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Thank You!

Seth Tanner — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:19:40 MST

From Governor Richardson

Dear Friend,
It is with great pride, understanding and acceptance that I am ending my campaign for President of the United States. It was my hope that all of you would first hear this news from me and not a news organization. But unfortunately, as with too many things in our world today, it's the ending of something that garners the most intense interest and speculation.

I knew from the beginning that this would be an uphill climb. When I entered the campaign, it was clear that we, as Democrats, had the most talented field of candidates in my lifetime running to change the direction of our country. And in the end, one of them will.
Despite overwhelming financial and political odds, I am proud of the campaign we waged and the influence we had on the issues that matter most to the future of this country.
A year ago, we were the only major campaign calling for the removal of all of our troops within a year's time from Iraq. We were the only campaign calling for a complete reform of education in this country, including the scrapping of No Child Left Behind. And we were the campaign with the most aggressive clean energy plan and the most ambitious standards for reducing global warming.
Now, all of the remaining candidates are coming to our point of view. I am confident that the next President of the United States will implement much of what we've been urging for the last twelve months, and our nation and world will be the better for it.
There are so many of you who gave so much to this campaign. For that, I will be forever grateful. Running for president has been, at times, humbling and at other times, exhilarating. I have grown and learned a great deal from the experience, and I am a better person for it.
Also, because of your close friendship and support throughout the ups and downs of what is a very grueling and demanding process, I have never felt alone.
Running for president brings out the best in everyone who graces the stage, and I have learned much from the other candidates running. They have all brought great talents and abilities to the campaign.
Senator Biden's passion and intellect are remarkable.
Senator Dodd is the epitome of selfless dedication to public service and the Democratic Party.
Senator Edwards is a singular voice for the most downtrodden and forgotten among us.
Senator Obama is a bright light of hope and optimism at a time of great national unease, yet he is also grounded in thoughtful wisdom beyond his years.
Senator Clinton's poise in the face of adversity is matched only by her lifetime of achievement and deep understanding of the challenges we face.
Representative Kucinich is a man of great decency and dedication who will faithfully soldier on no matter how great the odds.
And all of us in the Democratic Party owe Senator Mike Gravel our appreciation for his leadership during the national turmoil of Vietnam.
I am honored to have shared the stage with each of these Democrats. And I am enormously grateful to all of my supporters who chose to stand with me despite so many other candidates of accomplishment and potential.
Now that my time in this national campaign has come to an end, I would urge those who supported my candidacy to take a long and thoughtful look at the remaining Democrats. They are all strong contenders who each, in their own way, would bring desperately needed change to our country. All I ask is that you make your own independent choice with the same care and dedication to this country that you honored me with during this campaign. At this time, I will not endorse any candidate.

Now I am returning to a job that I love, serving a state that I cherish and doing the work of the people I was elected to serve. As I have always said, I am the luckiest man I know. I am married to my high school sweetheart. I live in a place called the Land of Enchantment. I have the best job in the world. And I just got to run for president of the United States.
It doesn't get any better than that.
With my deepest appreciation for all that you have done,

Bill

Governor Bill Richardson
The Governor's Mansion
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Beyond this contest

Seth Tanner — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:25:58 MST

From Governor Richardson

Dear Friend,
There are just 5 hours left until the polls close here in New Hampshire and then I've got to get ready for Nevada, South Carolina -- and then the West.
There is a reason why there are so many contests in this process. So EVERY American from EVERY state can play a role in deciding our next President. Not just one or two states. The American people are too smart and this election is too important to let the early numbers determine the next 48!
But in order to keep going, I need the continued support of people like you, friend. I have appreciated your past support, but I need it now more than ever.
Please help me move out West -- where my support is the strongest- by supporting my campaign with $50 or $100 or even more.
Here in New Hampshire, people have been incredibly responsive to me and my vision for America.
Just yesterday The Keene Sentinel ran a terrific article where they interviewed some of the 200 folks who attended our rally in Keene on Sunday.
Here's what New Hampshire voters are saying:

Frank Dialessi of Keene said he plans to vote for Richardson, calling him the most qualified. "No one can dispute that," he said. "From all angles he's clearly the best candidate ... Richardson is the most highly qualified."

Keene High School teacher Jennifer White, holding Richardson signs at the corner of Roxbury Street and Central Square ahead of Sunday's rally, said it is Richardson's like-minded approach to education that appeals to her, and his pledge to scrap No Child Left Behind.

