Maine for Richardson

Phone call from my daughter

2008-01-08T09:57:00.001-05:00

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.

After Iowa, now New Hampshire

2008-01-04T10:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, the Iowa results were not what I had hoped. But the Governor is still in the race. In many of the caucuses, Richardson was one or two people shy from the 15% needed for "viability". In New Hampshire, a vote is a vote, without the 15% rule.

Richardson is still the best candidate out there. He has the experience and skills we desperately need. He has the policy positions we need too -- such as ending the war, improving education, getting us affordable health care, and protecting the environment.

There are three things we can do to help Richardson build momentum and do well in New Hampshire. First, you can donate to the campaign. Second, if it is at all possible, you can volunteer in New Hampshire. (My daughter is there right now.) And third, you can make calls for Richardson. If you are interested in doing either of the last two, call the NH headquarters at (603) 657-7384. We can make this happen and have an incredible President of the United States.

Richardson on tv

2007-11-24T20:46:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow, Sunday, Bill Richardson will be on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. I encourage you to watch if you are able.

Jefferon-Jackson and Veteran's Day

2007-11-12T19:56:00.001-05:00

"America has to become not the policeman of the world, but the conscience of the world."

At the recent Iowa Jefferson-Jackson dinner, the candidates had the chance to present themselves. Richardson pledged to bring the troops home from Iraq within a year, not by 2013. And with his diplomatic experience, he's the one who would know how to do it!

The Governor spoke with compassion for the soldiers who are in constant danger and developing PTSD. He expressed a disgust with the position that waterboarding is not torture, noting the shame that four Democratic senators running for President did not vote against the appointment of Judge Mukasey.

Watch his speech here:

Notably, Bill Richardson also said, "It is not okay for Democrats to tear each other down," calling for a positive campaign with constructive criticisms but without smears or unnecessary attacks.

Another (shorter) video worth a watch, and very worth sharing, is his new ad highlighting his commitment and incredible diplomatic powers. What a contrast with our current President, to have gone and saved Americans from Saddam Hussein by diplomacy!

busy, busy

2007-11-08T15:01:00.000-05:00

Once again, life intervened and I haven't been posting as often as I would like. But there are only 24 hours in a day. That hasn't limited my enthusiasm for Bill Richardson. I have been talking to all kinds of folks and I think the energy is growing in his favor. One of my friends even took off his Edwards bumper sticker the other day and put on a Richardson one!

Please continue to talk to our friends, loved ones, acquaintances, and folks we meet on the street. Richardson is the best candidate out there from any party and we need him to get the nomination!

The Richardson Surge

2007-09-21T07:57:00.000-05:00

I urge everyone to read this article from The Nation about my candidate of choice "The Richardson Surge"

I have to quote just a bit:

Richardson has refused to play his assigned role, and with an unexpectedly resolute antiwar stance and a freewheeling campaign style that distinguishes him from the field's punch-pulling frontrunners, he is the first member of the race's "also-ran" pack to elbow his way from the margin of error to the verge of serious competition.

Richardson rocks!

On a related note, in order to keep Richardson surging, he needs our money. The end of the quarter is coming up, and every dollar will be significant. Please, even if it is only a few dollars, give what you can!

Thanks.

Reactions to the Univision Debate

2007-09-10T11:39:00.000-05:00

On Sunday's Univision debate, the candidates addressed millions of Hispanic voters. However, they did it through translators. In fact, Richardson had to do it through a translator too. I've blogged about this before. But it is silly that a translator is needed when speaks both languages. Richardson was the first to sign on to the debate, and at that time, there wasn't an English-only rule. But in order to woo the rock-stars, the rules were changed. And the Governor was not happy. "“I’m disappointed today that 43 million Latinos in this country, for them not to hear one of their own speak Spanish is unfortunate," he said.

Richardson and I aren't the only ones who were disappointed in the rules. As Ruben Navarrette Jr. wrote in his commentary for CNN:

Univision had prohibited the two candidates who speak fluent Spanish -- Bill Richardson and Chris Dodd -- from answering questions in that language and insisted that all candidates answer the questions in English and have their answers translated into Spanish. Apparently, this was meant to level the bilingual playing field.
During the debate, Richardson called the network on its hypocrisy. Identifying himself as the first major Latino presidential candidate, he said it was unfortunate that Latinos in the United States couldn't "hear one of their own speak Spanish." Then Richardson accused Univision of promoting -- gasp! --"English-only."
Bravo. He's right. It was a dumb rule, obviously intended to prevent the monolingual front-runners -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards -- from being at a disadvantage.

