Sometimes, I lose faith in humanity

You can disagree with Governor Richardson on a number of issues. But his political experience is unparalleled. Hell, you can even believe that experience is a non-issue in the election. But the fact remains: Richardson has the most, and few others come close.That's why I was stunned when I saw the results of this CNN opinion poll from early December.

When asked who has the right experience to be president, respondents said:

Clinton 55%

Obama 13%

Edwards 11%

Biden 6%

Richardson 5%

Dodd 2%

I will generally refrain from cursing on this site, but are you fucking kidding me?

Let's go to the tape:

Clinton: First Lady of the United States (8 years), junior Senator from New York (6 years)
Obama: Illinois State Senator (a part-time job for 8 years), junior Senator from Illinois (3 years)
Edwards: Senator from North Carolina (6 years)
Biden: Senior Senator from Delaware (33 years, current chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee)
Dodd: Congressman from Connecticut (6 years), Senator from Connecticut (26 years)

And finally...

Richardson: State Department aide (2 years), Congressman from New Mexico (14 years), U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1 year), U.S. Secretary of Energy (2 years), Governor of New Mexico (5 years).

Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson have the more experience than any of the other candidates yet the public believes that, combined, their experience matches that of Obama, who four years ago, was a professor!

This is infuriating.

--Wyndam

Richardson Picks up Key New Hampshire Endorsement

Bill Richardson received a belated Christmas present today: the endorsement of the Conway Daily Sun, a newspaper in the Mount Washington Valley area of New Hampshire.The full editorial is below--overall, it touches on his foreign affairs experience and political clout at home and abroad.

--Wyndam

Bill Richardson, the only heavy-weight in bout for Democratic nomination

Sen. Joe Biden, a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, said in a recent interview that if it weren't for Iowa and New Hampshire, the candidate with the most money would always win.

Retail politics works. And it's not overstating it to say that because N.H. voters see, hear and meet the candidates in person, we are better informed than voters in the rest of country, who rely primarily on electronic media.

The result: N.H. voters often pick winners, and if not winners, candidates who, in hindsight, should have won. How much better off would the Republican Party-and the United States-be today if the rest of the country had followed New Hampshire eight years ago and elected

Sen. John McCain?

In 2000, the Sun was the only newspaper in New Hampshire to endorse McCain in the Republican primary. In 2004, we supported Gen. Wesley Clark over Sen. John Kerry in the Democratic primary. Granted, neither won, but we feel as good about those selections today as we did then.

We live in a world where Russia's leader may rewrite his country's constitution to maintain power, and where violence is often the political tool of choice, as in much of the Middle East. It is remarkable, and a testament to the strength of this country, that the next leader of the free world understands the real power of this country is in its people, and the path to the White House includes running the gauntlet at little N.H. newspapers like the Sun.

The editorial staff of the Sun is extraordinarily fortunate to have had exclusive access to the candidates. Without handlers at their sides or the national media butting in, most of the candidates have given our eight writers and editors an hour to engage in freewheeling question-and-answer exchanges.

Our staff takes seriously its bit part in selecting the next president. It is impossible to completely discount the "electability" factor and screen out mainstream media, but each of us weighs heavily what we observe in these editorial board interviews.

In our opinion, this year's Democrats are stronger than we've ever seen, and out of three that we believe could be good presidents, we endorse N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson.

It boils down to this: Sen. Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards are clearly highly principled people of integrity, and in another race the Sun would have supported one of them.

While Obama and Edwards have the big media budgets, neither has the experience of Richardson. And as for Hillary Clinton, this is what fringe candidate and straight-talking former Sen. Mike Gravel says.

"The Clintons should read the Constitution, eight years is all they get."

A handful of years as senator for each of them simply does not stack up to Richardson's powerful resume as a former congressman, energy secretary, U.N. ambassador, and now, governor of New Mexico.

Like our own Gov. John Lynch, Richardson is a big hit in his home state, where he is considered one of the nation's most environmentally-conscious governors. In New Mexico, he has raised the minimum wage, given all children under 5 access to health insurance, cut taxes and is pro-business.

On the national level, his experience negotiating with bad boys like Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro and the North Koreans is world-renowned. Richardson gained the reputation as Pres. Bill Clinton's top international troubleshooter, and during the '90s humorously referred to himself as the "undersecretary of thugs." His success as a negotiator also earned him four nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Richardson has heavyweight credentials for a heavyweight job; Obama, Edwards and Clinton, by comparison, have barely found their way into the ring.

The knock against Richardson is that he doesn't have the dynamic personality of Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton, although in person he's funny and engaging. Asked about this rap and to compare himself to Bill Clinton, Richardson says, "Yes, Clinton can electrify a room, but I can get it done." We're convinced he can, and we ask you to join us in voting for him.