Keene voter Michael Chelstowski is drawn to Richardson, he said, because Richardson is saying more about the environment than any other candidate. "And that," he said, "is the long-term critical issue we face."

And Bob Jones of Nelson said: "He hit on the points I wanted to hear...Never in my adult life have I seen a situation where one person is going to have to handle so many important issues at once. I've been to New Mexico; I've seen the great job he's done in that state."
I hope I can count on you for a boost of $50, $100 or $250. I want to go West, my campaign is ready to go, but we can't do it without the financial resources we need to pull off a win. Please help today.
I've got to run. Keep your eyes on New Hampshire -- but look forward to the next leg of this race!
Bill

What New Hampshire Saw

Seth Tanner — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:33:08 MST

From Deputy Campaign Manager Amanda Cooper

I hope you watched the debate last night.
Because New Hampshire voters sure did. And our post debate research shows that Bill Richardson changed a lot of minds just ahead of Tuesday's primary!
You could see it in the room. I stood at the back so I could watch people's reactions. And I saw a lot of head nodding whenever the Governor talked about his foreign policy credentials or his executive experience. You can watch highlights here.
And if you missed the debate, you can watch the whole thing again tonight at 7 p.m. EST on CNN. If you saw it, we hope you can see it again, and be sure to tell your friends across the country to tune in. Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post said the Governor was a "winner" last night, he "shone" and definitely "showed his sense of humor and deep resume" we hope you get to see it.
New Hampshire news station WMUR conducted a focus group and when the Governor started talking about his experience you should have seen the results -- they went off the charts!
New Hampshire voters saw a candidate who knew a lot more than the rest of the field on the stage with him -- a candidate who is ready to lead from day one!
This is a whole new race in New Hampshire!
The field is narrower. The numbers are in flux. And people in New Hampshire are taking a closer look at Bill Richardson. Our field staff are hearing it across the state people are coming over to our side every day.
Help us close the gap in this last critical 48 hours! Your contribution NOW will extend our reach into every corner of New Hampshire before the polls open on Tuesday!
A lot of people don't remember this but Bill Clinton actually lost Iowa. And he only managed to place second in New Hampshire!
But as people got to know him better, they liked what he had to say. And the rest, as you know, is history.
We have our entire campaign mobilized here in New Hampshire because we know Bill Richardson can do the same thing!
Help us finish strong in New Hampshire so we can set the stage for the rest of the primaries! Please give generously TODAY!
Amanda

Claremont Eagle Times Endorses Bill Richardson

Seth Tanner — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:21:32 MST

Read it here.

Democrats have a variety of choices before them Tuesday. None can match Richardson's experience.

He has served as a congressman where he was known for his ability to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans who respected him - though they often disagreed with his policies. He served as the United Nations ambassador and was secretary of energy in the Clinton administration, where he worked on policies aimed at reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

And he has for six years been governor of New Mexico where he has increased health care opportunities for children while balancing the budget every year.

Presidents of both political parties have called on him to negotiate with foreign leaders in tense times. He has worked with dignitaries in countries ranging from Great Britain to North Korea. On Day 1 of his presidency, he would be able to handle any crisis that comes before the administration.

In his trips to Claremont, he has impressed crowds with his knowledge of all kinds of domestic and foreign issues. He may lack the charisma of other candidates but none can top him in substance.

Voters will be lucky indeed if in November they have a choice between two intellectually honest, experienced men such as John McCain and Bill Richardson.

Thank You!

Seth Tanner — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:09:35 MST

From Governor Richardson

I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner.

We left Iowa at 11 last night and got into New Hampshire at 3 this morning. I've been doing events all day and I have to head out in a few minutes for a television interview.

While it might not look like it from the headlines, we accomplished a lot in Iowa. And I have you to thank for that, Seth.

Your trust was not only inspirational, it gave us the resources to run a very competitive campaign.

We mobilized nearly 20,000 voters and took 7% of the caucus-goers in the first round. But given the unique nature of the Iowa caucus process and the unexpectedly large turnout, we weren't able to hold onto all of those votes into the final round.

As I'm sure you've heard by now, I am not giving up. And I don't want you to, either.

If we learned anything in Iowa, it's that this race is still very fluid. And our folks in New Hampshire tell us that a lot of voters there are re-thinking their positions in light of what happened last night.

Suddenly, "inevitable" doesn't seem so inevitable anymore.

Right now I'm focused on tomorrow night's debate. And shoot, the way I look at it, I made the "Final Four"!