But silly rules or not, even being cut off for speaking the language of his mother, Richardson still did a fabulous job. He reiterated the need to bring all the troops home from Iraq and to do so swiftly. He again spoke of the need to have comprehensive immigration reform. We need to have stronger border security. We need to punish employers who hire illegal immigrants. But we don't need a wall. A wall is a waste of money. As the governor says, "The wall is a horrendous example of what is wrong with our current approach to immigration reform. Congress only funded half of the wall. You know, if you build a 12-foot wall, people will get 13-foot ladders." And of course, Richardson reiterated the need to scrap No Child Left Behind.

Richardson on Iraq Withdrawal

2007-09-09T13:12:00.000-05:00

If you missed it, I would highly recommend Richardson's Op-ed piece in the Washington Post from yesterday, "Why We Should Exit Iraq Now". In the article, Richardson calls for complete and quick withdrawal of our troops from Iraq.

My position has been clear since I entered this race: Remove all the troops and launch energetic diplomatic efforts in Iraq and internationally to bring stability. If Congress fails to end this war, I will remove all troops without delay, and without hesitation, beginning on my first day in office.

I love the Guv!

Univision Debate -- English only?

2007-09-04T13:11:00.000-05:00

The Univision Debate is scheduled for this Sunday, September 9 at 7:00pm EST. According to Univision's press release, "Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States." The debate will be broadcast on the Univision television stations "which reach 99% of Hispanic households" as well as "Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico" and finally the Univision website. So, this is a really big deal. Not surprisingly, Richardson was one of the first (if not the first) to confirm attending the debate.

Now, for the weird part... This is a Spanish language debate on Spanish language television and radio reaching Spanish speakers. But, I have heard that all the candidates must speak in English only! If the English-only language policy is true, I am appalled! Why should a candidate who has been speaking Spanish his whole life now need to speak through a mediator?

I think it is important that Governor Richardson be able to let people know of his strengths -- and one of his strengths is the ability to speak directly to the Hispanic community. Obviously, there should be translators as we have had very good monolingual presidents. But an English only policy is ludicrous for a Spanish language network.

Thoughts?

Yesterday in Dover, NH

2007-09-03T15:19:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I drove south for three hours to see Bill Richardson in Dover, NH. He was at the Waldron Towers community room for a Presidential Job Interview. All the seats were taken and many of us (like myself) were standing in the back. There is so much to share, I am sure to leave things out and I don't even know where to start.

My first impression after leaving the event is how he talks to everybody like they are his peers. This shouldn't seem to be a big deal, but it is. Some candidates answer questions in a slightly condescending way -- they are experts after all. But Richardson answers in a way that he assumes his audience is bright and well-informed, yet without resorting to jargon. A similar point, is that when someone would ask a question and they were obviously passionate about a given issue; after answering, Richardson would ask them if there was something he missed, something of which he should be aware. It isn't that he agreed with the questioner, but there are people who are experts in different areas and one person can't be an expert in all policy areas. I thought it refreshing that he acknowledged that some of those experts might just be in the room.

This ties into one of the points he made during the interview. That is, he has pledged that we will know who his cabinet is before the general election. Furthermore, he wants his cabinet to be composed of people who are experts with practical knowledge in the field. So, a the secretary of education will be a teacher. The secretary of veteran affairs will be a veteran. Etc.

I was also impressed with the fact that he talked about the need for mental health parity. This is incredibly important and I'm pleased that Governor Richardson recognizes its importance. Along with health issues, he mentioned that New Mexico now has a medical marijuana law (as does Maine). The difference between NM's and ME's laws are that in New Mexico, the state will actually do the production and distribution. This way, state employees are growing the plants and the resultant medication is of a more consistent quality, it is more regulated, and only folks who need the treatment can get it. Now, the Bush administration has threatened to arrest the New Mexico employees who work for this program. The Governor has vowed to fight any such threatened arrests.

Bill Richardson also talked about voting. He wants to see everyone vote on paper ballots (as we do here in Maine). He also wants to see same-day voter registration (as we have here in Maine). We all know why paper ballots are important. But some don't recognize that requiring folks to register to vote 6 weeks before an election as required by some states, effectively disenfranchises the poor more than the wealthy. Lower income folks are more apt to rent. If you rent, you are more apt to move frequently....

In regard to illegal immigration, Richardson has a common sense solution. We make the border more secure, punish employers who hire illegal immigrants, offer a path to citizenship -- but not amnesty, and the part I think is most important, we use foreign policy. That is, we talk with the president of Mexico and ask that something is done about poverty in Mexico.

