Broad experience
At the national level, Richardson joins a Democratic field that includes several firsts: Clinton hopes to become the first female president; Obama aims to be the country's first black president; and Richardson is out to become the first Hispanic in the White House.
Richardson is only a blip in presidential polling: Some polls have put him at 2 percent and 4 percent.
However, many political observers have taken note of his impressive résumé.
Richardson represented New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District for 14 years and has served as United States ambassador to the United Nations and secretary of energy under former Democratic President Bill Clinton. He plowed his way into the New Mexico governor's office in 2002, easily winning a second term last year.
All along, he has built a reputation as an international troubleshooter who has negotiated with dictators and despots from North Korea to Iraq to Sudan.
In 1995, for example, Richardson went to Iraq and met with Saddam Hussein to secure the release of two Americans. He traveled to Sudan earlier this month in hopes of cutting a deal that would allow U.N. peacekeepers into that African country. But he came away only with a temporary cease-fire agreement that could be described as shaky at best.
Richardson told the Journal his broad experience sets him apart from other Democratic hopefuls.
"With my record, I am able to walk the walk and talk the talk," he said. " ... A lot of these other candidates can have positions on the major issues affecting the country: I've actually done it."
Richardson has laid out some of the planks of his candidate platform.
"The next president must be able, No. 1, to get us out of Iraq," he said.
"No. 2, the next president must be able to restore America's standing in the world," he said. "That is basically talking through our differences with nations we don't have a dialogue with. North Korea. Iran. Syria. Sudan.
"No. 3, energy: We've got to become energy independent, and we've got to fight global warming," he said. "I have direct experience doing that as secretary of energy, as governor of New Mexico."
Richardson said job growth and alleviating poverty are high on his list and said his experience as governor would be a great asset in the White House.
"I believe this nation needs a unifier, a healer, somebody that can work across party lines. And as governor, you have to do that— and this is where governors are better presidents and have more success. Because if you're not bipartisan as a governor, you don't get anything done."
Richardson's success in working with state lawmakers has met with mixed reviews. Many lawmakers, including a notable list from his own party, have grumbled about what they see as his strong-arm tactics to ram his measures through the Legislature.
But, when it comes to a Richardson presidential candidacy, many New Mexico voters think it would be a good thing. A Journal Poll in August 2006 found 40 percent of state voters surveyed said it would be good for the state; 36 percent said it wouldn't matter; and only 18 percent said it would be bad.
War chest
Richardson has an uphill battle for campaign cash.
Elections law allows federal officeholders such as Sens. Clinton and Obama to use leftover cash from their Senate campaigns for their presidential funds— a perk that does not apply to state officeholders such as Richardson.
Clinton is far and away the current war-chest winner among Democrats: FEC records show she had more than $14.3 million at the end of November. Obama's Senate re-election fund had more than $755,000 in cash on hand as of September.
Richardson has been New Mexico's top fundraiser, bringing in a boatload of cash for his 2006 gubernatorial re-election push. He also scored millions more for other Democratic gubernatorial candidates in his past role as chair of the Democratic Governors Association.
"Once the session is over, I will increase my fundraising time. It's a reality," Richardson said. "I'm not going to be competitive with the higher-tiered candidates, but I will be competitive. I've raised money nationally. I raised $13 million for my governor's race. ... I have contacts around the country."
Richardson added that he hasn't set any specific campaign benchmarks for the year leading to the 2008 primary season, where Democrats in key states will help choose the party's candidate.
"I don't have any timetables. I've always approached races with a view that if you have a vision, if you're positive, if you're patriotic, if you try to bring people together and you have passion and sincerity, you work hard— and most importantly, if you have a record— that things will come your way."
On the Web
Excerpts of Gov. Bill Richardson's interview with the Journal can be found at www.abqjoural.com
On the air
KOAT Channel 7 will air the ABC news show "This Week," featuring Gov. Bill Richardson, at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. today
Journal staff writer Leslie Linthicum contributed to this report.
AED 
E-mail Story
Print Friendly
Send E-mail
Reprint story