I'll be in touch,

Bill

Keep the Faith

Ken Camp — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:09:35 MST

Promoted by Joaquin

Tonight's results in Iowa are no cause for despair. As of tonight, Governor Richardson is in the Final Four. He's on his way to NH, and come tomorrow morning, it's a whole new ballgame.

Without any strange party rules like 15% viability requirements, Governor Richardson is now free to go to work an do what he does best: reach out to voters, one by one, and secure their vote.

We Richardson supporters, should not hang our heads tonight, but redouble our efforts and go forward knowing that we have the best candidate (one who is in the Final 4) and to give as much of ourselves, our time, money and talents as we can to his campaign.

In 2004, Howard Dean reminded us all that we have the power. Each one of us can make a difference in this race. All of us combined are stronger than each of us as individuals. Our collective efforts will put Governor Richardson over the top.

I leave you with a quote from Senator Ted Kennedy, "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

Now let's get out there and elect Bill Richardson the next President of the United States.

Top Tier

John Rice — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 22:06:22 MST

Without a doubt, we have some of the best supporters in the field. Thanks John!--Promoted by Joaquin

Folks,

Iowa is behind us. The rest of the nation is before us. And we have work to do.

The Iowa results did more than you might think if you've watched the national press coverage. It did not annoint Obama, nor did it destroy Clinton's campaign. (I'm still not sure what it said about Edward's campaign).

What Iowa did do - surprisingly quickly, was narrow the field of viable Democratic candidates down to FOUR.

Before midnight, Dodd, Biden and Gravel withdrew from the campaign. (And Kuchinich is Kuchinich - gotta love him.)

On Saturday night there will be a debate between the Democratic Candidates in New Hampshire - there will be only four candidates on stage: Obama, Clinton, Edwards - and Richardson.

On Saturday night, more people will hear more of Richardson than we've heard in previous debates - and I suspect that more people will be paying attention (in New Hampshire and nationally) than have been watching debates to date. There are no longer top- and second-tier candidates. There are FOUR candidates for the Democratic nomination.

So, let's get to work.

If you have any time over the next five days, ANY TIME, make some calls to New Hampshire voters on behalf of Bill Richardson. It's easy to do and the campaign has an easy process to get involved:

http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/contact/splash/nhid

If you are heading to New Hampshire for the weekend, God bless you. But if you can't travel, you can have an impact on next week's primary. If you have an iota of belief that Richardson is the best person to take the helm of our nation, please join your fellow Richardson supporters from around the country to make next Tuesday's primary a landmark date in his road to the White House.

John Rice
PA for Pennsylvania

Final Four

Seth Tanner — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:42:15 MST

DES MOINES, IA-- New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson finished in fourth place in today's Iowa caucuses, moving his campaign forward to the New Hampshire primary on January 8th.

"We made it to the final four," Richardson said. "My staff and volunteers worked their hearts out to get us here. Now we are going to take the fight to New Hampshire."

Richardson received 7 % of the vote in entrance polls. After watching the results at a rally in Des Moines, he boarded a plane for New Hampshire.

"It has been an honor to meet with Iowans and be a part of this extraordinary process," Richardson said. "I am the one candidate who has said we must end this war by getting all our troops out of Iraq. We cannot truly change this country until we end this war- and we can only do that by getting every US troop out. Americans who want to get us out of Iraq aren't giving up and neither am I. We cannot end the division in this country until we are out of Iraq and we cannot focus on fixing our problems at home and our image abroad until our troops are out of Iraq. We cannot wait until 2013 or longer."

"Thank you, Iowa. Now we go on to New Hampshire."

Iowa Caucuses Open Thread

Seth Tanner — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:36:25 MST

Discuss below.

This is What It's All About: "It's Up to you"

Joaquin H. Guerra — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:17:00 MST

10 Minutes

Seth Tanner — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:48:23 MST

Campaign Mananger Dave Contarino has one thing you can do from home to help get out the vote for Bill tonight.

Dear Friend,
Well, we're finally here! It is caucus day in Iowa and now is the time to get our supporters to the polls.
We have field staff across the state making phone calls, going door-to-door -- and doing everything they can think of to make sure people make it to the caucuses.
But we could use your help -- even if you just have a few minutes to pitch in. Can you help us with some phone calls to Iowans today? We're just checking in with people to make sure they know where to go tonight, and how important it is that they bring a neighbor or two with them to support Bill Richardson.
It only takes a few minutes to make calls, but if all of our non-Iowa supporters pitch in with a few calls each, that alone can make a real difference.
Would you make a few calls right now?
Thanks again for all of your help -- you got us this far, and now you can help us bring a win home.
Dave

It's about Leadership

Joaquin H. Guerra — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 13:13:09 MST

Iowans Ruth Mahon, Kathy Mahoney and Judi Faas tell why they are going to caucus for Gov. Bill Richardson on Jan. 3.