The Governor was asked a question about bridges. He spoke of our need to have an infrastructure policy -- something that is currently lacking. This policy would cover things like bridge and road repair, the electric grid, and land use policy. This last bit is huge! When is the last time a national politician spoke about a comprehensive land use policy?

There were many other questions -- important questions -- and many other interesting answers (restoring funding to international family planning efforts, researching and doing something about autism, ending No Child Left Behind, getting ALL of our troops out if Iraq, etc.). If you have any questions about his policies. Please check his website, or ask me.

We are in a fine position!

2007-09-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

Someone pointed out to me that this time four years ago, the Iowa polls had Gephardt in first place, followed by Dean, then Edwards, then Kerry (not sure of accuracy, but it sounds right -- please correct me if I'm wrong). Similarly, in the national polls this time four years ago, Dean was first, then Clark, then Lieberman, and then Kerry. As a Richardson supporter, I'm pretty encouraged by these numbers.

Prez on the Rez

2007-08-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

Most of you probably missed this, but on Thursday, there was a presidential forum which received little press. That forum was the Prez on the Rez debate. Why so little press? Two reasons: 1) On the whole, the press really doesn't care about Native American issues. and 2)apparently, most of the candidates aren't all that concerned about Native American issues either -- or at least they aren't too concerned about Native American votes.Three candidates bothered to appear: Richardson, Kucinich, and Gravel. Honestly, I am kind of surprised that so few attended (though not surprised that Richardson was the first to agree to come). I would think that anyone who wanted to talk about issues such as poverty, racism, and discrimination would want to appear at this forum.

Coverage of Prez on the Rez can be found here, here, and a press release from Richardson on the forum is here.

jobs and the economy

2007-08-17T10:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Richardson unveiled his plan for strengthening our economy and creating good jobs. I urge everyone to read the plan in its entirety. Here I will only comment on some of the highlights.

In regard to taxes, Richardson plans to repeal the Bush tax cut to the uber-rich. He will extend tax credits to those companies which offer high paying jobs as well as those that employ folks in rural areas (very important for us in Maine). He also wants to end the Alternative Minimum Tax which so adversely effects many middle class families. What I find very exciting is that he wants to slash corporate welfare!

Now, those tax changes will help create jobs. But Richardson also wants to tie the minimum wage to inflation. This way, we won't have a lull of a decade plus before the minimum wage is increased again. What a great common sense solution!

He wants to make it easier for working people to organize and punish companies who try to crush budding unions!

He plans on giving incentives for green building. Again, this is huge in a number of ways. It is environmentally responsible, energy responsible, and will create more jobs.

He plans to hire 100,000 new math and science teachers -- who will fall under his teacher minimum wage.

I know many don't think that job plans are all that exciting, but please, read the plan. This will be great for all of us.

Richardson's LGBT Record

2007-08-13T20:34:00.000-05:00

The discussion over last week's Logo/ HRC debate continues. I wanted to pass along some thoughts of my own as well as a statement Barney Frank released today.

Rep. Frank's first:

Governor Bill Richardson's apology for the mistake he made in saying that sexual orientation is a choice did not surprise me, because he has been a strong supporter of our right to be treated fairly throughout his public career. It is especially relevant that he voted consistently on our side from the start of his Congressional career in the 1980s, when the issue of LGBT rights had far less support even from Democrats that it has today. I regret Gov. Richardson's misstatement - as I sometimes regret one or two of my own - but his error in the pressure of a debate should not detract from his very strong record in defense of equality for all Americans, including those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

As for my thoughts... I too think that Richardson's record is terrific. I prefer to judge someone based on their actions -- and his actions have been outstanding. He has fought tirelessly to end discrimination. As for the question/misstatement, many don't think about the how and why sexual orientation develops the way it does. Many don't analyze why we fall in love with who we fall in love with. We just fall in love with certain individuals -- no explanation needed. (It is especially true that people who are both straight and in healthy relationships rarely analyze why/how they fell in love with their partners.) The important thing (regardless of how it happens) is not to discriminate on that basis.

Richardson in the Harvard International Review

2007-08-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

For those who are interested in foreign policy (and who isn't?), Bill Richardson has a really good article in the Harvard International Review, "A New Realism". In this article, he discusses 6 new trends: jihadism, the sophistication of international crime networks, the rise in Asian economic and military power, the reemerging importance of Russia, global economic interdependence, and the globalization of health, environmental, and social crises. In the article, Richardson then outlines how he feels these issues need to be addressed. I highly recommend reading the article!

Happy Anniversary!