The Man We Need Now

To Hillary Clinton, the recent tragedy in Pakistan should not be politicized. But only in crisis is leadership tested and proven.

I've never felt stronger in my support for Governor Richardson. While most of the other candidates hem and hew, while they bicker or make gimmicky phone calls to Musharraf, Richardson responds boldly and specifically.

Like President Bush, Richardson is steadfast under criticism. Unlike President Bush, Richardson is experienced, brave, and ready for change. He is the man we need now.

When choosing a president, all issues pale in comparison to foreign policy and national security. Of the democratic contenders, only Biden and Richardson have the experience necessary to lead there. And only Richardson has proven his effectiveness time and again in the positions that count.

We may not agree with Richardson on every issue, but America ignores him at its peril.

--Alex

Richardson is shafted by the media; America pays the price

In most of my discussions with Alex, Mike and other Richardson supporters, the media coverage of the governor's campaign is inevitably mentioned. We feel that it is paltry, and that the mainstream media has made a point of shining the spotlight solely on the front runners and practically never on the so-called second-tier candidates. And when they do shed the rare light on these candidates, they treat it as a novelty piece--look at me, I'm writing about an unknown politician! (Example: Mark Steyn of the National Review recently wrote a piece on Richardson's Pakistan plan. He introduces Richardson as: "Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is apparently running for the Democratic presidential nomination...").

In the debates, Richardson and others of his ilk (Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, etc.) are shunned, as the key policy questions are aimed at Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. Funny, since Richardson, Biden and Dodd are seasoned political veterans who have more experience in most fields individually than the "Big 3" have combined.

The media plays such a major role in elections and candidate visibility that anything less than ostensibly balanced coverage does a massive disservice to the American people--they are kept in the dark as the most qualified candidates go uncovered. Without decent attention, the race is essentially narrowed down to three candidates before the primaries even begin, since in the court of public opinion, only the three front runners, and a few "other" candidates exist. Richardson who?

But don't take my word for it: read this article by Brent Budowsky for the Huffington Post. He explains our displeasure.

--Wyndam

Why I'll vote for Bill

Barack Obama is a symbol of re-birth and interconnectedness – a beautiful thing for a country desperate to prove that the rest of the world can believe in it again.

Hillary Clinton is powerful, talented, connected, and capable – necessary for a country yearning for competence in the White House.

John Edwards is the manifestation of passionate resentment towards corporate America – cathartic for the multitudes disillusioned by our grossly inequal economy.

But...

I don't just want a president who can prove America's capacity for cultural understanding;

I don't just want a president who knows politics inside and out;

I don't just want a president who genuinely cares about the disaffected.

No,

I want it all. And I want someone who's proven it as an executive.

Bill Richardson for President. Don't compromise on anything.

--Alex

Some Christmas Videos

Merry Christmas, everyone!

At The Richardson Campus, we are devoted to getting student views on Governor Richardson out to the public. I have scoured the web (all right, YouTube) to find a few videos of students in action, supporting the campaign with their creativity, intelligence and initiative. And, in the holiday spirit of giving, here are three of the best clips for your enjoyment.

Drake student Max Maher tells why he is going to caucus for Gov. Bill Richardson.



Students from Dartmouth College and Tufts University show their support for Gov. Bill Richardson.



I'm not sure if this student made, but I like the ingenuity of this video. It was originally created for the Genius Rocket primary, where movies are made in support of each candidate. This clip combines the two entries for Governor Richardson.

--Wyndam

The Governor is funny, candid. Does that hurt him?

An interesting article came out today in the Nashua Telegraph titled "Richardson a little rough underneath." Among other things, it discusses Governor Richardson's sincerity and frankness. He doesn't cater to what he thinks people want to hear--instead, he stands firmly on his beliefs and stances on issues; he never flip-flops (the same cannot be said for other candidates); and he does not sidestep questions--Governor Richardson is remarkably blunt, and not above cracking a joke or two. His humor shows in his 2008 and 2006 campaign commercials.

"The American people . . . don't want blow-dried candidates with perfection," Richardson said during the first Democratic presidential debate.

This isn't just an image he puts on in public, though: his demeanor extends behind closed doors. He cuts through bureaucratic nonsense to get to the hearts of matters, and as a result has been remarkably successful. While he's determined, he is also able to relate to others on a personal level: when he had to negotiate with Fidel Castro, he began by talking about baseball; when he learned the Japanese Foreign Minister liked cigars, he made sure to bring some to a meeting, only to take them out at the most appropriate time. Of course, none of this stops him from his ultimate goals--if anything, these characteristics help him reach them sooner.

