New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has perhaps the most extensive resume of any candidate in either party, declared or undeclared, so his lackluster showing in the early going is something of a surprise - although Democrats have a long history of attraction to "fresh" faces as opposed to the most experienced candidates: JFK, McCarthy and RFK, McGovern, Carter, Hart, Dean, Obama (of course they did not all win the nomination). Recently, though, his campaign seems to have gotten on track after he adopted the furthest-left position on Iraq (all troops out by the end of THIS year), and his fundraising wasn't far behind Edwards' in the second quarter.
Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post thinks he's on the move:
Between April 1 and June 30, Richardson raised $7.1 million, bringing his year-to-date fundraising total to more than $13 million. Richardson, like Obama, raised more money in the second quarter of the year than in the first.* * * * *
Richardson's campaign released a poll of the "likeliest" of Iowa caucus-goers that showed Edwards leading with 31 percent followed by Clinton at 23 percent, Richardson at 18 percent and Obama at 16 percent. (Among "likely" caucus goers in the Richardson poll, Edwards led with 31 percent followed by Clinton at 24 percent, Obama at 17 percent and Richardson at 13 percent.)A collection of other independent polling in Iowa seems to show a positive trend line for Richardson, although the independent polls are not as rosy as the governor's own surveys.
Organizationally, Richardson is in surprisingly good shape in Iowa. He has 11 field offices in the state just one less than Clinton and four fewer than Edwards. (Obama has a whopping 28 field offices.)
Read it all at the above link. Richardson's move to the left positions him well to take advantage when Edwards begins to fade and if party donors tire of Obama's cautious approach to the campaign. It's hard to imagine him winning the nomination at this point, but his running stronger would make a late Gore entry more difficult and put him high on the list for Veep (as long as he plays nice with Hillary, which he has thus far).
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2008 Presidential Race, Democrats, Primaries, Richardson
Tags: Democrat, iowa, presidential campaign, Richardson
Comments (3)
I am glad to see that highl... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Stephen Fox | July 18, 2007 9:16 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I am glad to see that highly evolved and astute websites like yours are warming to the obvious facts of Bill Richardson's ascending campaign!
Richardson is my governor, and I have known him personally for 30 years. What Richardson has achieved vis-a-vis the New Mexico Legislature is remarkable, but I won't recite the accomplishments. I do want to see him elected President, but I am in no way connected officially to his campaign.
The so called "top-tier" candidates together, all 3 of them, have a collective resume still lesser in quality to Bill Richardson's!
(Incidentally, Pollster.com determined very recently that Richardson henceforth shall be considered in the "top-tier," based on his being the only candidate who has substantially risen in Iowa!)
I am certain that Richardson's real genius and his strongest suit is in international affairs,
and that will be vital (and I don't mean as just a future US Secretary of State!), if we are going to even attempt to rebuild the shattered US image internationally, after six years of Halliburton-driven corporate
kleptocracy. His debate skills have not been as honed and polished as the 3 lawyers in so-called "top tier," but that is fixable. His biography is great (Between Worlds: the Making of an American Life), and the new book on Energy Policy will be just as good.
Here is what I consider the bottom line: you don't have to be a Marxian or Hegelian or a Ph.D Economist to comprehend that our domestic economy is suffering and going to get worse resulting from the on-going international
implications of the screwed up foreign policy of this administration, so thoroughly based on corporate needs and demands; don't expect ANY major improvements in the last two years of Bush's tenure, especially in the trickle down economic realms which would improve the lives of the vast lot of individual American consumers.
Richardson has repeatedly made it clear that Congress should deauthorize the Iraq War, and that he personally would end it the first day of his Presidency: his very recent TV ads have made this really clear.
My prediction: for lots of really good reasons, Richardson is going to win in Nevada, and he is going to do very very well in Iowa, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and California, I think winning in at least two of those states.
May I suggest that you and your readers directly communicate to David Contarino and Amanda Cooper, his Campaign Manager, and Deputy CM, or to Richardson directly through the email
function on his NM governor website? These people are very open to new ideas, questions, strategies, insights, etc., and I encourage anyone reading to take the time to contact them by phone or by email, even if you have just
one question on a policy matter, or want to tell Bill Richardson what YOU think.
If you wish, please google the title of my most recent major article, RESOLVING THE WORSENING CRISIS AT THE FDA, published at many websites in many nations.
Truly,
Stephen Fox
New Millennium Fine Art,
217 W. Water St.,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505 983-2002
1. Posted by Stephen Fox | July 18, 2007 9:16 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 18, 2007 21:16
2. Posted by Jim Addison | July 19, 2007 2:13 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Richardson certainly has the most impressive resume, and it is true his experience trumps the combined official experience of the three candidates ahead of him.
I tend to give Hillary some extra credit, though. As First Lady of Arkansas and the United States, she was constantly poking her nose into her husband's business for twenty years, inserting herself into executive decisions at every turn (he was busy inserting himself elsewhere much of the time).
That record of being an incessant busybody should count for something!
I do note Richardson moving ahead of Edwards in NH in the latest CNN poll, and into a statistical tie there in the Real Clear Politics moving average. Fitting, as Edwards is basically an empty suit topped by one great head of hair. Nice teeth, too. No one I know would buy a used car from him, though.
2. Posted by Jim Addison | July 19, 2007 2:13 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 19, 2007 02:13
3. Posted by Steve | July 19, 2007 5:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I've been a fan and supporter of his since last fall. I hope he is able to peak at the right time. I worry though b/c every candidate I back always bombs, haha. Even if he doesn't win the nomination, I think he would be a fantastic VP candidate for ANY of the front runners.
3. Posted by Steve | July 19, 2007 5:43 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 19, 2007 05:43