2007-08-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

Today is Bill Richardson and Barbara Flavin Richardson's 35th Anniversary! Happy Anniversary!

According to the press release:

"Barbara and I have been together since we were teenagers," said Governor Bill Richardson. "We have practically grown up together. Over the past 35 years Barbara has been my wife, best friend and my number one advisor. She has stood by my side through it all and on this special day I thank her for her love and devotion. Truly, there is no luckier man. Barbara here's to another beautiful 35 years."

Bill and Barbara first met when Bill was a senior at Middlesex High School in Concord, MA. It all began one afternoon in downtown Concord, MA when Barbara asked Bill if he needed a ride back to school. They immediately began dating and since then have been a couple.

Please join me in offering the happy couple an anniversary gift. It would be wonderful if you would donate $35 to the campaign for their 35th anniversary. If you can't afford $35, any gift will be happily accepted, I am sure.

Lobster Festival Parade and another Debate

2007-08-06T08:39:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, Rockland held the 60th annual Lobster Festival Parade. This is a big deal for us in Rockland, Maine. It is a big deal for people not in Rockland too. The parade averages over 25,000 spectators. This year, the Democrats had a large showing, with several of us carrying Bill Richardson signs. My goal is that next year, there will be many, many more Bill Richardson signs! Anyway, it was a beautiful morning and a lot of fun.

Now, other politics. Tomorrow, there will be the AFL-CIO debate from 7-8:30 EST. It will be broadcast live nationally on MSNBC and XM Satellite Radio. Governor Richardson has a strong record on labor issues and other concerns facing working America. Tune in and see shat he and the others have to say!

Richardson and Native American affairs

2007-07-27T09:48:00.000-05:00

There is a great article in today's Indian Country, "'Big Three' can learn much from Richardson". In it, the editors note that Bill Richardson already has a strong track record on Native American affairs, including government to government relations. He is proposing to have a cabinet level secretary of Indian Affairs. As they write:

Given his record, this is less lip service than intention. In 2005 he appointed Jemez Pueblo native Benny Shendo Jr. as New Mexico's first secretary of Indian Affairs. It is the only state in the country that has a cabinet secretary and a department of Indian Affairs. Spoken commitment followed by action is the key to winning the increasingly critical Native vote.

The article continues by pointing out that while Clinton, Obama, and Edwards are courting the Native American vote, none of them are planning on attending the Prez on the Rez debate.

It is important to note that while the leading candidates are reaching out to Indian country as campaign strategy, they will not appear at what may be the only forum focused solely on Indian issues. Prez on the Rez, an event sponsored by the Indigenous Democratic Network (INDN's List), is slated for Aug. 23 at the Morongo reservation in southern California. The forum places Democratic candidates squarely before Indian people to address their concerns. It is the first such forum to be held in Indian country, and leaders of all federally recognized tribes have been invited. The chance afforded to nearly every other group in America has finally materialized for Indian people. Not surprisingly, Richardson was the first to accept the invitation. Unfortunately, the ''Big Three'' won't attend due to scheduling conflicts. It is too bad. Each could benefit from the example set by Richardson, and by experiencing firsthand the strength of Indian leadership and the challenges they face in their communities.

Once again, Bill Richardson stands out on issues important to the country, and to Maine.

An Article and an Ad

2007-07-25T07:27:00.000-05:00

This morning, the Boston Herald had a great column on Richardson. In part it reads:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is on the rise from the second tier in the Democratic presidential race and former Sen. John Edwards is closing in on Barack Obama as front-runner Hillary Clinton’s strongest challenger.

That’s how I saw it in Monday’s dramatic new-age debate, televised by CNN with questions from ordinary citizens on YouTube. It’s an exciting format, with some questions offbeat and clever, others heartbreaking and poignant. And it brought out the best in Richardson. . .

The governor, who wants to be the first Hispanic president, appeared strong, empathetic and decisive as he addressed issues from the Iraq war and genocide in Darfur to No Child Left Behind.
Answering a moving plea for help from a woman in a Darfur refugee camp, Richardson said he had visited it, seen the desperation and pain there. He asserted passionately, “The answer here is caring about Africa” - about AIDS and poverty and massacres. He said the U.S. must do much more to pressure other nations in Africa and beyond for a more effective U.N. presence in Darfur.
Richardson doesn’t mince words. Asked whether No Child Left Behind (though many have been, in a badly run, underfunded effort) should be revised or scrapped, he quickly replied, “Scrap it!” It was badly conceived, he said, especially in its insistence on penalties for underperforming schools. “If a school isn’t doing well, we should help it,” he said.

