we know who wish to elect a Democrat back to the White House in 2008 to check out the debate whether in the privacy of their own home, out at the local tavern or by hosting a house party on behalf of the Governor's candidacy, we can help spread the word and use this event as a catalyst for support growth here in the Commonwealth!

Let's show `em who can win in the swing states and who has the experience to right the wrongs of the Bush administration!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

The Burden of Proof: A Man For All Reasons

One of the most frustrating aspects of trying to spread the word about our candidate amongst fellow Democrats I speak with is the ease to which people relegate Governor Richardson to positions other than the office he is seeking. All too often, I hear "Cabinetmakers" push him aside to one of any number of posts that reflect his diversity in experience.

For example;

"I like Richardson, I think he'd make a great Secretary of State," or "Obama/Richardson would be my dream ticket!"

Up to this point I've left the question that should follow such a response to dissolve on the tip of my tongue in muted reticence for a number of reasons; mainly that those I'd spoken with who offered their own administrative advice on executive branch job placement already supported another candidate. Perhaps I also took some solace in the mere fact that there was an affirmation of name recognition on the part of our man. No longer.

My friends, the time for name dropping and introductory pleasantries is over. The burden of proof is now on the support of any Democratic candidate who believes he or she is better prepared to lead our nation than Governor Bill Richardson.

No longer should it be acceptable to remain content with "I like him, he's my second choice," nor should we be at all complacent with the ease to which a positive opinion of him leads to the endorsement of serving at the pleasure of any other candidate for President.

So, as Senator Clinton suggested when announcing her exploratory committee, "let's begin a conversation, because we all need to be part of the discussion if we're all going to be part of the solution." So let's talk, let's chat, let's start a dialogue.

Tell me why I should believe any other Democratic candidate should get the nod over the varied political and administrative experience of Governor Richardson. Tell me why nominating another Senator with limited crossover appeal in battleground regions so crucial to our success in 2008 should inherit the nominative coronation while each of us has a clear choice to stand up and present the American people with a Presidential candidate who does more than simply talk about his potential of obtaining significant results in the field; we can present them with one who has achieved them! Tell me why, in the aftermath of hype and media exposure presented to the `top tier' at the moment, he is your second choice... why instead wouldn't Richardson/Obama be your "Dream Ticket?" Do you not feel confident that the strength of his candidacy supercedes the `greater knowns?' Does it seem that due to his second tier status in polling at the moment you don't think he can secure the nomination though you are clearly in a position to help change it if you wish? I realize you think he's a `longshot' to win the nomination at the moment but what about the odds of the state of our nation improving if we elect another President with such limited experience? Should we ask the American people to take that risk? Now is not the time for that. Save the rockstar charisma and the name recognition for later. Now is not the time.

We are all too aware of the challenges facing our nation after the disastrous execution in leadership and polarizing ideology of the Bush Administration. Many of us disagree on the priority of these challenges. Yet within the diversity of our personal priorities as voters it is always important to consider the readiness of our next President of these United States to face any adversity ahead. There are many reasons why I believe Bill Richardson should be our Democratic nominee for President yet his diversity in experience separates him so notably from the remainder of our contenders.

So even if it would seem that he would make a good Secretary of State after the Bush administration needed to score a much-needed foreign policy victory by asking Bill Richardson to help lead a delegation to North Korea with the aim of bringing home the remains of American servicemen who gave their lives in the Korean War, not only succeeding but additionally brokering an agreement that will allow UN inspectors to supervise the shutdown of the Yongbyon atomic reactor on top of his already impressive diplomatic record, don't be so quick to sell him short. After all, the man's already been a cabinet member of the executive branch as Secretary of Energy. He's been there, done that. Of course, it isn't as if he neglected the issue of renewable energy once he left the DOE. You'll be hearing a lot of talk about reducing our dependence on foreign oil from your hopeful President but this guy here actually has a very strong record of performance in the field!

I think it's worth some consideration that in a general election it will be to his advantage to appeal to moderate Republicans and independents that he has received a reputation as one of the most fiscally responsible Governors in the nation. I don't know about you, but you've gotta believe the Republicans will drag out the ol' "tax and spend liberal" epithet to the aim of achieving a victory. Wouldn't it be great to not have that albatross hanging over a Democratic nominee's head for once?

I know, I know; to some of you out there the mere thought of appealing to a moderate swing voter goes against a staunch progressive idealism which has hardened with frustration toward the regressive ways of our current administration. You've every right to be upset! Let's just take care not to get too upset or we'll likely be even moreso in November of 2008. Yet before dismissing him entirely on the basis of some of his centrist positions, it may of interest to note that, unlike many of his peers seeking the nomination, as President he plans to leave no residual force behind after a prompt removal of forces in Iraq . Furthermore, Richardson has offered a susbtantial health care plan to help ensure coverage for more Americans and places high priority on greater stewardship toward the environment.

So if we are all to be a "part of the discussion if we are going to be part of the solution" then in the coming months it will continue to amaze me in some conversations if Governor Richardson remains on the short list for a position in somebody else's cabinet or to serve as President of the Senate, perhaps the only position in the executive branch to which his Democratic Senator rivals would be better suited.

Saturday, March 3, 2007

David Brooks of The New York Times Weighs In With His Thoughts on the Richardson Candidacy

David Brooks, Op-Ed Columnist for the New York Times
Published March 4, 2007
Neither Clinton, Nor Obama
reprinted without permission

So there I was, sitting in my office, quietly contemplating suicide. I was watching a cattle call of Democratic presidential candidates on C-Span. In their five-minute speeches, they were laying it on thick with poll-tested, consultant-driven clichés of the Our Children Are Our Future variety. The thought of having to spend the next two years listening to this drivel set me wondering if it was literally possible to be bored to death.

