Bill Richardson to Launch Presidential Bid

[Kadie]

Richardson to Launch Presidential Bid

By NEDRA PICKLER
The Associated Press
Saturday, January 20, 2007; 7:22 AM

WASHINGTON -- After years of freelancing his diplomatic skills from the unlikely position as governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson is taking the first step toward a bid to become president and put his skills to work in the White House.

Richardson plans to announce Sunday that he will soon file papers to create a presidential exploratory committee, several officials with knowledge of his plans said Friday. The governor is scheduled to appear Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

His entry would make the Democratic race among the most diverse presidential contests in history. Besides Richardson's bid to be the first Hispanic chief executive, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois would be the first black president and likely candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would be the first female president.

Richardson, 59, is a former congressman, U.N. ambassador and Energy Department secretary. He brings a wealth of experience in international affairs that has extended even into his governorship of a sparsely populated but politically important swing state.

more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012000212.html

[havocmom]

1. Isn't he the guy that had the electronic machines in his state wiped clean

and preventing an accurate recount in 04? Not crazy for him after that.

[bobbolink]

14. yes, ABSOLUTELY! Plus, he was on the very wrong side of the Wen Ho Lee case.

Not to mention a repeating DWI driver, and a whole lot more.

There are so many better candidates..... Richardson is just not necessary.

Stay in New Mexico, Bill!!

[katmondoo]

2. I kinda like him

He has a nice low key type of personality. Seems sensible, not too full of himself.

[Tatiana]

3. He blocked the recount in NM. That was completely corrupt.

HOWEVER, Richardson is pretty much a moderate. He wouldn't do anything too far from the "mainstream." He'd certainly improve our diplomatic relations.

I don't know why he's as exciting as dry toast.

[Ignacio Upton]

8. Doesn't NM have a paper trail?

If so, then maybe he didn't give a shit for that reason.

[janx]

11. It didn't then.

It does now.

[applegrove]

4. 59 years old? I didn't know he was so young. I think when the whole lot

get together to debate the issues..Americans will be very impressed. People need intelligent discussion on the issues. Let's hope this race is not all sound bites but something ... more. The public is hungry to not be treated like uneducated fools the way Bush does.

[Traveling_Home]

5. He's a Governor; Governors become President

...more than Senators

[emulatorloo]

9. Maybe BushBaby will reverse that trend -- Slogan - NO MORE DUMBASS

GOVERNORS. I HAVE HAD IT WITH BLANK SLATE GOVERNORS

(not to say Richardson is a dumbass. because he isn't and is probably well qualified w his experience -- but still not my cup of tea)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. He's probably running for VP.

He might have a chance at that as a political counterweight if the Dems nominate a progressive.

As a presidential candidate he richly deserves a shrug.

[bobbolink]

15. As a VP, he richly deserves a shrug.

His liabilities are many, and would give much strength to the Rep. candidate.

I really can't figure out why so many are excited by him.

I'm series!!!!111!!!! :hi:

[Hippo_Tron]

17. One reason, the hispanic vote in Florida

Also maybe in Arizona if we compete there.

[bobbolink]

19. The hispanic vote in Florida excites you about Richardson?

[Hippo_Tron]

21. Not me personally, but other people yes

The idea is that we will be able to win Florida because the Hispanic voters in Southern Florida will turn out overwhelmingly to vote for the first Hispanic person on a national ticket.

[bobbolink]

22. So, then the numbers are more important that issues, integrity, etc?

[Hippo_Tron]

23. I'm not trying to debate you

Personally I don't have all that much opinion about Richardson other than to say that it's very very unlikely that I'll be supporting him in the primary.

You just seemed like you wanted to understand why people would want to put him in the number 2 spot on the ticket. I was explaining to you their rationale.

[bobbolink]

24. That "rationale" is what leads this country downhill.

Going on that "rationale", we might as well vote Republican, as that is where the "numbers" are.

This putting political strategery ahead of all other considerations is sick.

[IronScorpio5]

20. Good point

nt

[thatsrightimirish]

7. He probably will win the west

As a libertarian type of Democrat. And the NRA could go neutral because they gave him an A rating. But I think his foreign policy experience is fantastic. Didn't he just negotiate a cease fire in Darfur?

[havocmom]

25. Hold him up to Brian Schweitzer of Montana and he looks like yesterday's fish

There are more interesting chaps in the west, believe me!

Richardson is a politic an, and a less than stellar one at that. Lots of questionable things in his past.

Brian Schweitzer managed a DEM win in a pretty GOP state, is a soils scientist, a pilot, long time advocate of creative energy solutions to make America independent of the whims of the Sauds. (He speaks Arabic, by the way.) He made green fields in Arabia and understands a bit about farming here in the US. Unlike bush, he is a SUCCESSFUL businessman.

Richardson would not gather as many votes out here as one might think. To a lot of us westerners, he is a little too much business as usual.

Schweitzer is definitely NOT business as usual. He is for win/win solutions, deal with problems NOW while working for even better solutions for the future. Not glamorous, a bit beyond his ideal weight, but the man can communicate WITH people.

Richardson gives me the willies. And that bit about wiping the voting machines... well, one wonders just what his priorities and values really are. Seems he didn't give a shit about 04, other than making a move that made sure there wasn't a DEM President running for re-election in 08, which is SUDDENLY the year he wants to make he move.

Sorry, He won't work for a lot of us in the west. He doesn't pass the smell test.

[Red Zelda]

10. Could be a fine Sec. of State, actually

[AspenRose]

13. Better that than president.

From this New Mexican.

[michreject]

12. He's my choice

I'll walk door to door.

[Elwood P Dowd]

16. Bad choice

He is corrupt to the core. Never saw a free trade and outsourcing policy he didn't support. Took the money from big business and sold us down the river on numerous occasions when he was a congressman. He also lied his ass off about NAFTA. I wouldn't trust his ass other than maybe Secretary Of State.

[bobbolink]

18. Adding to your list: stopped NM vote recount; wrong side of Wen Ho Lee case;

King of DWIs, and the list goes on.

If integrity is a necessary quality, then another candidate is needed.