He really was terrific in Monday's debate. I especially appreciated the Governor's answer to the question about same sex marriage. Instead of saying he is torn on the issue or that he thinks marriage is only between a man and a woman, he said he wants to accomplish what can be accomplished. That is, he wants to work towards civil unions, domestic partnership benefits, and anti-discrimination. Good answer!

Now for the ad... Many Mainers are veterans. I don't know the statistics off hand, but I am sure we are among the higher percentages of veterans in the country. As such, we are interested in how our service members are treated. I urge everyone to look at Richardson's new ad "Heroes"

Debate tonight!

2007-07-23T10:11:00.000-05:00

I encourage everyone to watch the debate tonight! Just an advance warning, CNN has decided to put Clinton and Obama in the center again -- and will most likely give them the most airtime again. But, hopefully, Bill Richardson will have a chance to show his stuff.

Top Tier!

2007-07-18T07:20:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't heard yet, Richardson is now in third place in New Hampshire! He just keeps moving up.

On another note, Forbes had a poll on the coldest candidates. Bill Richardson ranked the least cold out of all of them -- Republican and Democrat. I should note he tied with Obama on this scale. I am certainly not surprised that Richardson ranked the least cold -- he is so personable.

Yesterday in New Hampshire

2007-07-17T06:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I took a half day off of work and drove four hours south to Portsmouth, NH to see the Governor. He shook many, many hands in Portsmouth before going to a house party/ "job interview" in Dover -- which I also attended. Folks, he is such a genuinely nice guy. That is the biggest thing I came away thinking.

But I should let you know some other things he said which are really exciting. First of all, he kicked off his "Women for Richardson" group. With this, he added some initiatives which he will pursue once in the White House.

He said for Supreme Court nominations, he will come out and ask what the potential nominee thinks about Roe vs. Wade and whether it is settled law.

He wants to give caregivers a social security credit. This point is important because being a caregiver is one of the reasons that women get smaller social security checks than men. When someone leaves the workforce to care for a child or parent, they don't get credit for those years. Governor Richardson wants to rectify that inequity.

He wants to mandate that employers disclose pay statistics by gender, race, and job category, so that women can see if they are being treated fairly in the workplace. This too is major. Far too often, women are still being paid less than men who do the same work. But it is hard to find the data. With Richardson's proposal, we would have that data.

Of course, he also spoke about the war. Richardson has been outspoken about the need to withdraw our troops quickly. He pointed out that our troops are not preventing a civil war; there is already a civil war. He also would seek a diplomatic solution. With his diplomatic ability and experience, I think he has the best chance of being able to achieve a diplomatic solution.

Another point that I found interesting is Governor Richardson said he would support expanding public financing of elections. I think this is a very important issue and would urge everyone who reads this to check out the organization Just $6 (I do not know if the Governor supports their version of expanded public financing or not, but the organization is worth checking out regardless.)

What a great guy! As more people get to know him, I am sure they will agree.

He keeps coming up in the polls!

2007-07-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

Two polls were just released of Democratic voters in Pennsylvania and Michigan. Richardson has reached 8% in Pennsylvania and 7% in Michigan. To some, this might seem low, but it wasn't all that long ago when Richardson polled too low to register. With this kind of upward trend, being number 1 is on its way!

Cool Shirt

2007-07-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been looking for the perfect Bill Richardson shirt. I think I have it! Check it out...
It will not be the only Richardson shirt in my wardrobe. But until the campaign offers official ones on their website, unofficial will have to do.

What do you think?

NY Daily News Candidate Challenge

2007-07-01T09:21:00.000-05:00

I just came across this article this morning. The NY Daily News asked the top 4 candidates from each party to answer a series of questions, mostly on foreign affairs (Iraq, Iran, and the US international standing). Richardson, of course, gives great answers and shows that he knows what he is talking about. While he could have given stump-speech quick answers, he instead gave clear and thoughtful answers to each question. I highly recommend everyone read this -- and read the responses of the other candidates as well. It is a perfect example of why I think Richardson is the best person for the job.

2nd Quarter Countdown

2007-06-30T08:31:00.000-05:00

The decisions you make in the next few hours can truly influence who wins the White House in 2008.

We've got only a few hours before the crucial second quarter FEC fundraising deadline. Can you help keep our momentum alive by making a contribution now?

www.richardsonforpresident.com/momentum

If you've been waiting to see if this campaign is going to take off, now is the time to act. Right now is when your contribution can make the biggest difference.