And while his personality endears him to many of his constituents, the article asks the ever-present question: Is he presidential enough? He insists on being candid (a.k.a human), staying on point and solving problems instead of putting up the perfect public face. Does that hurt him?

The Telegraph doesn't take a stance, though it does mention some of the problems he faces because of this (such as naming Byron White as a favorite Supreme Court justice, which Michael talked about here).

I, too, am undecided. Does his persona hurt him? If anything, once I discuss the governor's personality with my peers, they seem to like him more. But of course, not all voters are 18-25 year olds--in fact, few are. His personality shouldn't hurt him, but it might if people are a) more focused on the image a candidate projects rather than the positive results he has on record and/or b) scared at the thought of a president speaking freely and acting like a person, not just a political tool.

"I'm not changing," he said in a recent interview. "Do I have faults? Yeah. Do I sometimes act a little quirky? Yeah."

As for whether all of that may be entirely "too real?"

Richardson flashed a dimpled smile. "We'll see."

God forbid we have a "real" president.

--Wyndam

Huff Post Readers Love BR

Check out Governor Richardson's post today in the Huffington Post. He outlines his plans for Iraq and for veterans (which we detailed here).

And most of all, check out the responses he gets! Yes, there are a few skeptics, but the vast majority of posters recognize that a) his ideas are great, b) he is the most experienced and qualified candidate and c) the media has shun him.

Whenever the governor gets a chance to speak/write beyond the 10-15 second sound bytes the mainstream media grants him, he is able to show why his plans are the best for America. It's unfortunate that he rarely gets a bigger stage, but on a grassroots level, he has an influence on the voting public.

--Wyndam

On Principles...

The manner in which a president conducts himself is important. Are they condescending? Elitist? Do they view others--no matter their ideological background--as equals? While we shouldn't necessarily be choosing the candidate we would most like at a dinner party, it is important to explore the morals of the candidates, because they will surely influence the way each person conducts themselves in office.

In this new video, Wyndam and Mike (a special guest host) discuss Bill Richardson's moral background and the way he has handled himself as a public figure, no matter the office he has served in.

On Partisanship...

We are faced with many issues in today's America, one of the biggest being partisanship, and the ever-growing rift between the two major parties. Our current political forum is in ruins: no day passes without one idealogical side bickering with the other. Politicians find it hard to cooperate even with others in their own party, and elected officials disregard their mandates in favor of vicious attacks that are not only political in nature, but personal. Our political system has thus suffered, as the best recipe for success is a bipartisan atmosphere where Democrats, Republicans, and everyone else can work together to better our country. This, obviously, is not happening, and it shows: Congressional approval ratings hover at around a pathetic 25%. Americans no longer trust their representatives.

Bill Richardson would right this terrible wrong. Bipartisan in nature, the governor commands respect from both sides of the aisle. He never resorts to partisan tactics to accomplish his goals, and would rather work with the other side than defame them in the public arena. He is the one candidate from either party who has committed to a positive campaign. America needs Bill Richardson; America needs this change.

In this video, Wyndam & Alex discuss the problems with a partisan atmosphere, and Bill Richardson's record of combating it.

On the candidates' vision

We often question whether candidates have (or lack) vision. Are they ambitious and idealistic, or are they more pragmatic, and realize that they can only do so much? Which is better, then: a visionary, or a realist? The former would surely introduce revolutionary proposals in regards to foreign, domestic and economic affairs. But they would be prone to devastating failure. The latter would be a good steward of government: they would not push for far reaching changes in policy, and would instead work within the current system to help America at home and abroad. But this is also their downside: they aren't going to "change the world" or leave as much of a lasting legacy as their ambitious counterparts.


In this new video, Wyndam and Peter (a special guest host) discuss the historical and current implications of a visionary president, and where Bill Richardson falls on this spectrum.

On the need for experience...

Bill Richardson is the most experienced candidate in either field. He has held a number of offices--Congressman, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Secretary of Energy, Governor--and has been effective in all of them. He has regularly done more than expected (i.e. negotiating on behalf of the U.S. in hostile countries around the world) and has proven to be valuable in any capacity. And, most of all, he is one of the only candidates in the race with any executive experience to speak of. Now, he is ready to take the next step. With such experience in tow, Bill Richardson has, on a slew of issues, proposed the best and most feasible plans for our country. His opinions and strategies have been built over decades in the political arena--it is now time for him to exercise them in the highest office of all.

In this new video, Alex and Wyndam discuss the need for a chief executive who carries the wisdom developed only by extensive involvement in the political process.