Bill Richardson Lets On He’s Under VP Consideration

[Barack_America]

"New Mexico governor Bill Richardson let it be known on last night’s (6/20/08) Hannity & Colmes that he’s under consideration to be Barack Obama’s running mate. Richardson also let it be known that he’s interested."

More:
http://www.newshounds.us/2008/06/21/bill_richardson_lets_on_hes_under_vp_consideration.php

Also a link to video.

[LakeSamish706]

1. I like Richardson... and he would make a great VP... He doesn't bring...

a military experience, but he does bring many other things to the fold...

[newmajority]

2. Now that's the best news I've heard all week

Particularly with the media whores floating all this absolute bullshit about Sam Nunn, Chuck Hagel, Evan Bayh and other repuke Assholes.

[Barack_America]

4. That's what I was aiming for...

Good news for somebody. He's not my first-choice, but I know that many here are hoping for him.

:hi:

[lisa58]

3. He's going to be in the administration somewhere....

...I like him too.

[pinto]

5. An asset, in any position.

:thumbsup:

[Cali_Democrat]

6. Richardson for VP!!!

YAY!!

:party:

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. I have ONLY one strategic question about an Obama/ Richardson ticket

Admittedly, this question carries a racist edge to it.

Is there a problem (I honestly do not know) strategically speaking about running two ethnic minorities on the same ticket when the ticket is being led by an African-American?

Does this in anyway weaken the ability of working class white voters who might vote Democratic to identify with the ticket? Again, I honestly do not know.

Whenever I have questions like this, I ask a friend of mine who is a Democrat leaning independent (but fairly nonpartisan) friend of mine from small town Missouri, if this would sell? He doesn't think it would be a problem except with those who wouldn't vote for Sen. Obama anyway.

But I would be curious if there have been any studies to determine if this could be a strategic problem. Or perhaps the potential for a sharp increase in Hispanic voter turnout could mean a significant net gain?

[grantcart]

8. there isn't a big ethnic issue but the Clinton's took his defection personally

appointing Richardson will probably appear to be an insult to the sensitivities to the Clintons.

I suspect that the Obama campaign is floating a lot of names like Nunn and Richardson to drive McCain nuts.

And the thought of that makes me happy lol.

[Douglas Carpenter]

11. aside from that strategic question, he by far has the most diversely impressive C.V. of them all!

14 years in the U.S. House of Representatives with a specialized interest in Foreign affairs

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

U.S. Secretary of Energy

And of course the current Governor of New Mexico

And his life story is compelling as well:

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Richardson

Bill Richardson was born at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California to María Luisa López-Collada Márquez (born in Asturias, Spain 1914) and William Blaine Richardson Jr. (1891–1972), a banker who lived and worked in Mexico City for decades. It was his mother who largely took care of him during his youth. He has a younger sister, Vesta. Just before Richardson was born, his mother was sent to California, where her husband's sister lived, to give birth because, as Richardson explained, "My father had a complex about not having been born in the United States."<2> Three of his four grandparents were Mexican citizens, and he identifies himself as Hispanic.<2> Richardson, a U.S. citizen by birthright, was raised during his childhood in Mexico City. At age 13, Richardson's parents sent him to Massachusetts to attend a Boston-area preparatory school, Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, where he played baseball as a pitcher. He entered Tufts University in 1966 where he continued to play baseball.

He earned a Bachelor's degree at Tufts in 1970, majoring in French and political science and was a brother and president of Delta Tau Delta. He went on to earn a master's degree in international affairs from Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1971. While still in high school, he met his future wife, Barbara Flavin. They married in 1972 and have no children.

After college, Richardson worked for Republican Congressman Bradford Morse from Massachusetts. He was later a staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Richardson worked on congressional relations for the Henry Kissinger State Department during the Nixon Administration. In 1978, he moved to Santa Fe and ran for Congress in 1980 as a Democrat, losing narrowly to longtime 1st District congressman and future United States Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan (R). Two years later, Richardson was elected to New Mexico's newly created third district, taking in most of the northern part of the state.

[Bullet1987]

9. The MSM has basically been ignoring Richardson for VP

and we all know why.

[anonymous171]

10. YES!

[woolldog]

12. Why does he want it so much, I wonder?

[saracat]

13. What a disaster that would be! Bill is not a compelling campaigner and he is really bad on talk show...

He blew every debate and while I personally like him, I don't think he brings much to the ticket in terms of electability.For a really bright guy , he often comes across as a bumbler. I am always amazed that he was a diplomat.

[bklyncowgirl]

14. Maybe as a diplomat bad guys trust him because he's not slick

Richardson seems most successful as a diplomat when he gets to meet with the leaders and go one on one with them. His story about talking with Saddam Hussein, reaching out and touching the Iraqi dictator to the consternation of his saber carrying bodyguard is pretty funny.

The guy comes off like a mensch which could be why he's a good negotiator.

Too bad for menschdom doesn't translate well on TV. As Veep though, with Obama's team coaching him he could pick up his TV performance. He's been pretty good as an Obama surrogate later--better than he was as a candidate.

[polichick]

15. Please tell me talk show performance is not a standard for veep selection.

[dnbmathguy]

16. He is better in smaller settings

He would need a lot more coaching for the debate, to be sure. But he does much better in smaller gatherings where he's only talking to hundreds (or tens) of people. He comes off as a pretty normal guy. If he is VP, the campaign should use him in much the same role the Clinton campaign used Bill (Clinton): in the places the president wouldn't usually go to.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

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[ginnyinWI]

21. I think he's a very likeable guy

The thing is, on a ticket with Obama he'd have Obama's policies and talking points, not to mention Obama's great campaign staff to keep him up to speed.

I think the chemistry is very good, and it says to the world "I don't need a white person on the ticket to have legitimacy."

For the racists who complain, just tell them that each one is half white, so 1/2 + 1/2= one whole white person, lol.

[dorkulon]

18. Honestly, I think Richardson's a bit of a dud. Biden FTW.

I don't dislike Richardson, but he's a bore, and a bit of a slow talker. I think Biden's got more fire in the belly, and would make a better campaigner against McCain--also I think Biden's got the most intelligent take on our probs in the Middle East.

[catgirl]

19. Richardson is very likeable

that has more weight than how fast he talks.

[malik flavors]

20. Richardson has no shot at Vp. He divides the party, he's another minority, and he has skeletons

in his closet. He also isn't an attack dog and he can't debate.

[AP]

22. So, Obama is kind of like the Kansas City Royals, and being considered for VP is like being drafted?