Governor Richardson's poll numbers are skyrocketing. Now is the time to capitalize on this momentum with a fundraising haul that will really make the media sit up and pay attention. If we put enough $25 and $50 donations together before tonight's midnight fundraising deadline, we can shake up this entire race.

The clock is ticking -- we need your help now to meet our goal and keep the momentum going.

www.richardsonforpresident.com/momentum

Please Give Now

2007-06-29T08:58:00.000-05:00

The end of the fundraising quarter is tomorrow. Let's give Richardson a strong showing! Click on the ActBlue donation button on the top left corner of this blog to give a donation to Richardson's campaign. Any amount will help.

Richardson on Iran

2007-06-27T12:57:00.000-05:00

So, here is another example of how Richardson thinks practically and diplomatically in regard to our foreign affairs. Earlier today, he was asked about Iran. Instead of the response given by the Republican candidates (which is to use nuclear weapons to kill Iran into submission), Richardson has a thoughtful approach. He said he will reach out to the country's moderates (of whom there are many). He would talk to moderate clerics, to students, to businesses and others to negotiate halting the country's nuclear development. What a smart guy.

Read more about it here.

Sorry for the disappearance

2007-06-25T13:25:00.001-05:00

Well, I went away for quite a while. Life intervened and I have been busy doing other things. Bill Richardson, however, has been busy running for office. And he is working harder than anyone out there. To prove it, his poll numbers keep climbing. The more folks know who he is, the more they like him. As I've said before, he has the experience to do the job well. He knows what diplomacy means and can get things done.

Now, if only I can get things done...

He is in!

2007-01-21T09:39:00.000-05:00

Well, it is official. He announced today. I am so siked. Please refer to my why Maine needs Richardson post for why he is the best.

That being said, he has promised to outwork anybody. Richardson excels in retail politics -- meeting people, shaking hands, parades, all of those things we expect from our politicians here in Maine. It is great for people elected by the people to like people. And he really likes people. Plus he is a positive person. I agree with his analysis that the focus should be on what the candidate can accomplish and not on ripping apart opponents. I especially agree on that approach during primaries. There is no need for allies to tearing down each other.

He is a negotiator. He has negotiated successfully with some of the most fierce people in the world. When he talks of a diplomatic solution in Iraq, he is the one who could actually do it. As he said about diplomacy and energy and working within a balanced budget, etc.; a lot of people talk about these issues, but he has actually done it.

So, the campaign is real now. Let's start working!

Watch TV!

2007-01-20T19:22:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big one to either watch tv or recommend it. However, Bill Richardson is appearing on ABC's This Week on Sunday (tomorrow), and there promises to be some exciting news! For those of us in Maine, the show is from 9am-10am. Tune in.

Richardson and Darfur again

2007-01-11T15:33:00.000-05:00

I just got off the phone with Governor Richardson about his Sudan trip. He is so inspiring. While there has been some coverage, it is just a shame that the national media hasn't made the agreement front page news. Actually, I would argue that it is a shame that the national media hasn't made the Darfur crisis front page news.

In addition to the 60 day cease-fire -- which was agreed upon not just by the government, but by all the rebel forces as well, Richardson got the President to agree to include the militia -- which is vitally important. He also garnered an agreement that the horrible rapes and gender violence would start to be investigated and prosecuted. This is a huge part of the humanitarian horror faced by those in Darfur. Another important aspect of the agreement was that he got the president to loosen red tape for humanitarian groups and journalists.

What I found most amazing about this call was the Governor's humility. When complimented on this huge accomplishment, the Governor modestly said that he just tries to connect with and appeal to the pragmatic interests of the bad guys. Instead of merely focusing on the agreements, he said we ought to learn more about Darfur and the tragedy facing the people there. While there are huge tragedies throughout the world, this part of the world needs more attention. He called it the worst humanitarian crisis of the world.

Taking Richardson's suggestion, I would encourage all who read this to check out SaveDarfur.org. Learn about the crisis. Donate time, money, and/or energy.

For myself, I have to reiterate that we need this guy! He accomplished so much in the past four days -- as a private citizen. I can't even imagine how much he could do diplomatically sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office.

Richardson responds to Bush's address

2007-01-11T07:16:00.000-05:00

Richardson's response to Bush's address last night can be found here, but to quote:

"I strongly oppose any plan to increase American troop levels in Iraq. Sending more American troops will not make us safer. It will only add to the sectarian violence that is already tearing Iraq apart. ... The only surge we need in Iraq is a diplomatic one. We need to withdraw American troops from Iraq this year, redeploy our men and women to Afghanistan and other international terrorism hotspots and reinvigorate our diplomacy throughout the Middle East." Gov. Bill Richardson.

