New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, the former US ambassador to the UN and secretary of energy, makes a pitch as a Democratic presidential candidate. He is emphasizing a Western strategy.
As Democratic superstars Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama prepare to come to California next month, two other presidential hopefuls stole a march on them over the weekend in the second-in-the-nation contest, Nevada. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former NATO Supreme Commander General Wesley Clark campaigned in the Silver State, part of what Richardson, the former U.S. energy secretary and ambassador to the UN, says is his “Western strategy.”
Both men spoke in Minden, an hour outside Reno, at the annual Douglas County “Turn Nevada Blue” Democratic dinner. But Richardson spent the most time, campaigning in a series of appearances and private meetings around Northern Nevada, far from the evershining lights of Las Vegas.
Clark, who won one primary, Arizona, in the 2004 Democratic presidential contest, but is much better known as the commander in the successful Kosovo War of the ’90s, talked about what he says is the failed policy of President George W. Bush in the Middle East. (CORRECTION: Clark won the Oklahoma primary, not the Arizona primary.)
“It’s amazing to me that the president doesn’t think he has enough leverage yet to deal with the Iranians.” Clark, the former military commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization went on to say, according to Nevada news reports, that he sees “a buildup to a strike on Iran – and I don’t believe we should ever go to war with a country unless it’s the absolutely, absolutely, absolutely last resort. When you want to initiate combat operations, when you won’t deign to speak to the country, what in the world is the matter with this leadership?”
For his part, Richardson, who has won two elections as governor in a swing state, the last with 69% of the vote, acknowledges that he is a longshot candidate. He’s presenting himself as a candidate of Western individualism, a backer of the Second Amendment, someone who wants to bring American troops out of Iraq, fight climate change and advance renewable energy, and stimulate the economy with new industries.
Richardson has worked closely with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Western Governors Association, and hits the bipartisan progress theme as well. Richardson was chairman of the Western Governors Association and of the Democratic Governors Association, giving him valuable contacts. He especially touts his background as a troubleshooter and negotiator in foreign crises, something he began while a mere congressman — which brought him squarely into the focused attention of then President Bill Clinton — and has continued as New Mexico’s governor.
In order to win the Democratic presidential nomination, Richardson will have to overcome much better known and financed candidates in the form of Clinton, Obama, and John Edwards, the former U.S. senator from North Carolina and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee. It’s not impossible. Clinton has real problems in the early line-up of states. Obama lacks experience and a resume. Edwards is well-positioned early but likely to take a pounding from others in the first tier.
If Richardson breaks through early, the limelight could well turn to him. He has not only a glittering resume and experience on the global stage to offer it, but something else. He is the first major Latino politician to run for president. That could be a tremendous plus in the likely early California presidential primary.
Nevada is key for Richardson. As it happens, he knows a bit more about the state than other Western politicians might. The New Mexico governor was co-owner of a casino in Southern Nevada, with the family of Nevada’s Republican Senator John Ensign.
Richardson will pursue what his campaign calls a “rural strategy” as well as a Western strategy. In Iowa, that would take him to farflung parts of the first-in-the nation caucus state. Just as it did over the weekend in Nevada.
Richardson has committed to campaigning in all 17 counties in the Silver State. He’ll need real support in every one of those counties if his gamble is to succeed.
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Why not Richardson, he’s got a great background? He’s not too flashy, though.
He needs to pick it up in that video.
He’s much slenderer (?) than Cruz.
Bill Richardson is a smart guy playing a smart game. He just got reelected last year, he has a free shot, he’s taking it. He’s in play for VP at least and if one or two people screw up he’s in the running for the big job.
I think he gets better as the video goes on. What’s interesting about Richardson is not so much what he says, as what he does.
his “Western strategy” “candidate of Western individualism’”campaign calls a “rural strategy””
Impressive resume…however,in saying, that I (probably like most peoople) have no idea of what kinds of “grades” he got …what a Presidential race! full of interesting people in both parties!
NWN:his “Western strategy” “candidate of Western individualism’”campaign calls a “rural strategy””
I actually meant to add …it appears he has given a great deal of thought to this run….
We’ll look at precisely how Richardson did as this goes on. He did not embarrass himself.
I thought Clark had also won in Oklahoma?
Aha, according to the results I can find online, yes he did, at 30%, with Edwards just a handful of votes behind him, and Kerry at 27%.
In any case, I’ve seen Clark speak on the issue of science in policy, and he’s very cogent there; apparently he wanted to be a physicist before he went into the military, and is very well-educated on science issues from stem cells to global warming to alt-energy…
Richardson, actually, was on that same panel where I saw Clark speak on those topics, and of course has committed NM to Kyoto type goals, put up lots of wind and solar, etc. Both fine men. I have trouble seeing Richardson as a successful Presidential candidate. Clark, maybe, and definitely as VP (for similar reasons to Webb).
Why isn’t Biden mentioned at all?
Richardson looks and sounds great –I just don’t see him going the distance with the “personal issues” the Reeps are sure to go after him with. And Bill has got those.
I’ll say this, his international relations experience is something we sorely need — now more than ever. I don’t know who else in the race really has that — save for maybe Biden or Clark.
Wes Clark is a really smart and thoughtful guy but I really think he might be a better Secretary of State/Defense than a President.
Biden’s not in the story because not every column is encyclopedic and he is not presently in the top tier nor did he figure into today’s storyline.
You’re right, Auros. I’d remembered Clark only winning one primary in 2004 and thought it was Arizona. He did pretty well there, but actually his win was in Oklahoma.
Actually Bill, I didn’t mean this story…I meant in general.
Boy…tough place to ask a question these days.
Your question came off as a complaint.
