I just got off the phone with my daughter who has been working in NH for the past week for Bill Richardson. She was taking brake from holding a Richardson sign outside a polling location. She told me yesterday she worked on lit drops, then made calls, then did signs until the wee hours of the morning. She was at her polling location when the polls opened. Good daughter that she is, she called and checked in with her mom. Now, she said, she is going to find a place on the floor to take a nap.
I hope Richardson does well today! Richardson might not have the big bucks or the media attention he deserves, but he has the experience to lead. I hope the good people of New Hampshire vote for the best candidate -- Governor Bill Richardson.
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Bill Richardson for VP to Barack? Does anyone else think this?
But VP? Second fiddle? behind the throne? Would Bill go for it?
I hope so. Barack needs him and -- as such -- the rest of us do too.
I think Barack should make a move now and ask Bill Richardson to be his running mate.
With a few states left in primary and the race for the nom still close (Feb 11, 2008) , Barack has the opportunity to bring aboard a person aboard who can advise him well on things where he has no experience. This will add experience to his charisma. A 1-2 punch. As an added bonus, he's Latino. Politically -- bold -- but a good move for the nation.
Here's why I think what I do: Former presidents give a lesson. . . .
Kennedy: Wonderfully Charismatic. Made some pretty big mistakes. Got shot in a scary era. Perhaps an older leader behind him might have guided him better?
Was Johnson on JFK's side - or just a good move politically? After JFK was gone, he extended the war in Vietnam for a LONG time! Perhaps had Kennedy chosen a guy like Hubert Humphrey, who had the leadership skills which Bill Richardson now does, perhaps we'd not have had as much war in the 60s and 70s.
Nixon: Great internationally.Lousy locally. This is important.
I've been for Bill all along. He's a steady leader with worldly experience and a good set of values. He's led his state through some hard times and been successful in a lot of ways. Now -- he just needs to not emulate Nixon in every other way. Barack needs this on his side.
Skip to W.
We always knew W was bad news -- because he'd been Gov of Texas. We all saw his track record. The problem with Barack is that we have not seen his record --- he's not been in charge. I think we could easily be getting into another mess -- but this time we'd not know it because he's the new guy: never been tested -- kind of like Jimmy Carter (kind of weak as a President, but GREAT afterwards).
Finally -- what we learned from Bill Clinton :
Be honest with yourself and your constituents. Don't pretend that you can fool anyone just by saying what you think they want to hear -- you'll get busted eventually. We all knew Bill was a lousy cheater. But -- if he'd said, "Yep, you got me. And it's between me and my family." Then where would the world be.
If Barack could be genuine and say, "I'm aware that my team would be improved by having Bill Richardson on the ticket," I'd be very impressed.
For those of us who look at politicians and see unbridled arrogance, this move would give us courage that perhaps Barack isn't just another top official who's so wrapped up in his own campaign that he'll say or do anything to avoid looking bad. He actually cares about doing the job well. . . imagine that!
I also think that there's a severe disconnect between those who are good at campaigning and those who govern effectively. If Barack could say that Bill would help him lead -- it would focus voter attention on who'd do on the job well next January -- instead of worrying about the fluctuations of the hourly polls.
OK -- chime in and send the message to Barack!
Cheers,
~ Roger S. Duncan
Independent voter and proud American from Maine
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