Who better to help us with a diplomatic surge than the man who just negotiated a cease fire in Darfur?

Governor Bill Richardson, we need you as President!

Cease-Fire Agreement again

2007-01-10T21:16:00.000-05:00

I have already posted about the monumentous Darfur agreement. But I got the following information from SaveDarfur:

SaveDarfur.org has a post called "Cease-Fire Agreement Offers a Moment of Opportunity for Political Settlement in Worsening Darfur Cri" that's worth checking out...

Cease-Fire Agreement Offers a Moment of Opportunity for Political Settlement in Worsening Darfur Crisis On Save Darfur Coalition trip, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Gets Commitment For Cease-Fire and Improved Humanitarian Aid and Media Access To…

Richardson Brokers Cease Fire in Sudan!

2007-01-10T16:55:00.000-05:00

I normally don't flat out copy. But this press release from the Governor's office is huge:

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Gets Commitment for
60-Day Cease-Fire in Darfur Region of Sudan
KHARTOUM, SUDAN – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced that he has secured a commitment from Sudanese President Omer Hassan Al Bashir to agree to a 60-day cessation of hostilities in the Darfur region to allow for a new political process under the Darfur Peace Agreement and the auspices of the African Union and the United Nations. Governor Richardson also spoke this week with rebel leaders who said they would agree to a cease-fire. If all parties follow through with the cease-fire, the A.U. and the U.N. will convene a Peace Summit on March 15 under the framework of the peace agreement.

Governor Richardson also secured the following commitments from President Al Bashir:
• Agreed not to have the National military aircraft painted in white markings
normally reserved for international organizations.
• Agreed that government forces would attempt to improve security conditions
in all areas of Darfur with special emphasis on El Geneina, and would provide
protection to food and other humanitarian convoys.
• Agreed to expedite procedures for entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers
as well as goods. He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit visas for
humanitarian aid workers.
• Agreed to allow and facilitate travel by journalists from all over the world to
Darfur.
• Governor Richardson and President Al Bashir reiterated that gender-based
violence and such crimes must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of
which party or organization was responsible. President Bashir said he would
welcome a significant contribution of female members to the AU/UN hybrid
operations. In addition the Justice Minister offered analyze and extend
existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all gender-based
violence.
Joint Press Statement on the conclusion of the visit by Governor Bill Richardson to the Sudan
7th – 10th January 2006
H.E Bill Richardson Governor of New Mexico accompanied by a delegation sponsored by and including members of the Save Darfur Coalition, the leading United States-based Darfur peace advocacy organization, conducted a visit to Sudan to discuss ways to secure peace in the Darfur region of Sudan and the protection of all civilians and other non-combatants. The Governor and the delegation visited EI Fasher and Nayala in Darfur, for meetings with internally displaced persons in Darfur, rebel groups that are signatories to the (DPA) as well as those which are not as of yet, international agencies, the United Nations, and humanitarian aid as well as the Wali of North Darfur and the Deputy Wali of Southern Darfur States and held meetings in Khartoum with H.E President Omer Hassan Al Bashir,Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Lam Akol Ajawin, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Ali Ahmed Karti and a number of high ranking Sudanese officials.

Both sides agreed that ending the conflict in Darfur is Sudan's and the international
community’s highest priority. Peace, they agreed, can only come through a political
settlement that is joined in by and addresses the needs of all parties, on the basis of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) of 5 May 2006 reiterating their support for preserving Sudan's territorial integrity and the importance of respect for Sudan's sovereignty. Both sides agreed that there was a compelling need for a comprehensive cease-fire to launch a political process based on the DPA that would lead to a durable end to the conflict as soon as possible. Both agreed to a 60-day cessation of hostilities by all parties within the framework of the DPA, accompanied by a start in African Union/United Nations diplomatic efforts, within the framework of the DPA, to begin narrowing the gaps between the non-signatories, including government approval of a field commanders' conference attended by the African Union and United Nations. This would be followed at the appropriate moment by an African Union/United Nations – sponsored peace summit, again in the framework of the DPA, no later than 15 March 2007.
Simultaneously, both agreed that the UN needed to expedite as quickly as possible the provision of UN personnel agreed in Addis Ababa and further specified in Abuja in November 2006. President Bashir re-affirmed his commitment to continue to facilitate the deployment of UN personnel and equipment consistent with his agreement with the Secretary General of the UN on Phases II and III, including the eventual conclusions of the Tripartite Committee as stipulated in the DPA.