An Iowan's View Of Gov. Bill Richardson's Campaign

Joaquin H. Guerra — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:10:40 MST

An inside look from Iowa on what to expect tonight.

Countdown to the Iowa Caucus

Joaquin H. Guerra — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:51:40 MST

Bill Richardson's Closing Argument in Iowa: Actions Speak Louder than Words

Ken Camp — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:24:47 MST

In responding to Senator Hillary Clinton's 2 minute paid ad during tonight's evening newscasts in Iowa, Governor Bill Richardson laid out his closing argument for why Iowans should caucus for him tomorrow. The bottom line: Rhetoric without action rings hollow; actions speak louder than words.

"You know, every candidate in this race is asking for the biggest job promotion of his or her life. The voters ought to look at what we've done.

"What has the Senate done in the last 12 months? Since my colleagues took over leadership of Congress, have they gotten us out of Iraq? No. Did they scrap No Child Left Behind and reform education? No. Did they stop an Attorney General who wouldn't say that waterboarding is torture? No. Have they done something to create the next generation of great paying jobs? No.

"I know that we can do better. And I have done better.

"In the last twelve months, I helped shut down North Korea's nuclear reactor. We brought back the remains of 6 American soldiers from that country that had been missing since the Korean War. I extended health coverage to every child under 12 in my state. I raised teacher salaries. I cracked down on unscrupulous lenders. I passed a landmark clean energy bill to create clean air and thousands of jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Since the beginning of the Presidential campaign, Bill Richardson has been talking about de-authorizing or ending the war in Iraq and bringing all American troops home immediately. Richardson intends to bring home all of the troops within the first year of his Presidency.

New Year's Message

Seth Tanner — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 10:04:04 MST

From Governor Richardson

Dear Friend,
As we all gaze anxiously into the promise and anticipation that comes with every New Year, Barbara and I wanted to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you for your support and generosity in 2007.
One of our favorite New Year's Day traditions is to take a few moments and reflect upon the experiences of the previous year. Barbara whips up a couple mugs of steaming hot cocoa and we sit by the fireplace and reminisce for about an hour -- it's a wonderful way to remind ourselves of the lessons, both good and bad, we've learned over the past 365 days.
The biggest lesson I've learned this year is how with the help of committed activists like you, anything is possible.
And when I say anything, friend, I mean anything!
2007 was a wonderfully exciting year and we are both anxious to hit the ground running in '08. The Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary are just days away, and I know you're as excited as we are!
From our family to yours, best wishes for a happy and healthy 2008. Let's show the world what we can do!
Happy New Year,
Bill

Camapign Memo

Joaquin H. Guerra — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:58:10 MST

Our Camapign Manger just shared this memo with us. Here it is for your review.

I think you'll share my sentiment...SWEET!

From: Dave Contarino
To: Richardson Campaign Senior Staff
Subject: Iowa Momentum
As you know, we are well positioned for a big upset on caucus night. The biggest hurdle we will face in bringing our supporters home will be questions about viability on the ground. Here are the numbers we have confirmed to address this directly:

Momentum! Every crowd down the stretch has been overflow and standing room only. In the last 24 hours, over 350 in Ames, 500 in Des Moines with voters lined up outside waiting for a chance to come inside to meet the Governor or have their pictures taken with him as he departs. In some cases, we are getting triple (Onawa and Carroll) the size being expected by local organizers. The Governor's Des Moines speech was interrupted by raucous applause at least a dozen times, and I don't know if I've seen a more excited crowd. When he finished his speech, the Governor walked into the crowd and was immediately swarmed by supporters. It took him more than twenty minutes to leave the event because there were so many people who wanted to talk to the Governor.

We have over 2,000 organizers, staffers and volunteers across the state.

On caucus night we'll have over 1,500 precinct captains with over 90% of the state's delegates covered.

We have made well over half a million phone calls and knocked on more than 200,000 doors.

We have already confirmed over 18,000 caucus supporters through pledge cards, phone confirmations and home door signups. We expect to reach 22,000 by caucus night. That number alone without any additional unidentified support will get us nearly 20% on caucus night based on previous turnout numbers.

And we're the confirmed second choice of at least 25% of the caucus goers.