Why don’t you let me know what Biden is up to of interest?
Well, lets see, Biden has been visiting South Carolina and NH quite alot. Also, I believe he just signed a team up in Iowa and is set up in NH with someone from Governor Lynch’s operation (don’t quote me on that cause I got it from another source).
And my question wasn’t a complaint — although I definitely see how you might perceive it that way.
I think one should take Richardson seriously if for no other reason than because 4 of the last 5 Presidents were former Governors.
Good point Dana…the trend does see to be going in that direction.
Richardson has NEVER been in the casino business. That’s yet another inaccuracy from Wikipedia. The Governor’s Office says it has a heck of a time getting bad info removed. Don’t perpetuate the error.
Perhaps their efforts would be better directed to newspaper databases.
In addition to being a highly regarded governor, Richardson also has the advantage of having served in two Cabinet posts with lots of international experience. That is very unusual for a governor.
Thats right…he was Sec Energy.
Seriously, that kind of experience is both domestic and international. Energy has alot of lead work on issues of nuclear proliferation as well as domestic energy work. That is a critical bit of experience to have in a Presidential race — I am chagrined to have forgotten about it.
All in all, aside from Biden, he probably has the most experience in the race, doesn’t he?
Also UN Ambassador. If elected Pres, Richardson would have more experience in international relations than just about any president ever.
I just wish he were more charismatic. To get anything done, these days, you practically need a Jobs-like Reality Distorton Field.
Yes, CADTS, especially since I put it in the caption underneath the video.
Richardson has more executive experience than Biden.
And, considering your partially accurate rendering of credit to Maria Shriver for Arnold’s big turnaround, it’s interesting you give Hillary Clinton such short shrift.
She has an enormous amount of experience.
Think of Hillary as Maria cubed.
I don’t think I want to think of Maria Shriver cubed. lol
Well, jeez Bill, thats why I mention it again — I forgot in the total process of writing the previous posts. And it was quite important.
(Jeez, and you felt the need to be petty,why exactly?)
At any rate, Richardson has more executive experience than anyone…thanks for clearing THAT up.
I am not giving Hillary short shrift on anything. She is brilliant, capable, can raise money and has been a pretty damn good Senator. But one of hundred with no executive experience (you will remember I said thing about Edwards too.)is a tough sell to the American public in general — never mind in the primaries. And its a distinction that the Reeps and others will bring up repeatedly as just one more reason Hillary isn’t qualified.
And, once again Bill, I am not saying it can’t happen. Indeed, it could happen if Hillary is able to change the polarizing perceptions that surround her ($$$ helps alot), she can do it. But Iowa ain’t the be all end all — not anymore. She has to win NH, South Carolina, Nevada and possibly California — 2nd place won’t get it done for a figure like Hillary.
And after the primaries, what then? Hillary has to change these perceptions in areas like the southeast (which has seen nearly on par growth as states like California ) and in swing states like Florida (Reep Governor/State Assembly control)Indiana (Reep Governor), Ohio, Colorado and Missouri (Reep Governor/State Assembly control). Thats where the real tough work comes in — cause you are trying to convince voters in the middle that she could be a strong President.
Frankly, I wish her luck…cause if she does get to the general, she will wish she had staying in NY.
BTW, will she be pressured to give up her Senate seat…I think thats a great question to ask.
Well, there is nothing “partially accurate” description of Maria Shriver’s role in the first case. As I said, she was one player out of three or four voices — but arguably the most important at the end of the day. But Maria as an advisor and Hillary as a candidate are apples and oranges statement. The comparison isn’t one you can legitimately make nor is it relevant.
You know, I think it was either Johnson or Eisenhower that called running for President and, indeed, being President, the most “naked” job in the world. What they meant is that all of the advisors are great — but you, the candidate, gotta be the one to deliver.
And you also know full well its a lot easier to be an advisor and manager (or a pundit)– cause its not your name on the freaking sign and the advisor/manager ain’t the one taking the slings and arrows from your opponents live and in person.
And running for the U.S. Senate in NY ain’t running for President — it’s two VASTLY different campaigns. The audiences are going to be a heck of lot less friendly and the general atmosphere is a great deal more high intensity. It’s like playing Double-A ball as a 2nd baseman one day and being asked to pitch the 7th game of the World Series the next.
BTW, you all should watch Hardball right now if you can…its all Hillary all the time.
I swear, Matthews really wants a Hillary-Rudy race.
Great Matthews quote: “Its hard to see that Hillary has actually DONE SOMETHING…”
My friends, that speaks volumes…
I wondered who watched Hardball.
Mr. Richardson did very well with North Korea. He did not do so well with Wen Ho Lee. He is a good governor.
What was the Wen Ho Lee problem?
Wen Ho Lee was a Dep’t of Energy employee, and the entire management of the scandal around him — centering on unproven allegations of espinoage — was botched. I didn’t follow that too closely, but my understanding is that most of the botching was on the part of the investigating authorities (mostly FBI, called in, reasonably enough, when the regular security people in the Nuclear division of DoE couldn’t figure out what to do), and that Richardson as Energy Secretary wasn’t actually all that involved.
I could be wrong, but that’s my recollection from reading a few summary pieces in places like Slate and Newsweek. *shrug*
Ah, OK, consulting the Wikipedia entry on Wen Ho Lee, I see that the accusation against Richardson is that he was the source that leaked Lee’s name to the press, as being the person behind a security problem at Los Alamos. That publicity basically ensured that even if found innocent (as he was), Lee’s career would be ruined.
Of course, there doesn’t seem to be any conclusive proof of this accusation against Richardson, either.
Well, Mr. Lee was not exactly found “innocent.”
He had some very suspicious connections and circumstances.