Then Bill Richardson walked onstage. He was dressed differently — in slacks and a sports jacket. He told jokes that didn’t seem repeated for the 5,000th time. He seemed recognizably human, unlike some of his overpolished peers. He gave the best presentation, by far.

Then a heretical question entered my head: What if Richardson does this well at forums for the next 10 months? Is it possible to imagine him as a leading candidate for the nomination?

When you think that way, it becomes absurdly easy to picture him rising toward the top. He is, after all, the most experienced person running for president. He served in Congress for 14 years. He was the energy secretary (energy’s kind of vital).

He’s a successful two-term governor who was re-elected with 69 percent of the vote in New Mexico, a red state. Moreover, he’s a governor with foreign policy experience. He was U.N. ambassador. He worked in the State Department. He’s made a second career of negotiating on special assignments with dictators like Saddam, Castro and Kim Jong Il. He negotiated a truce in Sudan.

Most of all, he’s not a senator. Since 1961, 40 senators have run for president and their record is 0-40. A senator may win this year, but you’d be foolish to assume it.
When it comes to policy positions, he’s perfectly positioned — not by accident — to carry liberals and independents. As governor, he’s covered the normal Democratic bases: he raised teacher pay, he expanded children’s health insurance, he began programs to stall global warming, he built a light rail line.

But he also cut New Mexico’s top income tax rate from 8.2 percent to 4.9 percent. He handed out tax credits to stimulate economic growth. (He’s the only Democrat completely invulnerable on the tax cut issue.) He supports free trade, with reservations. And he not only balanced the budget — he also ran a surplus.

On cultural issues, Richardson has the distinct advantage of not setting off any culture war vibes. He was in college in the late 1960s, but he was listening to the Beach Boys, not Janis Joplin. He was playing baseball in the Cape Cod League, not going to Woodstock. He idolized Humphrey, not McCarthy.

Richardson is actually something of a throwback pol — a Daley or La Guardia who doesn’t treat politics as a moral crusade. That might appeal this year.

On the nuts and bolts of the campaign, he has some advantages as well. He won’t have the $150 million war chests that Clinton and Obama will have. On the other hand, he won’t have the gigantic apparatuses that fund-raising on that scale requires. While those campaigns may be bloated, overmanaged and remote, Richardson has the potential to be small and nimble.

Furthermore, he could generate waves of free media the way John McCain did in 2000. He’s a reporters’ favorite — candid, accessible and fun to be around. “I’m a real person, not canned. I don’t have a whole bunch of advisers. I’m a little overweight, though I’m trying to dress better,” he told me last week. So far, rumors of personal peccadilloes are unfounded.

Finally, there is the matter of his personal style. This is his biggest drawback. He’s baggy-faced, sloppy (we like our leaders well groomed), shamelessly ambitious and inelegant. On the other hand, once a century or so the Democratic Party actually nominates somebody the average person would like to have a beer with. Bill Richardson is that kind of guy.

He is garrulous, amusing, touchy-feely (to a fault), a little rough-edged and comfortably mass-market. He’s Budweiser, not microbrew. It doesn’t hurt that he’s Hispanic and Western.

In short, when you try to think forward to next winter, you see that this campaign will at some point leave the “American Idol”/“Celebrity Deathmatch” phase. The Clinton-Obama psychodrama may cease to fascinate while the sheer intensity of coverage will create a topsy-turvy series of revolutions.

I wouldn’t bet a paycheck on Richardson. But I wouldn’t count him out. At the moment, he’s the candidate most likely to rise.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Governor Richardson: A Candidate of Substance and Solutions

Bill Richardson, the most qualified candidate for President in the Democratic field, states his case for the nomination before the working men and women of AFSCME at this Carson City, Nevada forum held February 21, 2007.

Part One


Part Two

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Let's Move America Forward!

Experience counts.

This quality as a Democratic candidate for President in 2008 sets Governor Bill Richardson apart from all other contenders from either party. As our nation forges ahead, repairing the damage from the litany of ideologically-fueled mishaps and blunders of the Bush administration, it will be the duty of our next President to restore American credibility to the world and continue the promise of prosperity and compassion within our nation that seemed in such attainable grasp at the end of the 20th century. This will be no easy task that a simple shift of power in the executive branch can achieve, as much as we Democrats may like to believe. There will rest a tremendous responsibility of restoration in this regard with whoever may hold the office and we must consider who will be best-equipped to face any adversity ahead for our nation. My friends, no amount of eloquence and inspiration in speech or hope for continued greatness on familial relation can substitute for experience.


It's time for us to spread the word as best we can. In the coming months, I'd like to invite all members of our Kentucky for Richardson group at Zanby.com to publish anything pertinent to the Governor's campaign on this blog if they wish. Simply e-mail me at kevin@harmonic-media.com and I'll be happy to copy and paste whatever blog entry you wish into the main page so that we may give all his supporters here in Kentucky a chance to sound off. Please include what you'd like the subject header of your message to be. Working together, we can achieve greater awareness of our candidate.

National Richardson Meetup Day is February 6. At present, our group is very small so no events have been scheduled at the present time for the Kentucky region. However, as word continues to spread and our group hopefully increases in number, forthcoming arrangements will be made to give us all an opportunity to meet and carry on with raising awareness of the candidacy of the next President of the United States.

A Message From the Governor: