New Mexicans for Richardson

Governor Supports Conyer's Initative on Pension and Benefit Protection

2007-09-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

PHILADELPHIA, PA-- New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson today released the following statement in support of Congressman John Conyers' announcement that he will introduce a bill to protect workers' pensions and benefits in corporate bankruptcies:
"I applaud the efforts of my friend Congressman Conyers on behalf of working Americans, as well as the vital work done on this issue by the AFL-CIO and other unions. Protecting pensions and benefits is essential to the economic security of our workers and our nation.
"We need to reform bankruptcy laws to require large corporations to honor pension obligations to their employees. Workers who lose their retirement funds in Enron-style collapses should go to the front of the line in bankruptcy. Too often companies siphon away money from their bankrupt divisions into healthier ones and then claim to have no money left to pay for the health and retirement benefits of the bankrupt division’s employees. That is an outrage. When I am President, I will not tolerate loopholes that allow companies to defraud their workers.
"We need a President who will fight for working Americans. When I am in the White House, my Secretary of Labor will be a union member, and workers will be guaranteed the rights and benefits that they have earned."

Richardson Would Drop Boy Scouts if Elected

2007-09-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

from 365Gay

(Hanover, New Hampshire) Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday night that he is if elected president he would her would refuse to accept the position of Honorary Chair of the Boy Scouts of America because of Scouting's ban on gays.

The New Mexico governor made the pledge during a Democratic presidential debate in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Richardson was asked if he would accept the chair of the organization, traditionally offered to presidents.

"No, I wouldn’t, because I think as president I would commit myself, number one, that I will be a leader that prevents discrimination on the basis of race, gender and sexual orientation," he replied.
Bill Richardson has been a champion of equal rights for all, and has fought tirelessly for domestic parternship rights in New Mexico. LTS

Ads Don't Kill People, Wars Do

2007-09-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

first published in the Huffington Post
Everywhere I go on this campaign -- from Iowa to New Mexico -- I hear people asking when is this war going to end and when will we get all of our troops out of Iraq? Everyone, myself included, is tired of waiting for this war to end and tired of feeling let down by the people we elected.

The message I hear on the road seems pretty clear to me, but apparently the people in Congress aren't getting it. I know legislating is hard work -- I spent 15 years in Congress -- but I believe that when the people have given you a mandate, and soldiers are dying, it is your solemn duty to get the job done no matter what it takes.

Two days ago the Senate had a chance to help get more of our soldiers home for longer periods of time -- but the measure failed. Yesterday they had a chance to set a timeline to start withdrawing troops -- but that failed too. And today, another measure that would've required a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq failed. Three chances to make a difference, lost. But instead of continuing to push on the most important issue facing our country right now, yesterday Congress spent their time debating and condemning a newspaper ad by an anti-war group.

Let's get some perspective here -- ads don't kill people -- wars kill people. And it is long past time to end this war.

From my many years of diplomatic negotiations I have learned that persistence is key to wearing down the most recalcitrant opponents. So I will be persistent -- and I hope you all will too. If we don't get this done now, we may not have a chance again until a Democrat is in the White House in 2009. That is too long to wait.

And while I firmly believe a Democrat will win in November 2008, I also know that some of the other candidates don't share my clear vision for ending the war.

I have been asking them -- how many troops will you leave behind?

My answer is zero.

Their answers are starting to remind me of the same rhetoric we hearing from DC, a little too much hemming, a little too many "we'll see's."

Every day Congress fails to end this war is another day Congress fails to do what we elected them to do. Americans have lost patience with Congress and with the leaders they elected to end the war. But you know what? We have the power. We can end the war.

Let's do that together.

Richardson: Get Our Troops Out NOW!

2007-09-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

Now that you have seen Governor Richardson's video, go to his new website, , and join his call for the immediate and complete withdrawl of all US Troops from Iraq.

Richardson UP AGAIN in IOWA!

2007-08-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

SANTA FE, NM -- Governor Bill Richardson is at 14 percent, within striking distance of all three frontrunners, in the latest poll out of Iowa.
The poll of 600 likely Democratic caucus-goers was conducted by Strategic Vision between August 17th and 19th. The poll shows Senators Edwards, Obama, and Clinton bunched together at 23, 22, and 21 percent, respectively. Joe Biden drew the support of 5 percent, with Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich at 1 percent each.
"It's an easy equation for our campaign. The more Iowans that meet Governor Richardson, the more support we get in the state," said campaign manager Dave Contarino.
The poll follows Governor Richardson's six-day trip through the Hawkeye State, where he released his plan for jobs and the economy and delivered a widely praised performance at the ABC/DNC Presidential Debate in Des Moines.
"Governor Richardson's grassroots campaigning is paying off. Voters are seeing that Governor Richardson is the candidate of both change and experience," said Contarino. "We are gaining traction in polls across the country, and particularly in the early primary states."
Recent polls for the ONE Campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire confirm that Governor Richardson is in the double-digits in those key states. The latest poll of Nevada, by Research 2000, shows that Governor Richardson has climbed into the double-digits in Nevada, as well.

Richardson Responds to Limbaugh on Darfur

2007-08-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

MANCHESTER, NH -- Democratic Presidential Candidate Governor Bill Richardson, campaigning today in New Hampshire, issued a statement in response to comments earlier in the week made by radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh accused Democrats of calling for the US to intervene in Darfur simply to court the African-American vote.
Limbaugh reportedly said that Democrats "want to get us out of Iraq, but they can't wait to get us into Darfur." He continued: "There are two reasons. What color is the skin of the people in Darfur? It's black. And who do the Democrats really need to keep voting for them? If they lose a significant percentage of this voting bloc, they're in trouble." The caller responded, "The black population," to which Limbaugh said, "Right."
"The situation in Darfur is a human tragedy of unprecedented scale that demands action. It is a humanitarian issue, not a partisan political issue. I went to Darfur because human beings are being killed on a horrific scale. I negotiated a cease-fire because rape is being used as a weapon against tens of thousands of helpless women and girls. I have kept this issue front and center because hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes and all their possessions. Anyone with a heart cares about Darfur -- anyone with a conscience must and should care about this suffering. America cares -- it is the current administration that hasn't lived up to America's tradition of compassion. I've been saying for months we must keep the pressure on China, Russia and Sudan. We can resolve this crisis through diplomacy, just as we should have done with Iraq -- our kids don't need to be sent into the middle of a civil war. Only when US foreign policy is based on our American principles will the world again respect American leadership and only then will we have the credibility to stop international crises and humanitarian disasters. "

Richardson Responds to Clinton Statement on Terrorism

2007-08-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

MANCHESTER, NH-- Democratic Presidential Candidate Governor Bill Richardson today responded to comments made by Senator Hillary Clinton in regard to a potential terrorist attack against the United States.
According to the Associated Press, Senator Clinton yesterday said: "It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself 'What if? What if?' But if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world. So I think I'm the best of the Democrats to deal with that as well."
"We shouldn't be thinking about terrorism in terms of its domestic political consequences, we should be protecting the country from terrorists," said Governor Richardson. "Senator Clinton seems to think that President Bush has made this country safer. I disagree with her. Our failed policy in Iraq is making us less safe. Our ports are less safe. Our cities are less safe. Our transportation systems are less safe. George Bush is cutting funding to first responders. America's alliances are in disarray because of this President. We need someone with an international record of accomplishments to rebuild strong American international leadership to keep Americans safe. I am prepared to stand up to the GOP on national security because I've been there and done it. I've been in the negotiating rooms. I've faced the dictators. I've brought hostages and service men home. I've broken an impasse on North Korean nuclear facilities. I was instrumental in bringing the North Koreans to the table and getting this deal to shut down the nuclear reactor in place. I've got more international experience than the all GOP candidates combined."

Happy Anniversary Governor and Mrs. Richardson!

2007-08-05T14:41:00.000-07:00

Bill and Barbara then...

The Governor and First Lady Now

SANTA FE, NM -- Today, Governor Bill Richardson and First Lady Barbara Flavin Richardson celebrate 35 years of marriage.

"Barbara and I have been together since we were teenagers," said Governor Bill Richardson.

"We have practically grown up together. Over the past 35 years Barbara has been my wife, best friend and my number one advisor. She has stood by my side through it all and on this special day I thank her for her love and devotion. Truly, there is no luckier man. Barbara here's to another beautiful 35 years."

Bill and Barbara first met when Bill was a senior at Middlesex High School in Concord, MA. It all began one afternoon in downtown Concord, MA when Barbara asked Bill if he needed a ride back to school. They immediately began dating and since then have been a couple.

They were married in Goddard Chapel, on the Tufts campus, on August 5, 1972.

For photos of Governor Richardson and First Lady Barbara Flavin Richardson, go to:http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/m/hvj8m24oGkB/I57fd8

Bill walks in 4th of July parades

2007-07-09T15:07:00.001-07:00

Governor Richardson was in New Hampshire over the holiday...here is some great video!

Richardson's Momentum Continues to Build

2007-07-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO, FL -- Since announcing his bid to become the first Latino President Governor Bill Richardson has gained significant political support from Latino activists, political organizers, elected officials and senior officials from across the country.

"I am extremely honored and proud of the tremendous support I am receiving from the Latino community," stated Governor Bill Richardson. "As I travel the country and have the opportunity to talk with Latinos, my support continues to grow. This election is about empowering the grassroots to get involved in our electoral process. I am happy that the Latino population will play such an important role in deciding who our next President will be."

Earlier this week polls showed that Governor Richardson continues to build strong upward momentum across the board, particularly in Iowa and New Hampshire.

IOWA POLLING*
"If the caucuses were held today, who would you support?"
John Edwards
31%
Hillary Clinton
23%
Bill Richardson
18%
Barack Obama
16%
Joe Biden
3%
Dennis Kucinich
2%
Chris Dodd
0%
Other
1%
Don't Know/NA
8%

The poll of 500 likely Iowa caucus-goers was conducted for the Richardson campaign by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin and Associates June 18-20, 2007 and has a margin of error of + 4.4%.
*Among "likeliest" caucus-goers (representing just over 40% of the sample -- voters who attended the 2004 caucuses, voted in the 2006 primary, and say they are definite to attend next year's caucus)

NEW HAMPSHIRE POLLING

Clinton -- 37 percent
Obama -- 19 percent
Edwards -- 9 percent
Richardson -- 9 percent
undecided -- 16 percent

WHDH-TV/Suffolk University poll of 500 likely New Hampshire voters released on June 27, 2007 with a margin of error of +/-4%.

Below is a list of Latinos endorsing Governor Bill Richardson for President:

Members of Congress
Congressman Silvestre Reyes, TXCongressman
Ed Pastor, AZ Congressman
Solomon Ortiz, TX

Presidential Appointees

Henry Cisneros, Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Clinton Administration Mickey Ibarra, Former Director of White House Intergovernmental Affairs, Clinton Administration
Ed Romero, Former Ambassador to Spain, Clinton Administration & Richardson for President National Finance Chair
Rick Hernandez, Deputy Assistant to President Clinton
Ana "Cha" Guzman, Educator and Businesswoman, Chair of President Clinton’s White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, President of Palo Alto College

California
Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County Supervisor
Tony Cardenas, City Councilman, City of Los Angeles
Lou Correa, State Senator, Santa Ana
Gilbert Cedillo, State Senator, Los Angeles
Denise Mareno-Ducheny, State Senator, San Diego
Joe Coto, Assembly Member, San Jose
Marsha Ramos, Mayor of Burbank
Sal Tiuajero, City Councilman, Santa Clara
Michele Martinez, Councilwoman, Santa Ana
Martha M. Escutia, former State Senator, Chair of Latino Caucus
Lori Saldana, Assembly Member, San Diego
Luis Aguinaga, Councilman, Aguinaga El Monte
Robert Fuentes, Basset School Board
Felipe E. Agredano (MTS), President Garvey Board of Education
Irene Redondo-Churchward, Executive Director Spiritt Family Services
Christopher Robles, CDP Executive Board Member Region 6 Vice Chair

Texas
Pete Gallego, TX State Representative, Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Rick Noreiga, TX State Representative
Domingo Garcia, Former Dallas City Councilor
JD Salinas III, Hidalgo City Judge
Tony Villarreal, Mayor of Ft. Stockton
Gil Coronado, Retired Colonel
Ygnacio D. "Nacho" Garza, Former Mayor of Brownsville
Sylvia Romo, Bexar City Tax Assessor & Former State Representative
Frank Santos, President of Santos Alliances Gilberto Ocanas, Businessman and Democratic Activist
Rolando Rios, Attorney and Businessman

Georgia
Sam Zamarripa, Former Georgia State Senator
Virgilio Perez Pascoe, Executive Fellow at Center for Hispanic Studies, Kennesaw State

Arizona
Steve Gallardo, State House Representative, House Minority Whip, Phoenix
David Lujan, State House Representative, Phoenix
John Laredo, Former Minority Leader
Mr. Ronnie Lopez, Former Chief of Staff to Governor Bruce Babbitt

New Hampshire
Lily Mesa, State House Representative, Manchester
Carlos Gonzalez, Former State Representative, Manchester
Jose Parra, Goffstown
Sonia Parra, Goffstown
Diane Padilla, Weare
Anna Lopez, Manchester
Eva Castillo, Manchester
Fernando Hilarion, Manchester
Erlyn Martinez, Manchester
Angel Colon, Manchester
Cesar Fernandez, Manchester
Pete Escalera, Manchester
Margarita Fernandez-Letkowski, Manchester
Rodrigo Mena, Nashua
Juan Carlos Munoz, Nashua
Gustavo Moral, Bedford
Ernesto Sagas, Manchester
Ron Abramson, Concord

New Mexico
Toney Anaya, Former Governor
Jerry Apodaca, Former Governor
Roberto Mondragon, Former Lieutenant Governor
Mary Herrera, New Mexico Secretary of State and NALEO Board Member
Ben Lujan, New Mexico Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives
Ben D. Altamirano, New Mexico State Senate Pro Tempore
Marty Chavez, Mayor of Albuquerque
Hector Balderas, New Mexico State Auditor
Mary Jane M. Garcia, State Senator, Majority Whip
Phil A. Griego, State Senator
Richard C. Martinez, State Senator
Pete Campos, State Senator
Jose A. Campos, State Representative
Mary Helen Garcia, State Representative
Ken Martinez, State Representative
Antonio "Moe" Maestas, State Representative
Al Park, State Representative
Edward Sandoval, State Representative
Nick L. Salazar, State Representative
Jim R. Trujillo, State Representative
Ben Ray Lujan, Chair of Public Regulation Commission
Jim Baca, Former Mayor of Albuquerque, Former Director of the National Bureau of Land Management, Clinton Administration
Joseph Maestas, Mayor of Española
Henry Sanchez, Mayor of Las Vegas
Annadelle Sanchez, New Mexico Democratic Party Vice Chair / DNC Member
Virginia Vigil, Santa Fe City Commissioner
Valerie Espinoza, Santa Fe County Clerk
Harry Montoya, Santa Fe County Commissioner
Patsy Trujillo, Deputy Cabinet Secretary / Former State Representative
Don Francisco Trujillo II, Deputy Secretary of State and NALEO Board Member

South Carolina
Diana Salazar, Community Activist

Washington
Margarita Prentice, State Senator, Chair of Ways & Means Committee

Utah
Ross Romero, State Senator

Nevada
Reynaldo Martinez, Nevada Campaign Chairman and Former Chief of Staff to Senator Reid
Carlos Blumberg, Attorney-at-Law
John F. Mendoza, Retired Judge/Community Leader
Luisa Mendoza, Entrepreneur/Community Leader
Holly Johnson-Troncoso, Community Leader, Education Leader
Jose G. Troncoso, Former U.S. Marshal/Community Leader
Dr. Agustin Orci, Educational Leader
Xavier Rivas, Community Activist/Radio Talk Personality
Rosemary Flores, Community Leader
Dr. Raquel Casas, Community Leader
Alejandro Alvarez, Entrepreneur/Community Leader
Gus Ramos, Community Leader/Seniors Advocate
Dr. Letitia Medina Worth, Education Leader
Horacio Lopez, Entrepreneur/Community Leader
George T. Lopez, Entrepreneur/Community Leader
Robert Agonia, Retired IRS Agent/Community Leader
Sylvia Lazos, Professor of Law, University of Nevada-Las Vegas/Community Leader
Michael Pariente, Attorney-at-Law, Pariente Law Firm
Larry Mason, Board of School Trustee,Clark County School District
Dr. Emma Guzman Professor, University of Nevada-Reno/Community Activist
Alma Garcia-Vining , Education Leader/University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Eva Garcia-Mendoza, Attorney-at-Law, Mendoza-Snavely Law Firm
Luis Valera, Community Leader
Francisco Aguilar, Associate General Counsel, Southwest Gas/Community Leader
Eloiza Martinez, Immediate Past President, Latin Chamber of Commerce
Elizabeth Gallagher, Community & National Leader/Vice-Chair, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Susie Martinez, Community Leader/Assistant to Mayor Pro Tem Felipe Ortiz, Immediate Past President, National Latino Peace Officers Association
Peter Guzman, Entrepreneur/Community Leader
Gabriela Wyett, Bank Administrator/Political Organization Leader
Rudy Prieto, CEO, Colony Resorts/Las Vegas Hilton
Daniel Medrano, Labor Leader

Senior Advisors & Senior Campaign Staff
Mike Stratton, Senior Advisor
Andre Pineda, Pollster
Ben Chao, National Deputy Political Director
Dan Sena, National Field Director
Tara Geise, Chief Financial Officer
Carlos Trujillo, Western States Political Director
Michelle Mayorga, Mid Western States Political Director/Florida Political Director
David Negrete, Iowa Political Director
Ed Espinosa, Nevada Field Director
Alexandra Sanchez, Deputy Research Director
Javier Trujillo, NV Political Director
Fernando Romero, NV Hispanic Outreach
Joaquin Guerra, Internet/Web

Richardson Was Great on Meet the Press

2007-05-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry peeps for my protracted absence. I have been in the midst of moving off the mountaintop and into the city so I can reconnect with the human species. In the midst of that I have had two laptops and a PC crash, and my beloved grandmother, Lee, passed away. It has been a rough few weeks.

So, I noticed that some of my brothers and sisters of the blog have been less than kind to my man, Bill Richardson, in my absence. This displeases me (in my head I sound like Don Corleone when I say this). Much of the fuss has been about Richardson's performance on Meet the Press Sunday with Tim Russert.

Seriously?

I watched that interview on Tuesday, once the dust had settled after this hectic weekend, and I didn't think he did a bad job at all, in fact I thought he handled most of the questions deftly. Here is the complete transcript:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18818527/

Of course, no matter how many times he answers the same old tired questions he will always be asked about them. I think that frustration and exasperation showed a bit. In my opinion he has answered the Gonzales, Whizzer White, and baseball draft questions satisfactorily. He was honest, and apparently honesty is not appreciated in today's political climate. I think that people want him to change his story so they can pounce on him as a flip-flopper and a liar. There is no satisfying this crowd.

What makes me really angry is Russert put up a bunch of statistics that made New Mexico seem like a poor cousin of the third world. Russert said, "This is New Mexico’s scorecard, and you are the governor. Percent of people living below the poverty line, you’re 48. Percent of children below, 48. Median family income, 47. People without health insurance, 49. Children without health insurance, 46. Teen high school dropouts, 47. Death rate due to firearms, 48. Violent crime rate, 46. You’re the very bottom of all those statistics of all 50 states, and you’re the governor for five years." When Richardson tried to answer the question Russert cut him off and said, "But these rankings are troubling." Yes, New Mexico is a state with poverty and crime, but great progress has been made, and the thanks belongs largely to our brilliant Governor. Thanks to Bill Richardson every child under the age of 5 is covered by health insurance. Richardon's pro-growth agenda has created 82,000 jobs, and that number should impress anyone, especially given New Mexico's population, which is not much over 1.5M. Many of these jobs are high paying jobs, because Governor Richardson has offered tax incentives to companies that were willing to bring jobs to the state that paid over the prevailing wage. Speaking of wages, Richardson has been instrumental to New Mexico raising the minimum wage...but I digress, back to the interview.

Russert slams Richardson for getting the name of a Marine killed in our war of terror wrong and using a conversation he had with the marine's mom on the campaign trail. This is really hideous, Richardson is nothing less than a hero. When he learned that the death benefit to reserve soldiers was only $11,000, he was horrified and raised it to $250,000. Richardson is a HERO for this. 36 other states have followed his lead, and now the federal government is, too.

And, as if this really matters at all, with all of the serious issues facing America today, there is the Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees issue, clearly the most salient and relevant issue of our time, and Russert devoted a lot of time to this. Listen, it is possible to be both a Sox fan and a Yanks fan as LONG AS YOU DO NOT LIVE IN EITHER PLACE. Let's talk about things that really matter. Let's talk about jobs, health care, energy, the environment, and the war. In all these areas Richardson has the best plan, if only we will listen.

Bill Richardson's AWESOME New Ads!

2007-05-11T10:08:00.001-07:00

This just in from the incredibly creative team of Murphy Putnam Media, who also produced the Gubernatorial race ad that everyone loved "Gimme a Milk". Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Tune In Tonight!

2007-05-11T10:04:00.001-07:00

For those of you who are early risers, set your Tivo...this should be a great interview!

Tune In Tonight!

2007-05-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are early risers, set your Tivo...this should be a great interview!

2007-05-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

SANTE FE, NM ---- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today blasted President Bush's veto of Democrat sponsored legislation that would have set a timeline for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. The Governor called on Congress once again to immediately pass a resolution, under the War Powers Act, that would de-authorize the Iraq War and provide a rapid timetable for the withdrawal of US forces.

"The President is defying the will of the American people so it is time for Congress to take action that cannot be vetoed," said Governor Bill Richardson. "It is clear to all but the President that no military solution remains in Iraq. Mr. President, stubbornness is not foreign policy. The death of more than 100 U.S. soldiers there last month underscores the need to withdraw our brave men and women now. To continue with more of the same is not a strategy, it is a tragedy. The only solution is strong diplomacy and real political progress led by the Iraqis. Our troops have performed bravely, with honor and sacrifice, but it is time to get them out of the crossfire of a civil war. We need to redeploy all of our forces out of Iraq leaving no residual forces. Al Qaeda and other anti-American forces benefit from our continued presence in Iraq- it enables them to portray the US as imperialist occupiers- we need to deprive them of that propaganda. The truth is our enemies want us mired and bleeding in Iraq rather than fighting the real war against the real terrorists who attacked this country on 9/11."

Governor Richardson stated that only Congress has the authority to authorize war, and can also vote by resolution to de-authorize the war- which would require the military to remove all American troops from Iraq. Such a resolution does not require a Presidential signature and would therefore not be subject to veto.

Bill Richardson's 7 Point New Realism Plan for Iraq:

1. Troops Out in 2007: We should get our troops out of Iraq this year. Our continued presence there only enables the Iraqi factions to delay making the hard political choices they need to make to end the civil war.

2. No Residual Forces Left Behind: We must remove ALL of our troops. There should be no residual US forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for their oil, and this perception is exploited by both Al Qaeda, other insurgents, and anti-American Shia groups. By announcing that we intend to remove all troops, we would deprive them of this propaganda tool.

3. Congressional De-Authorization of War: President Bush has demonstrated neither competence nor honesty nor a sense of reality in his conduct of this war. I support the Feingold-Reid bill to force the President to end the war.

Congress must continue to use the power of the purse without cutting funds for troops on the ground, but we should also go one step further. Congress should assert its constitutional authority and pass a resolution de-authorizing the war under the War Powers Act. Congress can then set a military pull-out date and appropriate funds accordingly for the re-deployment of troops.

4. Promote Iraqi Reconciliation: We should promote an Iraqi Reconciliation Conference to bring the factions together to seek compromises and to begin confidence-building measures, including the end of militia violence. Our redeployment will give us more leverage than we have now, caught in the crossfire, to get the Iraqis to reconcile.

5. Work With All Neighbors and Allies: We should convene a regional conference to secure the cooperation of all of Iraq's neighbors -- including Syria and Iran -- in promoting peace and stability. Among the key objectives of such a conference should be guarantees of non-interference, as well as the creation of a multilateral force of UN peacekeepers, should the Iraqis request one. The US should support such a force, but it should be composed of non-US, primarily Muslim troops.

6. Global Cooperation in Reconstruction: We should convene a donor conference to fund Iraq's reconstruction. The United States needs to show the world that we intend to return to our tradition of being a trusted leader, not a unilateralist loner. The process of disengagement is an opportunity for us to show that we have turned the corner, and that we intend to rebuild our alliances, respect international law, and work with the international community.

7. Redeploy to Address Real Threats: We must redeploy some of our troops to stop the resurgence of the Taliban and to fight the real terrorists who attacked this country on 9-11. While all American troops in Iraq must be removed, we need to maintain a military presence in the region, including in Kuwait and in the Persian Gulf. We must have the regional capacity to use air power, special forces and other means to strike Al Queda anywhere. We do not need American troops in Iraq to perform this essential task.

We also must bring our National Guard home where they are needed for homeland security, and we must focus our energy and resources on real threats, such as nuclear proliferation, Al Qaeda, public health, and global warming.

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

2007-04-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Here is the complete text of the Governor's remarks today in San Francisco:

Global Days for Darfur

San Francisco Rally

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Thank you for being here and showing your support for this urgent and worthy cause. I can tell you from experience the Sudanese people appreciate everything you do, they are crying out for help, and they are calling for the international community, and specifically for the United States to help stop the killing and restore peace in Darfur.

It is time for the United States to answer that call. Throughout my career- as a Congressman, Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of Energy, and Governor- I have worked to bring people together to solve crises, to reach agreements, to get things done. I understand tough, direct diplomacy and international leadership. That's exactly what is needed here. This is a defining moment for this country. The United States has an opportunity to lead the world in taking action to end the killing in Darfur and we must not blow it.

I have been to Sudan and to Darfur a number of times and I know the region well. In 1996 I worked with Sudanese President al-Bashir to secure the release of three Red Cross workers who had been captured by rebels. Last fall I convinced Bashir to release an American journalist and his two Chadian colleagues who had been arrested and charged with spying. And in January, at the request of Save Darfur, and with their help, I returned to Sudan. I saw with my own eyes the frustration of the African Union force commander who is desperately undermanned and outgunned. I negotiated a fragile cease-fire among several rebel groups and the government forces and pushed Bashir to allow UN peacekeeping forces into Darfur. We set the stage for an ongoing dialogue that could have, and should have reduced the violence and moved the peace process forward. Unfortunately, there was no on-the ground diplomatic follow-up and that cease-fire did not hold. The US Government dropped the ball- again.

We've wasted time hemming and hawing and hand-wringing about what we should do, when the truth is we need to act. We need to lead. We need to do everything we can to stop the violence.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.

400-thousand killed. Two-point-five million people displaced. Estimates are the killing could reach 100-thousand per month if the world does not act. That is not acceptable.You know, the people of Darfur are remarkable. In the As-Salaam Camp near El Fasher, I met women who had lost everything- their husbands, their homes, and all their possessions. Many wait for weeks, sometimes months, under tents in stifling heat, to be processed into the camp, where they are issued a small plot of land and some meager supplies.Despite the tragedy they have faced, despite what they have lost, they have incredible spirit- an optimism that you would not expect. But they asked me a tough question. They want to know why the United States is not doing more to help, why we're not mobilizing the world to come to their aid. I couldn't answer that question.

My friends, we cannot let them down. This is a great human tragedy, time is running out, and we have to act.

America should have been engaged long ago, but continuing a pattern of intermittent and inconsistent, indirect and occasional involvement is not the America that we expect and we need a better, more urgent response.

Even tough guys will listen when you hold a big stick in one hand and have a carrot in the other. Talking to people is no guarantee of success, but refusing to talk is a guarantee of failure. As Nelson Mandela once told me "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."

The White House has for months been working on a plan for Darfur, but for years has failed to assert its influence among our allies and friends to bring an immediate halt to this conflict. The administration's recent announcement falls woefully short of actions backing up words. We need a strategy that's aggressive, bold, and realistic and has a chance of achieving a workable and durable political settlement to this tragedy.

Time is running out.

First, America must make peace in Darfur a much higher priority. I agree with SaveDarfur--we need full-time, high-level US diplomacy dedicated to ending this crisis.

Second, America must engage Sudan's economic and political partners--China Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudia 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.

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.

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.

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.

You can help. Keep the pressure on Congress. Keep the pressure on the White House. We must keep raising our voices until the people in Darfur can hear us. Time is running out for the people of Darfur. Fortunately, time is also running out on this administration.

The Wall

2007-04-24T10:26:00.001-07:00

Life's Work

2007-04-24T09:46:00.001-07:00

Governor Richardson on returning from North Korea

2007-04-14T12:17:00.001-07:00

Amazing video from our Governor...

North Korean Breakthrough

2007-04-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

This is an email I received from Governor Bill Richardson today...lts...

Dear Cara,
After years of confrontation with virtually the entire world, the regime in North Korea yesterday took its first steps away from its policy of nuclear confrontation.
The North Koreans agreed to begin shutting down their Yongbyon atomic reactor, the facility that provides fuel for their nuclear weapons, and say they will allow UN weapons inspectors back into the country for the first time in five years.
The world is a safer place today, and I am proud to have played a role in securing this agreement.
I was in Pyongyang this week to secure the remains of six American servicemen who died during the Korean War.
This is a very positive gesture on the part of the North Korean government. Hopefully it will help heal the wounds from the Korean War and start a process to bring closure to the thousands of American families awaiting word about their loved ones who perished.
My years of experience dealing with North Korea and my knowledge of the region allowed me to help facilitate this new resolution to end their nuclear weapons program.
It will take a while for the media to understand the impact of this historic accord. NBC's Andrea Mitchell was the only network journalist in North Korea with us, and she has been leading the way with forward-looking coverage of this week's events.
Click here to watch MSNBC's coverage of North Korea's breakthrough announcement.
The bottom line is that diplomacy works - there is no other lesson to draw from this monumental breakthrough. And we desperately need someone in the White House who understands this and can restore American international leadership.
In today's world, we have to be willing to engage our adversaries in tough and direct talks that lead to resolution, not more confrontation and isolation. I don't have to tell you that there are trouble spots all over the world that could use some of this tough and smart American diplomacy.
I'm running for President, in part, to keep our country safe and secure. I'm proud that yesterday in North Korea I was able to make a contribution to real progress toward that goal.
Sincerely,
Governor Bill Richardson

What a Great Start!

2007-04-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

In the first quarter Governor Richardson has raised $6 Million, and has held onto $5 Millon of that. Pretty impressive numbers, to be sure. Now, yes, Hillary and Edwards and Obama have more. Of course they have more! They have been free to campaign full time, have huge name recognition, and can carry over their huge Senate campaign warchests. Richardson can't touch the $15 Million left over from his re-election fund, and the entire first quarter he was busy with the New Mexico legislative session, where he accomplished some impressive things, including...

raising the minimum wage
legalizing marijuana for certain medical uses
toughening drunk driving laws
toughening domestic violence laws

He also fought hard for a bill that would give domestic partners, gay or straight, the same legal rights and protections as married people, even calling a special session to try to get the work done. The state House of Representatives came to work, but the Senate, in its infinite (what, laziness? cowardice? both??? or worse, maliciousness....) refused to entertain the bill. Richardson is not giving up on this, good for you Bill!

He was also busy lobbying hard for a tax bill in southern New Mexico to support a commercial spaceport. The vote was yesterday, and from what I hear the results are still too close to call, but I am rooting for it! Yet more visionary development from our Governor.

So, while the big dogs may have raised more money in their last three months of not having to do actual work, I am not worried. Hillary may have $26 Million, but how far will that go if she is buying endorsements at a half mil a pop?

Richardson Vetos Gardasil Bill

2007-04-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Governor Richardson, citing concerns raised by parents and doctors, has vetoed legislation mandating that Gardasil vaccines be given to girls entering the 6th grade starting this fall.

Governor, as a mom of three girls rapidly headed toward 6th grade, I thank you for not rushing this program forward. While I would love to believe in a vaccine that would protect my babies from cervical cancer, I want to make sure that this is tested and safe.

Richardson Wins March Madness

2007-04-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Denver—ProgressNowAction and ProgressOhio.org announced the winners of their “Presidential March Madness” contest today. The contest ran the last ten days. Voting on the final round ended yesterday at midnight. Thousands of people from around the country, particularly in Colorado and Ohio, participated.

“We were very pleased with the response from our members,” ProgressNowAction Executive Director Michael Huttner said. “The results show that voters are taking an early interest in the presidential race, and that the West will be a crucial factor in the 2008 elections.”

After three rounds of one-on-one eliminations of 8 major Republican and Democratic presidential candidates and hopefuls at " a >Link<>, members selected New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson as the Democratic preference, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the Republicans. Each individual matchup was surprisingly close after the first round, with Giuliani edging Arizona Senator John McCain by a very close margin in the “Final Four.” Richardson came out ahead of Illinois Senator Barack Obama by almost 20% in the final round.

“This was not a scientific poll, nor was it intended to be anything more than a fun way for our members to express their preference early on in the race for President,” Huttner said. “The results show that Richardson enjoys support among ProgressNow’s Rocky Mountain membership, as well as Giuliani, but all of these candidates have much to prove to Colorado’s independent and progressive voters.”

Richardson Calls for Withdrawl from Iraq

2007-03-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

SANTA FE (AP) - Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson is again calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, says the troops have done all they can and it's time to bring them home.

His comments came the day before the fourth anniversary of the start of the US-led war in Iraq. Richardson also is asking Americans to say a prayer for U-S military personnel serving their country and for the family and friends of those Americans who have died in the conflict.

Richardson says President Bush is deaf to the will of the people. In his words, "This is not presidential greatness. This is a great tragedy."

Support Bill Richardson for President Website

2007-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

There is a brand new website up in favor of Governor Richardson's candidacy for the White House...Support Bill Richardson for President. I received an email from its creator, Jonathan Strong in Washington, DC. today directing me to it. I love Jonathan's message, that Richardson has the "Experience, Brains and Guts" necessary to lead our great nation. He also has some great bumperstickers!

Be sure too put this great site in your favorites, and add it to your blogrolls!

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Signs Landmark Clean & Renewable Energy Bills

2007-03-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

New independent poll cites Governor Richardson as a strong leader
on issue of global warming

SANTA FE, NM -- Governor Bill Richardson has signed two bills that enact major cornerstones of his clean energy agenda and make New Mexico one of the top two states for renewable energy requirements. The first law requires New Mexico utilities to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, or biomass, by 2015 and 20% by 2020. The second law creates a Renewable Energy Transmission Authority to develop clean energy resources and market them to other states.

“In the absence of federal leadership, I feel a real sense of urgency to take action at the state level to fight global warming and strengthen our energy security,” said Governor Richardson. “Ramping up our use of renewable energy and reducing carbon-based emissions is the first step. These strategies also help to protect the environment, create high-tech, high-wage jobs and grow our economy.”

The results of a new poll, conducted in New Mexico on behalf of the National Environmental Trust by Research & Polling, Inc.*, show a majority of respondents- 57% - say Governor Richardson is a strong leader on the issue of global warming. Governor Richardson is the only person perceived as a strong leader on this critically important issue by a majority of poll respondents.

59% of those polled believe global warming is a serious problem, and a large majority believes the new Democrat controlled US Congress should take the lead in addressing global warming, renewable energy, and environmental protection. In the absence of federal leadership on this issue, Governor Richardson has taken aggressive action to make New Mexico a leader in reducing carbon-based emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy.

In 2004 Governor Richardson signed New Mexico’s first Renewable Portfolio Standard into law. This mandated that 5% of New Mexico’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2006, increasing to 10% by 2011. The Governor’s initiative that he signed into law this week dramatically increases these requirements and continues New Mexico’s leadership in the area of renewable energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In the past few weeks alone Governor Richardson has signed a major, five state climate change agreement, announced a new Tesla electric car plant for Albuquerque, and a biodiesel plant in Clovis, NM.

Governor Bill Richardson Names Local Political Veteran Roberta Lange as Nevada State Director

2007-03-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

At the grand opening celebration of his Las Vegas campaign office, the first Presidential campaign office in the state, Governor Bill Richardson named Nevada political veteran Roberta Lange Nevada State Director of his campaign for President.

Lange, currently serving her second term as President of the Henderson Democratic Club, previously served as Finance Director to the Dina Titus gubernatorial campaign in 2006, during which time she raised more than $3.8 million. Her experience includes several congressional and statewide campaigns. In 1998, she served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Senator Harry Reid's re-election campaign.

"Nevada and the West are critically important to this Presidential election and to my campaign," said Governor Richardson. "Candidates must recognize that Nevada's issues are unique and therefore they must have a staff that understands the West. Roberta is a talented political professional and a strong leader with friendships and ties throughout the state. I am proud to announce that she will lead my Nevada campaign."

"It is an honor to work for such an accomplished candidate," said Lange. “As a seasoned diplomat and executive leader, only Governor Richardson has the actual experience to get us out of Iraq, make the economy work for the middle class and combat global warming. Moreover, Governor Richardson is one of us. As a Westerner, he faces the same issues Nevadans live with everyday. From growth and water issues, to renewable energy, protecting our land and Yucca Mountain, Governor Richardson has the hands-on knowledge and understanding Nevadans want in their next President.”

Lange began her political career after being elected President of her local teacher’s union while teaching Physical Education in Washington State. She moved to Nevada in 1995 to marry her husband, Ken. She taught at Durango High School in Las Vegas from 1997 until she was recruited to work for Senator Reid’s 1998 campaign.

As State Director, Lange will join State Campaign Chairman Reynaldo Martinez, former Chief of Staff to Senator Reid, in shaping the Nevada Campaign. From the new campaign office at 515 S. 7th St. in Las Vegas, Lange and Martinez will lead a team that includes field organizers Javier Trujillo, Theresa Navarro, and Michael Tassone and Communications Director Josh McNeil.

“Blogosphere” Buzz Builds About New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s Weekend Speech to DNC

2007-02-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

SANTA FE, NM- During the past 48 hours positive reaction to Governor Bill Richardson’s speech to delegates at the Democratic National Committee’s winter meeting has been building and spreading across the Internet. Bloggers have been calling Governor Richardson’s speech “Presidential” and The National Journal’s online political site “The Hotline on Call” calculated that Governor Richardson’s speech was punctuated by seven standing ovations from the audience, more than any other candidate who spoke at the event. http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/02/dnc_winter_meet_5.html

You can watch or read the Governor’s entire speech at www.richardsonforpresident.com. (Also at www.richardsonbringshope.com, LTS)

Here is a sample of some of the Blog postings about Governor Richardson’s speech:

University of Wisconsin College Democrats:
“New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson gave a hell of a speech. It was surprisingly energetic, was excellently delivered, and touched on many points that had been glossed over by other candidates such as sexual orientation, teacher pay, North Korea and his diplomatic experience, a developed strategy in Iraq ... I think, and the consensus in the room I'm sitting in agrees, that Richardson did the best job of putting out a solid plan for America with details where details were due while at the same time conveying a feel good message. Full disclaimer: I took home a Bill Richardson rally sign and put a Bill Richardson bumper sticker on my laptop. I was sold on him today.”http://www.uwmadisondems.org/blog/2007/02/dnc-gov-bill-richardson.php

From dailykos:
I'm here to tell you that I went into that room undecided about '08 but leaning to Edwards. That changed after Richardson spoke. He is an amazing speaker who had the audience, many of whom had never heard of him before, eating out of the palm of his hand and cheering wildly for a guy they had never seen before. ... Bill Richardson has rhetorical powers to rival any of the main three (and I think better than Hillary or even Edwards). He gave a powerful speech that had the entire room bursting into what must have been 7 or 8 standing ovations (more I think that Obama or anyone else) ... It was almost embarrassing to hear how experienced he is. .... But the best part was that he wasn't just listing his resume, he was actually mapping out a future plan for the country. He wants us out of Iraq by the end of the year. He wants to restore ties around the world. He wants to bring what he has been doing in New Mexico to the rest of the country. The man has a plan, and he has the experience. ... I don't know how the press is covering this, but he won a lot of converts yesterday. ... Hopefully people give him a chance. This race is not over. Richardson is one of those guys who not only could be President, but who I believe will win people over as they hear from him. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/4/104422/5584

Richardson is amazingly good at pumping up the room. I can feel that he really gets "it" and that he would be a top campaigner. ... Richardson is impressive in a very different way than Vilsack. Richardson has a palpable confidence when speaking of foreign policy and in particular--no surprise here--when speaking of diplomacy. Richardson also has a real charm that seems to bring people in the room to his side. I'm trying to find the right word to describe this..."magnetism," maybe? It's noticeable. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/2/3/91813/92941

"I don't need 7 minutes, I can do it in four words: 'Elect a Democratic President.'" Gotta love it!! He's got moxie, too, regarding having any of the other Dem candidates as his VP. ... He is surprising me as a speaker--he's pretty good. And I haven't really been considering him. ... He seems positive and is quite--if you will--articulate.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/3/91813/92941

Geez, I had no idea I would start swooning over Bill Richardson. I want to hear more from him. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/3/91813/92941

In a room full of very dull speeches his clearly stood out, as does his experience and record of success. If there's a dark-horse in this race it's him. I can see him going into Iowa knocking the socks off the room and finishing in the top 3 and riding that wave to Denver. I'm saying it here - today - February 3, 2007. Still flirting with Obama, waiting for Gore, but if I had the guts I'd be booking a flight to N.M. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/3/91813/92941

From drydendailykaz:
“He suggested that we need a candidate who can win in every region. He stated that the mission in Iraq was complete and it was time for "our troops to leave with honor." And he finished by saying "Stay loose--we've got a year to go." A real grownup, a terrific speaker, and he just brokered a cease-fire in Darfur. What more could you want?” http://drydendailykaz.blogspot.com/2007/02/speeches-rated.html

From Blue Mass Group:
“And here's some big news: one of the bits of conventional wisdom on Bill Richardson appears to be wrong. The guy's got plenty of charisma. His speech was funny, charming, plain-spoken, bold, passionate, and had the crowd on its feet cheering numerous times. And this was interesting -- few if any of the other candidates talked about this issue, and he got huge applause for doing so.
‘In New Mexico, our fight for equality extends to sexual orientation. For the first time in state history we have a hate crimes law. We've extended civil rights protections to include sexual orientation. And we're providing state health insurance for domestic partnerships.
Some call New Mexico the land of enchantment. I now like to think that we live in a state of enlightenment.’
Did he come out swinging for equal marriage? No. But no one else even bothered to talk about gay rights.
Also, I thought Richardson was excellent on Iraq:
‘The War in Iraq is not the disease. Iraq is a symptom. The disease is arrogance.
A struggle for human rights is worthy of military intervention. A true threat to our country's security is worthy of war. But a struggle between a country's warring factions, where both sides hate the United States, is not worthy of one more lost American life.
As someone who served in Congress for 14 years, I know the power they hold should they choose to wield it. The Congress passed a resolution authorizing war. They need to pass another that overturns that authorization and brings our troops home by the end of this year. You would think that when the Congress realized they were lied to, they would have done something about it. Well, they still can.’
If Richardson keeps wowing crowds like he did at the DNC, I'd look for him to be breaking into the alleged ‘first tier’ soon.”
http://www.bluemassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6199

From Oval Office 2008:
“It surprised me to find New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson delivering the best speech of the whole event - and it surprised me more that his speech was, in my view, better than the rest by some margin ... it was, I have to say, almost (Bill) Clintonesque in execution. He knew his strength was his track record as Governor, and he played on it remorselessly, before moving nimbly onto his foreign policy experience as well. He brought a clear sense of logic to his approach to Iraq, and expressed it with considerable eloquence. He also took the initiative with his call to his fellow candidates for a clean, positive campaign. It was the performance which, for me, most exceeded expectations. If he can do more of the same on the campaign trail and, importantly, get noticed doing it, I think Richardson has the potential to surprise in this campaign.”http://www.ovaloffice2008.com/2007/02/dnc-speeches-my-assessment.html

From Burnt Orange Report:
“Bill Richardson: Wow. Ok, remember my words here: Bill Richardson will be either of two things in this race - a spoiler for some other candidate much like Clark spoiled Edwards last cycle; or a sleeper candidate who could be thrust into the top tier and have an actual chance in the race. Remember how Bill Clinton did better in NH than expected and the other candidates did worse than expected; propelling him forward. Richardson is poised to do the same. He sure as hell did it this weekend. I had medium expectations of him and he blew me away. He was funny and smart and at-ease. And Presidential. He gave the best speech of the weekend when handicapping for the audience and purpose of the speech. Learn about this guy and pay attention to him. ... Just got back from Richardson's room. From the response he is getting from DNC members, he appears to be a 1st tier candidate. The excitement and size of his crowd was 2nd only to the 1st place tie for Obama and Clinton. I was not the only one heavily impressed with his speech today it appears. None of the other candidates had a reception anywhere close to those three. Well, Edwards might have if he'd stuck around.” http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2829

From Demnotes:
“[Richardson] was probably the surprise of the day in terms of his speech. Governor Richardson gave an energetic and exciting speech about what he's been able to accomplish next door in New Mexico, and what he wants to do nationwide. ... I think the best example of the power of Richardson's speech can best be seen by what we saw in the "meet and greet" rooms after the session this morning. Each candidate has a small conference room where DNC Members can come and meet the candidate personally and ask questions. Governor Richardson was the only candidate besides Hillary Clinton to need an ‘overflow room’ for DNC Members to wait because of the crowd in the main conference room assigned to him.”http://demnotes.com/?p=250 <http://demnotes.com/?p=250>

From Wood Co. Democrats:
“On Governor Bill Richardson: Though he went noticeably over the soft seven-minute time limit, he kept the audience with him -- not just because he had supporters strategically located throughout the hall but also because he gave a very good speech.”http://woodcodems.blogspot.com/2007/02/we-never-noticedhtml

Richardson at the DNC: Step Back, Here Comes the Next President!

2007-02-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am a little late to the party. For those of you who do read my blog from time to time, many of you know that on weekends I work in a neonatal intensive care unit, and put in 12 hour shifts...so I didn't get to see the speech until just now. My husband, the ruggedly handsome and wonderfully witty Mr. Liberaltruthsayer, put the speech up on our grassroots website "Richardson Brings Hope" and I just saw it. I had to call him halfway through just out of my mind with excitement, wanting to share it with someone!

Watching this video I know...KNOW...Richardson is the right choice for potus. Haven't seen it? Really? Take a look here...(gratuitous plug for our website Richardson Brings Hope).

Richardson is witty, he is forceful, he is great with the crowd, he is even amazingly able to work all of his ideas and accomplishments into the meager seven minutes allotted by the committee. (Not really, but it was funny so I said it).

Richardson shows us time and again WHY he should be the nominee. I believe in my heart that if we nominate Richardson we have the best shot at winning the White House. I believe in my heart that if we elect Bill Richardson president we will begin to solve so many of the problems facing our country and indeed our world.

Governor Richardson, you absolutely blew me away today. I am so proud to call myself a consitutuent, a supporter, and a grassroots activist for your effort.

Viva Richardson!

Introducing Richardson Brings Hope

2007-02-01T09:03:00.000-08:00

I would like to invite you all to join me at the new grassroots website for supporters of Bill Richardson for President...

Richardson Brings Hope

We are concerned Americans who believe that this great nation must move beyond the clouds of fear and shadows of division and into a new tomorrow of hope and promise – and the destiny of the American dream.

These extraordinary times call for extraordinary leadership. We yearn for a peacemaker. We need to believe in honesty and promise and honor in our government. We need to believe once more in our dreams – as individuals, and as Americans. We need to believe in hope again.We need Bill Richardson.

Richardson brings hope and hope is the American dream.

Richardson's Early Days

2007-01-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

The Free New Mexican ran a great story about Richardson's childhood in Mexico in yesterday's issue...

Richardson Responds to the State of the Union

2007-01-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

The president's seventh State of the Union address sounded very much like numbers one through six -- stubborn and out of touch.

His previous speeches were full of promises later broken -- on energy independence, health care affordability, and fiscal responsibility. And once again, he spoke heartwarming words about bipartisan cooperation that just don't fit the polarizing political tactics of this administration and its allies.

Is anyone really listening to him anymore?

It is clear he is not listening to us. He has mired us in Iraq with no end in sight. Our economy no longer works for millions of Americans and multi-billion dollar deficits threaten Social Security and Medicare.

Fortunately, the American people still have a clear idea of what they want in a president. Earlier this week I asked you to write about your vision of what the next president must be able to do.
Reading your responses, I was struck by your longing for trustworthy and mature leadership, for a president with the vision, competence, and integrity to be respected at home and around the world.

Will you ask someone you know to add his or her voice to the thousands who have spoken out about what America needs in its next president? You can ask your friends to give their input here: http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/nextpresident

Here are just a few of your comments. Our next president must be able to:

"... inspire us with a vision that clearly articulates what it means to be an American, in terms of our commitment to core values and in terms of our responsibilities to the world at large."
--Robert B., Scottsdale, AZ

"... act wisely, knowing that America's strength is in our ideas, in our democratic tradition, in our constitutional process, and in the engine of opportunity that makes us the wealthiest nation in the world."
--Gregory K., Albuquerque, NM

"... work effectively with the leaders of other countries to develop solutions to economic, environmental, and health problems that have a global impact."
--Carol R., New York, NY

"... hit the ground running. We've learned to our vast dismay that being president is not a job that you can learn as you go. It is quite possibly the hardest job in the world, and inexperience has global repercussions. We can only entrust the Oval Office to someone who has already demonstrated an absolute command of the issues and global challenges facing our nation."
--Geoff C., Brookline, MA

"... unite the country with a positive purpose, both domestic and international. The next president must be someone who can gain the respect of the citizens of this country and of the international community, restoring America as a role model among nations. The next President must be someone who knows how to negotiate and who is willing to talk with all parties to reach some common resolutions."
--Charlene C., OR

I hope you're as inspired as I am by the strong recognition of the challenges we face, and the hope and determination that we can meet and overcome them together.

I've never been more confident that together we can make the state of our union stronger than ever.

Yours sincerely,
Governor Bill Richardson

The Growing Richardson Netroots Movement

2007-01-26T06:49:00.001-08:00

Since announcing the development of his presidential exploratory committee last weekend, the blogosphere has been on fire with commentary about Governor Bill Richardson and his candidacy. Here are a couple of my favorites...

Terry of CommonTerry, one of the most interesting and pithy blogs I have seen around lately, writes, "Bill Richardson is likely to be the lone governor, running against a host of senators. Therefore, although he is not currently considered to be one of his party's top-tier presidential prospects, he should not be thought of as a long shot either. Indeed, he could be the dark horse among the Democrats. " Be sure to cruise over and read the whole article, and spend some time looking around, it is a very cool blog.

Cee Jay of Cee Jay's Cyberspace writes, "While Richardson isn't liberal enough for my taste on a few issues, I think he can bring our country together to make progress and restore our reputation in the world community." Be sure to visit her blog too, Cee Jay and I have corresponded since her entry here, and she is a very engaging person, with a lot of insight into the world and its transitory nature.

There is a lot of activity out there, though, and most of it seems to be really positive. Of course there are a few out there who use their blogs to perpetuate innuendo and gossip, but even bloggers who support other candidates have positive things to say about Richardson. That really speaks to his ability to appeal to a broad spectrum of the electorate.

2007-01-11T07:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's announcement from Sudan that Governor Bill Richardson had brokered a 60-day cease fire between warring factions has garnered a wide-range of reactions. I posted a diary on Daily Kos here... (and I have to brag a bit, I had it up there before any of the national media had gotten the story up!) which quickly reached the Recommended Dairies list and stayed there for 9 hours! There was a flurry of really interesting commentary, which bears some perusing.

Here are a few contributions from the mainstream media...

Newsweek

Washington Post

New York Times

Of course the blogosphere went wild...and this is my personal favorite, from the UK, Daniel Owen's fabulous blog Oval Office 2008 .

Naturally, this announcement has led to broader speculation that Richardson will run for POTUS, and I am really excited about this. I am standing by, Governor, ready to shout your announcement from the rooftops!

Richardson Brokers Cease Fire in Sudan

2007-01-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Gets Commitment for 60-Day Cease-Fire in Darfur Region of Sudan

KHARTOUM, SUDAN – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that he has secured a commitment from Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al Bashir to agree to a 60-day cessation of hostilities in the Darfur region to allow for a new political process under the Darfur Peace Agreement and the auspices of the African Union and the United Nations. Governor Richardson also spoke this week with rebel leaders who said they would agree to a cease-fire. If all parties follow through with the cease-fire, the A.U. and the U.N. will convene a Peace Summit on March 15 under the framework of the peace agreement.

Governor Richardson also secured the following commitments from President Al Bashir:
· Agreed not to have the National military aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for international organizations.
· Agreed that government forces would attempt to improve security conditions in all areas of Darfur with special emphasis on El Geneina, and would provide protection to food and other humanitarian convoys.
· Agreed to expedite procedures for entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers as well as goods. He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit visas for humanitarian aid workers.
· Agreed to allow and facilitate travel by journalists from all over the world to Darfur.
· Governor Richardson and President Al Bashir reiterated that gender-based violence and such crimes must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of which party or organization was responsible. President Bashir said he would welcome a significant contribution of female members to the AU/UN hybrid operations. In addition the Justice Minister offered analyze and extend existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all gender-based violence.

Joint Press Statement on the conclusion of the visit by Governor Bill Richardson to the Sudan
7th – 10th January 2006

H.E Bill Richardson Governor of New Mexico accompanied by a delegation sponsored by and including members of the Save Darfur Coalition, the leading United States-based Darfur peace advocacy organization, conducted a visit to Sudan to discuss ways to secure peace in the Darfur region of Sudan and the protection of all civilians and other non-combatants. The Governor and the delegation visited EI Fasher and Nayala in Darfur, for meetings with internally displaced persons in Darfur, rebel groups that are signatories to the (DPA) as well as those which are not as of yet, international agencies, the United Nations, and humanitarian aid as well as the Wali of North Darfur and the Deputy Wali of Southern Darfur States and held meetings in Khartoum with H.E President Omer Hassan Al Bashir,Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Ali Ahmed Karti and a number of high ranking Sudanese officials.

Both sides agreed that ending the conflict in Darfur is Sudan's and the international community’s highest priority. Peace, they agreed, can only come through a political settlement that is joined in by and addresses the needs of all parties, on the basis of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) of 5 May 2006 reiterating their support for preserving Sudan's territorial integrity and the importance of respect for Sudan's sovereignty.

Both sides agreed that there was a compelling need for a comprehensive cease-fire to launch a political process based on the DPA that would lead to a durable end to the conflict as soon as possible. Both agreed to a 60-day cessation of hostilities by all parties within the framework of the DPA, accompanied by a start in African Union/United Nations diplomatic efforts, within the framework of the DPA, to begin narrowing the gaps between the non-signatories, including government approval of a field commanders' conference attended by the African Union and United Nations. This would be followed at the appropriate moment by an African Union/United Nations – sponsored peace summit, again in the framework of the DPA, no later than 15 March 2007. Simultaneously, both agreed that the UN needed to expedite as quickly as possible the provision of UN personnel agreed in Addis Ababa and further specified in Abuja in November 2006. President Bashir re-affirmed his commitment to continue to facilitate the deployment of UN personnel and equipment consistent with his agreement with the Secretary General of the UN on Phases II and III, including the eventual conclusions of the Tripartite Committee as stipulated in the DPA.

The two sides noted that Governor Richardson had secured a commitment from commanders of the Justice and Equality Movement and of the Non-Signatory Front to participate in a process including a 60-day cease fire agreement within the framework of the DPA. Governor Richardson and Save Darfur Coalition expressed their grave concern to all parties with whom they met about continuing and increasing attacks on civilians and other non-combatants.

They reiterated that gender-based violence and such crimes must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of which party or organization was responsible, noting that Governor Richardson and the Save Darfur Coalition emphasized the need in all their meetings for implementing mechanisms to ensure that "zero tolerance" policies towards gender-based violence be applied in practice, quickly and robustly. Governor Richardson noted with appreciation President Bashir's commitment to welcome a significant contribution of female members to the AU/UN hybrid operations. Both sides expressed their grave concern at allegations of gender based violence by United Nations personnel in South Sudan.

Governor Richardson and the delegation also met with the Under-Secretary of Justice, the Rapporteur of the Advisory Council for Human Rights and Dr. Attigatt who presented a briefing on Sudanese Government efforts to institutionalize protections for women. The Governor and the delegation accepted the offer to work with the Ministry to analyze and extend existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all gender-based violence.

President Bashir and Governor Richardson also agreed that more light needs to be shed on the full situation in Darfur. President Bashir agreed to allow and facilitate travel by journalists from all over the world to Darfur.

The two sides underscored the need to disarm all armed groups, including the Janjaweed, pursuant to the provision of the DPA, and further agreed not to have the National military aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for international organizations.

President Bashir agreed that government forces would attempt to improve security conditions in all areas of Darfur with special emphasis on El Geneina, and would provide protection to food and other humanitarian convoys. They also agreed that humanitarian aid agencies have greatly assisted the Government and people of Sudan by providing much needed emergency and development aid in Darfur and other parts of Sudan. President Bashir agreed to expedite procedures for entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers as well as goods. He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit visas for humanitarian aid workers. President Bashir noted with satisfaction the strong statements by the Save Darfur Coalition to rebel commanders condemning attacks by their members on humanitarian aid operations and agreed to initiate an ongoing dialogue with the Save Darfur Coalition aimed at ending the violence in Darfur and on achieving a political solution to the crises.

The two sides agreed to apprise African Union Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim and United Nations Special Envoy Jan Eliasson of these developments, so that the African Union and United Nations will facilitate the commanders meeting and launch the political discussion and to maintain regular communication assessing progress on these important initiatives to identify areas of difficulty on which further engagement may be necessary to ensure rapid progress and durable outcomes.

Both sides agreed that an improvement of relations is in the mutual interest of both countries.

From Michelle in Colorado...

2007-01-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

...comes this most adorable of snowmen. I particularily like the "Victory" stance...

Yes, we may be snowed in, friends, but we haven't lost our sense of humor!

Welcome to 2007!

2007-01-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

I was really excited about the dawning of a new year, specifically because I had tickets to attend the Governor's Boots n' Bolos Inagural Ball, and I was really looking forward to getting dressed up and going to Santa Fe and dancing with some fellow democrats. Well, Friday and Saturday we got hit with this...

Two feet and change of some pretty heavy, wet snow fell for two days straight. We in the east mountains are still digging out.

I hate snow.

Oh well, I can still hope for a President Richardson Boots n' Bolos Inaugural Ball!

Here is my consolation prize....

Update: Nevada Democrats Draft Richardson

2006-12-21T11:07:00.000-08:00

Las Vegas, NV— Seventy prominent Nevadans called on New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today to seek the Presidency in 2008. "Nevada will be a lynch-pin in the Democratic Presidential nomination process in 2008 and many Nevadans believe Bill Richardson is the best choice to lead our party", stated "Draft Committee" Chairman Reynaldo Martinez, a resident of Incline Village, and former chief of staff to U.S. Senator Harry Reid. Earlier this year the Democratic National Committee (DNC) designated Nevada to be the second state to hold a nomination contest on January 19, 2008 following Iowa (caucus) January 14 and before New Hampshire (primary) January 22, and South Carolina (primary) January 29. Nevada will be a "caucus" state and the State Democratic Party will sponsor and organize the state-wide event. Martinez added, "Bill Richardson is the Favorite-Son of the West, and the West beginning with Nevada can lead the Democrats to the White House in 2008."Joining Martinez as Co-Chairs of the "Draft Committee" are Hannah Irsfeld of Las Vegas, Judge John F. Mendoza of Las Vegas and Robert McGowan of Reno. Other notable Nevadans calling for Richardson to run include; Carlos Blumberg (Las Vegas), Jeff Taguchi (Las Vegas), John Henry Brebbia (Las Vegas), Dr. R.D. Prabhu (Las Vegas), Horacio Lopez (Las Vegas), Vicki Hulbert (N. Las Vegas), Lee Wastell (Las Vegas), Don Ellis (Henderson), Kim Ellis (Henderson), Eva Garcia (Las Vegas), John Medina (N. Las Vegas), Jose G. Troncoso (Las Vegas), Holly Johnson Troncoso (Las Vegas), Robert Agonia (Las Vegas), Larry Mason (Las Vegas), Marcelo Napoli (Las Vegas), Dr. Rene Cantu (Henderson), Dr. Letitia Medina Worth (Las Vegas), Dr. Lata Shete (Las Vegas), George T. Lopez (Las Vegas), Michael Pariente (Las Vegas), Sandy Ellis (Henderson), Bob Ellis (Henderson), Curtis Anderson (Las Vegas), Dr. Agustin Orci (Las Vegas), Alejandro Alverez (Las Vegas), Sylvia Lazos (Las Vegas), Pat Hodges (Las Vegas), Gloria Martinez Ferree (Henderson), Hugh Ferree (Las Vegas), Mary Geidlel (Las Vegas), Xavier Rivas (Las Vegas), Ismael and Monica Sanchez (Las Vegas), Linda Smith (Las Vegas), Troy Wade (Las Vegas), Fernando Romero (Las Vegas), Earl and Susan Greene (Las Vegas), James E. Rogers (Las Vegas), Harlane and Racquel Sumida (Henderson), Maria Sefchick (Reno), Marino De La Rosa (Reno), Geralda Miller (Reno), Rosemary Flores (Henderson), Vito De La Cruz (Reno), Gus Ramos (Las Vegas), Dr. Raquel Casas (Las Vegas), Lonnie Feemster (Sparks), Luisa Mendoza (Las Vegas), Mario Castro (Las Vegas), Miguel Castro (Las Vegas), Javier Trujillo (Las Vegas), Michael Reed (Reno), Theresa Navarro (Reno), Sherri Overstreet (Reno), Chris and Julie Wedge (Reno), Frederico Bannelos (Carson City), Rita McGeary (Reno), Luis and Emma Guzman (Sparks), Steve Heslop (Sparks), William Thorton (Reno), and Diane Sauer Martinez (Incline Village). The group includes African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, significant Democratic Party activists and environmentalists.

Nevada Democrats to Draft Richardson

2006-12-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

A committee of prominent Nevada democrats have begun a Draft Richardson effort. Nevada will be a leading primary state, with its caucus being held second, between Iowa and New Hampshire.

"A former top aide to incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he is launching a campaign to draft the New Mexico governor into the presidential race.

Reynaldo Martinez, a former chief of staff to Nevada's (Senator Harry ) Reid, issued a statement saying he leads a committee of 70 people who want Richardson to enter Democratic race, which kicks off in January 2008 with caucuses in Iowa and Nevada.

"We call on Governor Richardson to run for president," Martinez said, providing a list of supporters he said included blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, "significant Democratic Party activists" and environmentalists."

New Blog in Town

2006-12-21T07:34:00.000-08:00

There is an exciting new blog covering Bill Richardson that I want to share with you. Creator Landon Mascarez says of his new blog, "The Richardson Solution will be a policy clearinghouse for the Governor - past, present and future. Since our candidate is the only true solution-oriented candidate our there, it will feature old articles about what the Governor has done here in New Mexico, as Energy Secretary and as Ambassador to the United Nations. It will feature current articles about the Governor's current working in New Mexico and the New Progressive plans for the future."

The Richardson Solution offers readers the ability to join and participate with submissions, and I quickly signed up to be a part of this exciting new effort. It is just another feather in Richardson's cap, a testament to how strong his netroots community is becoming. I am proud to be a cog in that wheel!

National Review Editorial on Richardson

2006-12-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

National Review's Jonathan Martin takes a close look at the potential candidacy of Governor Bill Richardson for the democratic nomination and his take is really interesting.

Read the whole article here...

Martin contends that Richardson, despite the naysayers, has the resume, the credentials, and the contacts to get there, and I agree.

Richardson Asked to Travel to Sudan

2006-12-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - Governor Richardson has been asked to travel to Sudan to help persuade the country’s government to accept a peacekeeping force in the war-torn Darfur region.
The request comes from a Washington, DC-based group, the Save Darfur Coalition.
A Richardson spokesman, Pahl Shipley, says the governor is honored by the request and would like to help.
Shipley says Richardson is consulting with the State Department, the Sudanese government and the United Nations.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has rejected a UN Security Council resolution that provides for beefing up the poorly funded and equipped 7,000-troop African Union force to about 22,000 peacekeepers under UN leadership.

Russell Shaw on 2008

2006-12-15T16:37:00.000-08:00

Columnist Russell Shaw has weighed in on the 2008 race and the pop culture fascination with Senator Barak Obama. In yesterday's Huffington Post Russell opines..."Enough With Obama Already: We're Electing a President, Not A Personality" and says about Governor Bill Richardson, "I'll tell you someone the Dems could nominate who does have the experience. That would be popular New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Valuable gubernatorial executive experience running a growing and complex state? Right where he is. Valuable national executive experience? Was Energy Department Secretary under Clinton. International diplomatic experience? Was the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. During his 14 years as a Congressperson, (as compared to Sen. Obama's two years).he garnered significant foreign policy knowledge."

Click here to read more....

Richardson Greets North Koreans

2006-12-15T12:33:00.000-08:00

This is a photo from the Governor greeting the delegation from North Korea today, in Santa Fe at the Governor's Mansion. I will have more photos and updates as the day progresses.

New Hampshire, Get Ready for Richardson!

2006-12-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

Here he comes, New Hampshirians (Hampshirites? someone give me a heads up here!) Governor Bill Richardson is on his way! Here are the scheduled events...

Governor Bill Richardson’s Public Schedule in New Hampshire:

December 16 – 17, 2006

Albuquerque – At the invitation of the New Hampshire Democratic Party and several newly elected members of the New Hampshire State Legislature, Governor Bill Richardson will travel to New Hampshire to celebrate Governor John Lynch’s reelection and the first Democratic legislative majority in the state since the Civil War. His trip will include a speech to the New Hampshire Democratic Party as well as a meeting with Governor Lynch. As Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, Governor Richardson’s support for gubernatorial and legislative candidates across the country helped put Democratic governors in the majority for the first time since 1994 and played an important part in legislative successes in several states.

“Governor Richardson played a major role in electing Democrats across the country,” said Campaign Manager Amanda Cooper. “His friends and colleagues in New Hampshire invited him to join them in celebrating their success.”

The Governor’s public schedule is as follows:

December 16, 2006

11:00am – 11:40am:
Speech to the New Hampshire Democratic Party State Committee
St. Anselm College New Hampshire Institute of Politics
100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, NH 03102

2:20pm – 2:45pm:
Meeting with State Representative Gil Shattuck
Central Square Emporium
5 West Main Street, Hillsborough, NH 03244

3:30pm – 4:30pm
House party for Senator Molly Kelly
111 Vessel Rock Road, Gilsum, NH 03448

December 17, 20062pm – 3pm
House party for State Representative Eileen Ehlers
14 Ardon Drive, Hooksett, NH 03106

Governor Bill Richardson to Meet with North Korean Delegation in Santa Fe

2006-12-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

North Koreans request meeting with Governor to discuss upcoming six-party talks

SANTA FE, NM - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will meet with two top North Korean officials this Friday, December 15, in Santa Fe. The North Koreans asked for the meeting with Governor Richardson to discuss the upcoming multi-lateral talks regarding the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

The so-called six-party talks include North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. They are scheduled to resume Monday, December 18, in Beijing, China. Two diplomats from the North Korean Mission to the United Nations, Minister Kim Myong Gil and First Secretary Song Se Il, have been granted permission by the US State Department to make the visit to Santa Fe.

“While I will not be acting as an official representative of the administration, I am pleased to do whatever I can to help increase understanding between our two countries and help move the 6-party talks forward,” said Governor Richardson. “I believe we have an opportunity to use diplomacy to end this crisis and bring stability to the Korean Peninsula. I will press the North Koreans to start dismantling their nuclear weapons.”

The North Korean delegation will arrive in New Mexico Friday morning and meet with Governor Richardson in the afternoon at the Governor’s mansion. "We have reached a critical crossroads in the effort to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons," stated Dr. K.A. Namkung, Governor Richardson's senior advisor. "The North Koreans' visit to Santa Fe this week will hopefully help move the talks forward."

Governor Richardson has dealt extensively with North Korea during his tenure as US Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Energy Secretary. He has traveled to North Korea five times, most recently last October. This will be the second North Korean delegation to travel to Santa Fe to meet with Governor Richardson. The first visit took place shortly after he took office in January, 2003.

Governor Richardson's Speech on Immigration

2006-12-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Thank you all very much. Gracias, Lisa. Muy bien hecho! Foreign service- a student after my own heart. I am very sure you will continue to make New Mexico Proud. And by the way, the answer is “Christmas”. For those who don’t speak “chile”, that means both red and green chile.

Thank you also Professor Lotrionte. I am very familiar with your distinguished career and I am grateful that your organization sponsored my appearance here today.

I come here today as a border state Governor, and a Hispanic-American who knows that our nation can no longer afford to ignore the issue of illegal immigration. I come here as a Democrat who believes my party has an obligation as the new majority party to pass comprehensive legislation to reform our immigration laws. And I come here as someone who believes it’s time for our leaders to tell the simple truth about this – and every other – issue.

Today, there are over 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Most are law abiding, except for the fact that they have entered this country illegally. And almost all have come here to work -- to build a better life for themselves and their families, just as previous generations of immigrants have done.

Eleven million people living in the shadows is a huge problem, and we need to address it intelligently and thoughtfully -- and urgently. If Congress fails to do so, it will only get worse, and the demagoguery about it which we have heard so much of recently will only get louder.

As the California-born son of an American father and a Mexican mother, I have known immigrants all my life and I know why they come to America. And as Governor of New Mexico I have known the problem of illegal immigration all too well – we live with this issue every day in my state. Like it or not, these people have become part of the fabric of our economy and our culture. They have broken the law to enter our country, but they are here -- there are millions of them building and cleaning our homes and offices, picking and cooking our food, caring for our children. These men and women are here illegally, but they work hard, pay taxes, and contribute to the communities they live in.

Eleven million people living in the shadows is a huge problem, and we need to address it intelligently and thoughtfully -- and urgently. If Congress fails to do so, it will only get worse, and the demagoguery about it which we have heard so much of recently will only get louder. America needs to SOLVE this problem, not tear itself apart over it. I believe the American people are better than the demagogues think we are, and that the voters proved it on November 7th. The most extreme candidates lost across the country.

Seventy percent of Hispanic citizens voted Democratic, and most non-Hispanics also rejected the divisive politics of the anti-immigrant extremists. I hope that the Republican right-wing learned its lesson and that sensible Senators and Congressmen from both parties can now come together and address this real problem with real solutions. I also hope that President Bush, whose rhetoric has been moderate on this issue, will now step up and lead a bipartisan comprehensive reform effort.

Think for a moment about the quality of life for an undocumented worker. No protection from unscrupulous employers. No job benefits. No health care, no pension, no Social Security, no workers compensation, no Medicare or disability insurance. Yet – despite what some people would have you think -- almost all of these workers pay taxes, including Social Security and Medicare taxes. Because in order to find work they must either use someone else’s Social Security number or make one up. Since they will never collect benefits, these illegal workers are subsidizing our Social Security and Medicare trust funds with their payroll taxes. And those who are not paying into Social Security and Medicare are working under the table, and are at even greater risk of being exploited. No minimum wage, no safety standards, no over-time, no protection against sexual harassment or even sexual abuse.

Many workers change jobs every few months because their employer finds out that their Social Security number is invalid or belongs to someone else. Most undocumented immigrants come to the United States to work low-wage jobs which few Americans want, such as picking crops or cleaning toilets. Our economy creates demand for at least 400,000 new low-skill illegal immigrants per year, but only about 140,000 are allowed to enter legally.

When demand and legal supply are so out of line, the pressures for illegal immigration are enormous. And let’s not forget what kind of lives the vast majority of illegal immigrants were living in their home countries – what propels them to come here in the first place. Economic opportunity and upward mobility in Mexico and Central American countries are limited, and half of all Mexicans live in poverty and a fifth live in extreme poverty. When there are hundreds of thousands of relatively good paying new jobs available every year a few hundred miles to the north the result is completely predictable.

Yes, we are talking about people who knowingly have broken the law. And they should be held accountable, like all lawbreakers. But we also are talking about people who are economic refugees, and who contribute significantly to America’s economic success and to the economic and political stability of their home countries – with the billions in remittances they send home to their families every year.

If we’re going to tell the truth we’ll admit that entire sectors of our economy rely on these laborers – construction, restaurants, and agriculture, for example. Without them, many American businesses simply could not continue to function. By some estimates, undocumented workers account for fully 2% of our national economy. 11 million lawbreakers is a daunting number – and more arrive every day. Such widespread disregard for the law is corrosive of our civic culture, and must not be allowed to continue. A nation of laws cannot allow millions of undocumented immigrants to live in the shadows and hundreds of thousands more to enter the country illegally every year.

For decades politicians have passed laws on immigration with a wink and a nudge, with no intent of following through and making sure those laws were enforced. For far too long, the immigration debate has been about electoral politics, not about policy. We need more honest leadership than that. We need to stop exploiting the immigration problem, and start solving it. We need to pass realistic laws and then enforce them rigorously. Despite the campaign rhetoric, I refuse to believe that most House Republicans really favor trying to round up 11 million people, separating them from their children who are citizens, and deporting them en masse. But that’s what the bill they passed in the House of Representatives on December 16, 2005 would require. Americans don’t want that and I believe the results of the 2006 elections prove it.

Only in a few races for local office in communities that have been dramatically transformed in recent years by illegal immigration was anybody defeated for public office because they supported a moderate approach to the problem. Certainly no congressional or gubernatorial candidate was defeated for that reason. I got almost 70 percent of the vote for Governor this year in New Mexico – 15 percent more than in 2002 when I was first elected, and New Mexico is a swing state. This is after I implemented a policy to grant drivers licenses without regard to legal residency. As a result of this policy we got the percentage of uninsured drivers down from 31 percent to 12 percent.

New Mexicans want our roads to be safe and the driver who rear-ends them to be insured. We want our highway cops to focus on catching drunk drivers, not illegal immigrants. The Federal government has failed to deal with illegal immigration, forcing state governors to deal with the consequences of this failure. Governors must promote public safety and ensure that all residents of the state -- welcome or unwelcome, legally here or not -- are productive, self-supporting, and law abiding contributors to our community. But treating illegal immigrants like human beings won’t make the problem go away. We also need to face up to the problem, and that begins with better border security.

Last year I declared a State of Emergency along our border with Mexico because the situation there had gotten out of hand. Nobody was addressing the issue in Washington, D.C., and crime, drugs and lawlessness were out of control. I also was the first Governor to meet President Bush’s request to send National Guard troops to the border, because the situation is a national security concern as well.

Al Qaeda took decades to find a way to hit America hard and terrorists are still out there, probing, plotting, and preparing for their next attack. I know that full well from my diplomatic experience. If there’s a way for them to get into this country and attack us again they will find it. We need to stop them, and border security is essential to doing so. I believe in recognizing the reality of the immigration problem and addressing it head-on.

I reject both the cheap rhetoric we heard in this year’s campaign, AND I reject the fears of some Democrats that taking action will cause our party political harm. We should seek a bipartisan solution to the problem of illegal immigration, and I believe such a solution is at hand. We have a unique opportunity to deal with this issue in 2007 and if we let it pass we might not get another opportunity for years to come. Illegal immigration has doubled in the past ten years and if it is not addressed it could double again in the next ten years. Think of the demagoguery we will hear then!

So I am calling on the Democratic Congress to act swiftly to work with the President and solve this problem. And it can be solved by taking four realistic steps -- securing the border, increasing legal immigration, preventing employers from hiring illegal workers, and providing a path to legalization for most of the 11 million illegal immigrants already here.

Securing the border must come first – but we must understand that building a fence will not in any way accomplish that objective. No fence ever built has stopped history and this one wouldn’t either. The Congress should abandon the fence, lock, stock, and barrel. It flies in the face of America as a symbol of freedom.

This is what we should do: immediately put enough National Guard troops at the border to keep it covered until we can secure it with Border Patrol officers. That should take no longer than three years. If it takes another year, let’s do it.

Second, we must hire and train enough Border Guards to actually cover the entire border. I have spent a lot of time at the border and I know we cannot secure it with a fence, but we can secure it with enough trained Border Patrol officers. I propose doubling the number of Border Patrol agents from approximately 12-thousand to 24-thousand. That would secure the border. And you could more than pay for it with the funding for the first segment of that ill-advised fence between, Mexico and the United States. Real security, real results, at a fraction of the financial or political cost.

Third, we should give the Border Patrol the benefit of the best surveillance equipment available to our military. And, as suggested by Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a leader on immigration issues, we should implement a system of “informant visas” and cash rewards for aliens who provide law enforcement with information on human traffickers and document forgers. We should establish a “fraudulent documents task force” to constantly update law enforcement and border officials on the latest fraudulent documents being marketed for entry into the United States.

Finally, we have to work closely with the Mexican government. Illegal immigration is, at its root, primarily an economic problem: Mexicans need jobs and incomes, and Mexico benefits greatly from illegal immigration to the United States. It is a safety valve for their unemployed, and a major source of revenue in their economy, from the money illegal workers here send home. Under present conditions, the Mexicans just don’t have enough incentive to give us the help we need at the border. Mexico needs to do more to stem the flow. But if we create a reasonable guest worker program and provide a path to legalization for illegal immigrants already here – as I will discuss in a moment -- there is every reason to expect Mexico to do its part to create more jobs in Mexico and to help us with border security. The Mexicans, after all, also suffer great harm from the lawlessness at the border, from drug smuggling and the simple misery of people trying again and again to get into the United States illegally. But don’t expect the Mexican government to do anything if we’re going to talk about building a Berlin-style wall and deporting millions of Latinos.

Two weeks ago I met with Mexican President Calderon and he told me he is willing to do work with us to stop illegal immigration – if the United States is willing to address the crisis honestly and realistically along with him. If we refrain from building the fence (which, as I have said, is a waste of money anyway), I believe that the Mexicans would to step in with real efforts to help us patrol the border more effectively. We need to build a special relationship with our neighbor to the south, so that we can jointly patrol the border, and work together on creating more jobs for Mexicans at home in Mexico. President Bush needs to address this issue with Mexico aggressively and realistically. He needs to use his last two years to turn President Calderon’s good intentions into good efforts.

One of the reasons for my meeting with President Calderon was to pitch a plan to develop border infrastructure to move goods through the free-trade zones along the border, revitalizing communities on both sides of the border and creating much-needed jobs. This kind of action takes face-to-face diplomacy- something this country has been far too reluctant to engage in lately.

I believe many problems can be solved by facing them head-on, face-to-face. My entire career has been based largely on that principle.Earlier today, I was very proud to stand with Secretary General Insulza of the organization of American States, who has appointed me as a Special Envoy to the OAS for Hemispheric Relations. I will work on special assignments in Latin America at the request of the Secretary, with a special focus on economic development and immigration. It would be my goal to demonstrate to OAS member states that they have an equal responsibility to solve the immigration problem, and work together on many important issues.

Once the border is secure we must make it possible for employers to meet legally their unskilled labor needs. Raising the minimum wage to $7.50 dollars an hour will motivate more Americans to fill some of these jobs, but most low-wage jobs will still need to be filled by immigrants – because there simply are not enough Americans who want them. If the US economy needs these workers, it is in our national interest to let more of them come legally, by increasing combined legal quotas for temporary and permanent taxpaying immigrants to 400,000 workers per year.

To keep families together, we also should double the number of family member visas, from 480,000 to 960,000. We also need to improve the efficiency and transparency of our legal immigration machinery, which is plagued by long delays and huge backlogs. We need clearer procedures and more rapid and efficient processing of immigration petitions, so that fewer people will seek to evade the legal process, and more can be admitted legally.

The McCain-Kennedy legislation passed by the Senate this year provided an excellent framework for a guest worker program: pay an application fee, undergo a medical examination and a background check, the initial work period would be three years and it could be extended for up to three more years, if you’re out of work for more than 45 days you must return to your home country or last country of residence, you can change employers, but if you break the law you must leave. Those are realistic and sustainable requirements. The number of guest workers allowed at any one time must be based upon the needs of the US economy. The goal must be to meet demand for jobs that go unfilled by American citizens, and no more. Increasing the minimum wage will help, but we must make certain that no American loses a job because of a guest worker program.

Enforcement of our minimum wage laws also must improve: any employer who pays less than the minimum wage to any worker must face both high fines and a high probability of getting caught. We also must expand employment-training for low-wage American workers. We also need a national system to reliably and instantaneously verify the legal status of every job applicant and worker. We cannot stop illegal immigration if we continue to look the other way on illegal employment.

We need a national, non-duplicable electronic worker identification document to be used exclusively for employment purposes. Such a system must come with legal protections against it being used to discriminate in hiring practices, as well as privacy safeguards. After the institution of such an ID system, employers will have no excuses: those who knowingly hire undocumented workers must face serious and certain penalties. Those who hire illegal immigrants are law-breakers too, and like illegal immigrants themselves, they must be held to account for breaking the law. Finally, there is the question of the status of the 11 million illegal immigrants who are here today.

The legislation passed last December by the Republican House of Representatives was a monument to demagoguery. It actually proposed making felons of 11 million people and rounding them up for deportation. Clearly, this would be impossible to do. The number of illegal immigrants is five times the number of inmates in all American prisons combined. Our economy could not stand the shock of losing all these workers, and our national conscience would not countenance arresting millions of men, women and children. We did this to Japanese Americans in 1942, and we rightfully regret that abandonment of basic American decency.

So the choice is clear: either we leave 11 million people in limbo and let them be joined by millions more, or we devise a path to earned legalization. You certainly can’t enact a guest worker program without dealing with the millions already here, and the economic reality is that the demand for workers will be met with immigrants one way or another.

Providing a path to earned legalization is not amnesty, albeit some will call it that. Let them: Fear mongers spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to call it amnesty -- and the American people saw through it. Polls show that large majorities of Americans favor providing illegal immigrants a path to legalization.

Still, the path to legalization should recognize that laws have been broken. The presence of most of them benefits this country, but there must be accountability. Almost all illegal workers pay into the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. By legalizing them, they all will. And to be legalized, they should be required to pay any other back taxes they owe. They also should pay a fine for breaking the law. And they must learn English and have a clean record. If they meet all of these requirements, we should say, “Welcome to America. You’re now a legal worker. Just remember, you’re our guests and you must continue to follow these rules, and those that don’t will face the consequences." And with instantaneous worker verification in place, we’ll be able to do it.

Finally, let me return to the subject of family. Our Constitution states unambiguously that if you are born in the United States you are a citizen of this country and you are guaranteed equal protection under all of our laws. It’s estimated that more than 50% of all illegal immigrants have children who thus are citizens of the United States. If we required their parents to leave what would become of the minor children? Would they be made wards of the state somehow? They cannot be required to leave along with their parents. This is one of the reasons why I believe the legislation was passed in the House without any intent of it ever becoming law – which is transparently dishonest leadership. And I believe the proponents of immigration reform have nothing to fear from those who have resorted to such tactics.

The voters are fed up with that kind of politics and they are fed up with the failure to address pressing problems like illegal immigration. Most Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against the Republican bill to criminalize illegal immigration and Democrats are now in charge of the House. A bipartisan majority in the Senate passed the McCain-Kennedy bill. That majority grew larger on Election Day. And President Bush supports a guest worker program and a path to legalization.

The new political lineup in Washington means that Congress has the numbers to pass a comprehensive immigration reform law next year which the President will sign. We have a historic opportunity to solve a problem that is tearing our country apart. We must not miss this chance. The Democratic Agenda for the next Congress is an excellent one – raise the minimum wage, get lobbyists out of the business of writing legislation, allow Medicare to negotiate for the lowest possible prescription drug legislation, enact all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, and change the course of our Iraq policy. Immigration reform must be added to the top of that list. The Democrats won the election and the price of leadership is doing what’s right for America.

Thank you very much.

Governor Richardson Seeks Help for Immigrant

2006-11-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post from last Friday, November 17, included a must-read article on Governor Richardson's efforts to assist an illegal immigrant currently taking refuge in a Chicago catholic church.

Excerpt:

Richardson has followed Elvira Arellano's case in news reports and considers her family's plight a "perfect example" of why immigration reform is necessary, his spokesman Jon Goldstein said.
Arellano, a former cleaning woman at O'Hare International Airport convicted of using a false Social Security number, has been in the church since August. Her 7-year-old, U.S.-born son, Saul, this week traveled to Mexico and successfully lobbied its Chamber of Deputies to call for the U.S. Congress to suspend the deportation of illegal immigrant parents of U.S. citizens.

"The Arellano case puts a spotlight on the danger of not acting on a comprehensive immigration plan," Richardson wrote Wednesday in a letter to Bush that was released by the governor's office Thursday. "Inaction puts our most vulnerable citizens _ the estimated three million American citizen children of illegal immigrants _ at risk."

The governor, whose mother is from Mexico, said that deporting Arellano will create a "terrible choice" for the family _ forcing the boy to leave his mother if he stays in the U.S. or "forfeit his right to grow up an American."

The Bush administration, of course, is refusing to treat the situation with any logical consideration. What immigration hardliners fail to understand is that by deporting parents of US Citizens they are breaking up families, creating a whole new class of orphans.

New Mexico has a better understanding of the immigration issue. We are a border state, a state that is only about 85 years old, and the border grew up around our people. Any viable solution to the immigration "problem" needs to show compassion for families.

Happy Birthday Governor Richardson!

2006-11-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

I hope that you are having a great birthday (and still enjoying your early birthay gift of the election results!) I hope we are buying you a cake soon that looks like the White House!

A Photo from Election Night

2006-11-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

Workie-Work! Busy Bee!

2006-11-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ok I have been doing some blog "housekeeping" today and found I had missed some new "...for Richardson blogs, so over on my blogroll you will now find several additions, including...Maine, Kentucky, Florida, Massachussets, and Virginians for Richardson.

Welcome all, my apologies for being so off my game, and please contact me for anything you need!

Cara

Meet "South Carolina for Richardson"

2006-11-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

I would like to direct you to the newest member of the "...for Richardson" blog family, "South Carolina for Richardson." It is always fun to find a new blog dedicated to promoting the candidacy of my beloved Governor for the presidency in 2008. Thank you Ken Camp for finding the newest one! You are a great blog hunter!

Got Milk?

2006-11-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Get your glasses of New Mexico's "New Favorite Drink" ready, tonight is the big night!

My blogger friends are gathered at the party PARTY and I will be live blogging from home on this site and Liberaltruthsayer. So stay tuned to LTS for all the updates on returns nationally, and to New Mexicans for Richardson for New Mexico news!

Cool Richardson Project for Us All!

2006-10-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

My new pal Michelle, over at Colorado for Richardson, has a new project we can all get involved in. Visit her project at:

http://hometown.aol.com/mlindsey5/billrichardson.html

It is really cool!

Bill Richardson on Real Time with Bill Maher Video Link

2006-10-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Click here to check out the full interview!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdTDR4IZSMQ

Governor on Real Time: After the Show

2006-10-21T06:10:00.000-07:00

Ok I would have posted this last night but my husband was fixing my computer.

I thought the interview was great. Richardson was affable and bright, and really talked in an articulate manner about the situation with North Korea in a way that didn't use platitudes or empty headed rhetoric, the stuff we have become way too familiar with during the Bush Administration.

He really is impressive!

I particularily enjoyed when Maher alluded to a possible presidential run, and he said to the Governor..."So your mother is from Mexico, your father from Nicaragua, why the waspy name?" and Richardson came back with, "Well, I haven't decided on a presidential run, but if I do I will sure be the 'dark horse'!

Priceless.

Ok, now we just need to see him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.

Welcome to the "...for Richardson" family, Colorado!

2006-10-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

I would like to take a moment to welcome to the blogging community the newest "... for Richardson" blog, Colorado for Richardson hosted by the very talented and bright Michelle...

Welcome Michelle!

Bill Richardson Alert!

2006-10-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Good Governor is scheduled to appear on this week's "Real Time with Bill Maher" which airs Friday evening on HBO.

Forget Chris Matthews, forget Tim Russert...Bill Maher is THE interview.

Governor Richardson on Hannity and Colmes

2006-10-11T13:45:00.001-07:00

Governor Richardson will be appearing on tonight's Hannity and Colmes, on the Faux News Network, consult your local listings. It will be interesting to hear the voice of a democrat on that show.

Governor Richardson on the Today Show

2006-10-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Governor Richardson, proving once again that he is the adult in the room on the issue of foriegn policy, is interviewed by Matt Lauer for The Today Show.

Click here to watch!

Gov. Richardson on The Situation Room with Wolf (Chris) Blitzer

2006-10-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

A transcript from the show:

"Joining us now, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson. He spent time in North Korea as an envoy and as former U.S. energy secretary, as well.

Governor, thanks very much for coming in. Is there blame -- do you blame the Bush administration's refusal to deal directly with North Korea? The North Koreans wanted respect, if you will. Do you blame the Bush administration for the current predicament?

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: It's a combination of factors, Wolf. I think three things have to happen. The Bush administration needs to, one, push for the sanctions of military technology, financial transactions at the United Nations, get international support for our position.

Secondly, China has to step up and put real pressure on the North Koreans. They've refused to do that; I think now is the time to do it.

The third step that I would take, which the administration has not done, is send their very capable negotiator, Chris Hill, to talk directly to the North Koreans, to negotiate the deal that we had a year ago, which basically says, in exchange for North Korea not getting attacked by the United States in the six-party talks, they dismantle their nuclear weapons.

So it's a matter of psychological warfare here, but by ignoring North Korea, by not talking to them, by being obsessed with our Iraqi policy and not confronting the major problems in Iran, and in Syria, and North Korea, as James Baker has said, we should talk directly. This is what I would do.

BLITZER: The administration does point out correctly that there have been direct talks between U.S. diplomats and North Korean diplomats within the framework of bigger negotiations on the sidelines, as the diplomats call it. What's wrong with that?

RICHARDSON: Well, nothing's wrong with that. The trouble is that the North Koreans have not gone back to the talks, and what is needed now is a direct face-to-face approach. You don't have to give anything by talking directly to the North Koreans.

And failure to do that, Chris, I think has made the North Koreans more belligerent. They have proceeded with a missile test, now a nuclear weapons test. There's an arm race in Asia. I think what you do is you shift gears. You're not necessarily changing policy, because at one point we did talk directly to the North Koreans. But, quite frankly, we've refused to do so for sometime.

Chris Hill is a very good negotiator. I'd send him out there immediately to talk turkey about dismantling their nuclear weapons.

BLITZER: Here's what you said, Governor -- we did some checking -- back on January 12, 2003, when you were on ABC. You said, "You know what always happens when you negotiate with the North Koreans. There's always the private position and the public position. Right now, they're intensifying their rhetoric; they're laying out their cards; they're being belligerent in preparation, I believe, for a negotiation. They always do that."

Do you still believe that?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I do, but I think the window is closing. I do think that they feel that their direct talk's potential has diminished. They feel squeezed by financial transactions and squeezing of their Macao bank accounts -- I think properly so -- by the administration.

Now the time has come to, I believe, offer a carrot-and-stick policy. The carrot is you dismantle your nuclear weapons, we don't attack you, and you get food and fuel from the six-party talks. That deal was negotiated about a year and a half ago. That's a good deal. Let's just move forward and get it done before this escalation continues, and an arms race in Asia continues, and North Korea has time to develop even more nuclear weapons. They probably have anywhere from three to six.

BLITZER: You know, there are some Republicans out there who are criticizing the Clinton administration for being "duped" by the North Koreans back in '93-'93, when an earlier deal was made to provide them light-water reactors for civilian purposes, a lot of humanitarian assistance. The North Koreans said, yes, they used that material, supposedly, though, clandestinely to help them with their current nuclear program.

Here's what a report for Dennis Hastert in 1999 said: "Through the provision of two light-water reactors on framework under the framework, the United States will provide North Korea with the capacity to produce annually enough fissile material for nearly 100 nuclear bombs."

You served in the Clinton administration. With hindsight, was that a huge blunder to offer the North Koreans that kind of assistance, nuclear assistance, humanitarian assistance, economic assistance, given their track record as a Stalinist regime?

RICHARDSON: No, it was not a blunder. In fact, it was a success for eight years, because of the agreed framework agreement negotiated by the Clinton administration, the North Koreans did not develop any nuclear weapons. They didn't enrich uranium. Look what's happened since then, because we have not talked to them directly and negotiated directly.

Now, it doesn't make sense to blame each other. I think we've got to move forward in a bipartisan way, because these are nuclear weapons. We have 38,000 American troops in the Peninsula. We've got treaties with South Korea. They've got missiles pointed at South Korea.

Let's just shift gears, stop the blame game, get the politics out of this issue. Talk to them directly. Get sanctions at the United Nations. Build an international support. And get China. I mean, China has enormous leverage with food and fuel assistance. Get them to do something. That is diplomacy, all of that, carrot and stick, talk smart diplomacy.

We've failed to do that. Instead, we call them "axis of evil." Let's talk to them directly. They've got good negotiators in that administration. Chris Hill is one of them. Send him to Pyongyang tomorrow to try to get this thing straightened out. Couple that with sanctions, and get the Chinese to do things. That will at least bring some stability to the issue.

It's not going to resolve it, but being right now strong-headed, we don't talk to regimes that have bad behavior, that's not working. Look at the tension that this bomb has caused. BLITZER: All right. Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, thanks very much for joining us. Always good to have you in THE SITUATION ROOM.

RICHARDSON: Thanks, Chris.

BLITZER: Wolf, not Chris. I don't know who Chris is, but it's Wolf.

RICHARDSON: Wolf. Thank you, Wolf.

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: Thank you."

Paige McKenzie Fund Established

2006-10-06T12:15:00.001-07:00

Albuquerque, NM - Today family and friends of Paige McKenzie established a
charitable fund at First Community Bank with the goal of offsetting rising
medical costs associated with the brutal attack against her earlier this
week. People can donate money to the "Paige McKenzie Fund" at any First
Community Bank in New Mexico. First Community Bank made the first donation
of $500.00 today. People can donate funds in person or send a check to:

First Community Bank
Attn: Paige McKenzie Fund
Post Office Box 3686
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87190

Checks should be made payable to the "Paige McKenzie Fund."
Paige McKenzie is the Communications Director for the Dendahl Gubernatorial
Campaign. Wednesday night Paige was brutally attacked while attempting to
change a flat tire in the town of Bernalillo.

Update on Paige McKenzie

2006-10-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

It is just after 10 pm, and tonight's news from the hospital is that Ms. McKenzie is much improved, and no longer listed as critical. She is able to communicate with investigators, and I am encouraged that she may be able to identify her attacker, and help bring him to justice.

Let's all hope that her recovery continues its speedy pace!

Dendahl's Spokesperson Attacked

2006-10-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

Horrible news this morning...Paige McKenzie, spokesperson for candidate John Dendahl, was attacked in Bernalillo last night. News reports list her in critical condition.

Please join me in sending your thoughts, prayers, good vibrations...whatever works for you...to Ms. McKenzie for a full and speedy recovery, for her family and friends, Mr. Dendahl, and everyone who cares for her, for comfort and peace. I hope the monster who did this to her is swiftly arrested and brought to justice.

UPDATE....

This just in from Governor Richardson....

“I am shocked and disgusted by this brutal, senseless attack. Our thoughts are with Paige and her family and we pray for her full recovery. I have also offered the resources of the State Police to assist with the investigation, should they be needed.”

5 pm update...

I have left a message for Tom Garrity of The Garrity Group, the spokesperson for the McKenzie family, identifying myself and my blog, and asking for more information to keep you guys posted. I will post again when I hear something more.

8 pm update...

I got an email from Tom Garrity and it reads as follows....

Statement from McKenzie Family

Albuquerque, NM – Yesterday Paige McKenzie, Communications Director for the Dendahl Gubernatorial Campaign was brutally attacked while attempting to change a flat tire in Sandoval County.

Today the McKenzie family arrived in Albuquerque and gave the following statement,
"We are saddened by the brutal sequence of events that have left our daughter fighting for her life. We appreciate the prayers and support that has come through in various forms. The support, skilled doctors and Paige’s faith will get us all through this difficult time. We are grateful for the Sandoval County EMT’s who first found Paige and started work to save her life. The care and attention by the doctors here at UNMH is unparalleled. We hope that those responsible for this despicable act will be brought to justice soon. We appreciate your prayers and support during this very difficult time."

The family requests that the media direct any questions or inquiries regarding Paige and her recovery to Tom Garrity, allowing family and friends to be available for Paige during this difficult time. Tomorrow, the family will announce a charitable fund that will be established to help defray medical costs.

I will post the information as it becomes available, on Ms. McKenzie's condition and on where to make a donation.

Richardson Blog

2006-09-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Governor Richardson has a brand new blogsite at this address:

http://blog.billrichardson2006.com/

It is really new, and called The Plaza. Stop by, register, and participate in the discussion!

Editorial in Today's Denver Post

2006-09-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

The Diplomacy of Bill Richardson

Bill Richardson has won international acclaim for his unique diplomatic efforts over the years.

He's won the release of Americans held captive in the most difficult global hot spots - a U.S. pilot shot down over North Korea, three Red Cross workers held hostage in Sudan, captives in Iraq and Cuba.

A few days ago, the governor of New Mexico pulled off a similar achievement that is quite outside his job description.

Richardson negotiated the release of three people from the war-torn region of Darfur, Sudan - a Chicago Tribune journalist on assignment for The National Geographic along with his driver and interpreter.

Preview the Latest Richardson Ad

2006-09-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

Bill Richardson illustrates his famous sense of humor in this new campaign ad...

Click here to preview

Kudos Governor! Such a fun ad!

Richardson Secures Release of Journalist in Sudan

2006-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

from left to right: Calvin Humphrey, the Governor’s foreign policy advisor, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, and President Omar al-Bashir at the President's residence in Khartoum.

Well, I knew he would be successful, because he is a great diplomat and a well respected man.

The "adult in the room" has scored the release of detained journalist Paul Salopek, his translator, and his driver.

Richardson said, “The successful end to this unfortunate episode is a victory for journalism and a free press. Most important, these three men will return home safely to be with their families, friends and colleagues who were relentless in their appeals to have them freed."

Way to go Governor!

Governor Richardson to Make Plea in Sudan

2006-09-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

I would post a PHOTO here, but Blogger is not cooperating....

WASHINGTON -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will fly to Sudan's capital on Thursday to urge the African country's president to release imprisoned Chicago Tribune correspondent Paul Salopek on humanitarian grounds, the governor's office announced.

In what Richardson's office described as a "positive and hopeful" development, the governor received a formal invitation this week to meet with President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum.

The invitation followed Richardson's dinner last week in Washington with Sudan's ambassador to the U.S., Khidir Haroun Ahmed, whom the Democratic governor befriended a decade ago when he negotiated the return of American hostages held by Sudanese rebels."

Paul Salopek is clearly not a spy," Richardson said in announcing the trip. "He's my constituent and he is a talented and respected journalist who was attempting to do his job telling the story of the people, culture and history of the sub-Saharan region known as the Sahel. I will encourage President al-Bashir to recognize the essential role of journalists and release Paul and his colleagues on humanitarian grounds."

MORE

Salopek was working as a freelance journalist for National Geographic in Sudan. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes, and got his start in journalism when his motorcycle broke down in Roswell, NM, and he took a job at the local paper to earn money for repairs.

Best of luck, Governor Richardson, we believe you can secure this man's freedom.

Good Monday Morning!

2006-08-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

From sunny and cool Edgewood, New Mexico...

Campaign news:

Governor Bill Richardson Ranked in Top 10 among Governors in Job Approval

According to the latest Survey USA job-approval poll released today, New Mexico Bill Richardson was ranked as one of the Top 10 Governors in the nation.

The Survey USA poll, conducted August 11-13, reflects a 65 percent approval rate for Governor Richardson in New Mexico. The 65-percent approval rate ties Governor Richardson with Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman.

“I am pleased that a strong majority of New Mexicans approve of the direction we are taking the state,“New Mexico continues to show strong economic growth across the board, which is enabling us to push for additional tax cuts for working New Mexico families, increase access to quality health care and invest students in the classroom.” Governor Bill Richardson said.

The Survey USA Poll surveyed 600 adults in all 50 states; margin of error +/- 4% (release, 8/22).

Welcome to New Mexicans for Richardson

2006-08-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hi, many of you may already know me from this site's sister blog LIBERALTRUTHSAYER!

First I want to establish that this site is not an official Bill Richardson Campaign site. This blog was not started by the Bill Richardson organization. I am a New Mexican, a blogger, and I think that Bill Richardson is the one of the most inspiring leaders I have ever seen, and it is my sincere hope that he runs for President in 2008. We sure love him here in New Mexico, but frankly I think that we need him more in Washington. I am willing to share!

I have been blogging for a few months now, and many entries have been about the good things Governor Richardson has done, but I wanted to set up a blog specifically for Richardson information. If you have information, please send it in. Feel free to comment. I think Richardson's potential candidacy is really exciting, and I hope you do too!

Sincerely,

Cara
The Liberaltruthsayer