Our nightly calling is showing a surge. In some precincts, we see 25% of the undecideds breaking our way. We have been moving significant numbers of leaners from the Biden, Obama, Edwards and Clinton columns into our own. Our internal data shows that the Iraq message has been particularly successful in bringing voters to our side. So push it on caucus night! 2013 is far too long to wait for our troops to come home!
Quotes from the media:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071230/NEWS/71230007/-1/iowap

William Petroski, Des Moines Register

“Democrat Bill Richardson always jokes he's no rock star, but he got treated like one today as a boisterous crowd of about 400 people cheered, whistled and waved Richardson signs at a campaign rally in downtown Des Moines.”

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2007/12/richmentum_1.html

Reid Wilson, Real Clear Politics

"If the big crowd on a frigid weekend afternoon -- when most rational people are snuggly watching football games -- is any indication, RichMentum may be the next buzz word of the 2008 campaign.”

Other stories:

http://www.messengernews.net/page/content.detail/id/502145.html

http://www.timesrepublican.com/page/content.detail/id/501075.html?nav=5005

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/12/30/politics/horserace/entry3657586.shtml

Richardson Picks Up Newspaper Endorsement in NH

Ken Camp — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:20:48 MST

Promoted by Joaquin

Today the Conway Daily Sun came out and endorsed Governor Bill Richardson for the Democratic nomination for President. While it isn't the Union Leader (the largest newspaper in the state), people in New Hampshire are starting to notice what I've known all along: Governor Bill Richardson is the best qualified candidate to lead our nation.

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

"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."

Richmentum is now spreading to all corners of Iowa and New Hampshire, thanks to Governor Richardson' willingness to meet with people anywhere, anytime. Urban, suburban or rural, there's no hand that Bill Richardson won't shake and in state's like Iowa and New Hampshire that practice pays dividends.

Watch what's happening in Iowa!

Seth Tanner — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:42:35 MST

Campaign Manager Dave Contarino sent this email out to grassroots supporters across the country today

Dear %%FIRSTNAME(Friend)%%,
You may not know this but the Iowa Caucuses are not like a regular election. It's more like a state full of 1,781 town meetings happening simultaneously in all 99 counties at the exact same time. And the outcome is usually very different from the polls.

And between the great poll news we got yesterday and the hard work we've done on the ground, we have a real shot at shocking the world on Thursday!

You can see it in the crowds. People are packing the Governor's events! The Des Moines Register had this to say:

"Democrat Bill Richardson always jokes he's no rock star, but he got treated like one today as a boisterous crowd of about 400 people cheered, whistled and waved Richardson signs at a campaign rally in downtown Des Moines."

And Reid Wilson of Real Clear Politics chimed in:

"If the big crowd on a frigid weekend afternoon -- when most rational people are snuggly watching football games -- is any indication, RichMentum may be the next buzz word of the 2008 campaign."

You can see what they mean in this video from last week.

The Iowa caucuses always break late. And this year, they're breaking for Bill Richardson! Your $50, $100, or $250 will help us keep our thousands of volunteers working right up until Thursday night.

After that, it's my job to bring their hard work to fruition. Let me boil it down for you.

The delegates all go to caucuses -- essentially meetings -- across the state at 7PM and declare for whatever candidate they back.

Then the horse trading and arm twisting begins because the delegates of any candidate who doesn't get at least 15% of the votes go to their second choice.

And that's where OUR numbers surge. Because we know we have at least 15% of the delegates in most precincts across the state. And we know that we're the second choice of at least 25% of the other delegates.

It doesn't take an Albert Einstein to figure out how we can surprise the pundits and turn this race upside down!

Just to put this all in perspective, in 2004, both Kerry and Edwards did 10-12% better than the final polls showed. If that happens to us -- we win.

But we've got to have the resources here to pull this off! Help us NOW and be one of the people who aren't surprised when Bill Richardson muscles his way to the top on Thursday!

To an outsider, it might look like chaos here. But what I see is the culmination of nine months of hard work by all of us -- and you, %%FIRSTNAME(Friend)%%.

Thanks for everything you've done up to now. And please, help us get this done!

Dave

P.S. A group of national supporters have stepped up and offered to DOUBLE ANY CONTRIBUTIONS we receive by midnight tonight! Please help NOW!

"The Only Heavy-Weight"

Seth Tanner — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:17:19 MST

The Conway Daily Sun endorsed Governor Richardson today. They write:

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.
To learn more about Richardson, read the Albuquerque Journal's comprehensive series on his life and career at www.abqjournal.com/richardson.