The two sides noted that Governor Richardson had secured a commitment from
commanders of the Justice and Equality Movement and of the Non-Signatory Front
to participate in a process including a 60-day cease fire agreement within the
framework of the DPA. Governor Richardson and Save Darfur Coalition expressed
their grave concern to all parties with whom they met about continuing and
increasing attacks on civilians and other non-combatants.

They reiterated that gender-based violence and such crimes must be condemned and prosecuted regardless of which party or organization was responsible, noting that Governor Richardson and the Save Darfur Coalition emphasized the need in all their meetings for implementing mechanisms to ensure that "zero tolerance" policies towards gender-based violence be applied in practice, quickly and robustly. Governor Richardson noted with appreciation President Bashir's commitment to welcome a significant contribution of female members to the AU/UN hybrid operations. Both sides expressed their grave concern at allegations of gender based violence by United Nations personnel in South Sudan.

Governor Richardson and the delegation also met with the Under-Secretary of Justice, the Rapporteur of the Advisory Council for Human Rights and Dr. Attigatt who presented a briefing on Sudanese Government efforts to institutionalize protections for women. The Governor and the delegation accepted the offer to work with the Ministry to analyze and extend existing efforts to support Sudanese women against all gender-based violence.

President Bashir and Governor Richardson also agreed that more light needs to be
shed on the full situation in Darfur. President Bashir agreed to allow and facilitate
travel by journalists from all over the world to Darfur. The two sides underscored the need to disarm all armed groups, including the Janjaweed, pursuant to the provision of the DPA, and further agreed not to have the National military aircraft painted in white markings normally reserved for international organizations.

President Bashir agreed that government forces would attempt to improve security
conditions in all areas of Darfur with special emphasis on El Geneina, and would
provide protection to food and other humanitarian convoys. They also agreed that
humanitarian aid agencies have greatly assisted the Government and people of Sudan by providing much needed emergency and development aid in Darfur and other parts of Sudan. President Bashir agreed to expedite procedures for entry visas for all humanitarian aid workers as well as goods. He also agreed to terminate the requirement of exit visas for humanitarian aid workers. President Bashir noted with satisfaction the strong statements by the Save Darfur Coalition to rebel commanders condemning attacks by their members on humanitarian aid operations and agreed to initiate an ongoing dialogue with the Save Darfur Coalition aimed at ending the violence in Darfur and on achieving a political solution to the crises.

The two sides agreed to apprise African Union Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim and United Nations Special Envoy Jan Eliasson of these developments, so that the African Union and United Nations will facilitate the commanders meeting and launch the political discussion and to maintain regular communication assessing progress on these important initiatives to identify areas of difficulty on which further engagement may be necessary to ensure rapid progress and durable outcomes.
Both sides agreed that an improvement of relations is in the mutual interest of both
countries.

This is a major accomplishment!

Happy New Year!

2007-01-06T08:12:00.000-05:00

With the holidays and then Governor Baldacci's inaugural, I have been a busy woman and remiss in posting. That being said, I am looking forward to 2007 -- and on to 2008!

Right now, I am anxiously awaiting Governor Richardson to decide to be our next president. I hope an announcement will be made soon. Despite the large field, he is the best person for the job -- especially with his foreign policy experience. I have posted before that he was asked to go to Sudan. Well, I just read, he is going to go there to try to help out in Darfur. The article is here.

Best New Year wishes to all!

National Review Article and more

2006-12-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big National Review reader, but this morning, I stumbled across this article about Bill Richardson: Another Gov. Bill to the White House, Could Richardson do It?

It is quite positive for a conservative publication. It highlights some of the wonderful things about Bill Richardson, and minimizes some of the criticisms. It begins:
If there were a presidential candidate available who had deep experience in both state and federal government, the executive and legislative branch, and foreign and domestic affairs, would he be rated among the top of the field? How about if the same candidate had the retail political skills to match his policy experience and came from a bellwether state in a battleground part of the country? And what if this person had the sort of national contacts that are a must to raise the significant sums necessary for a run for the White House.

And did we mention he’s part of the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic group, is bilingual, and has a record of getting crossover votes?

Yeah, he is wonderful! To add to all of his great qualities, he is also not candidate bashing. See this short bit in the Boston Globe. That article says:

In an interview with the Globe, Richardson said it would be good if Senator Barack Obama joined the presidential race. Even though it might hurt his own chances to be the nominee, Richardson said an Obama campaign would bring in new voters.

“I am not among those praying he doesn’t get in,” Richardson said. “He brings a measure of excitement that is really good for us as a party, and I think the party needs a free-spirited primary.”

Personally, I agree. I think that it is better to have a large field with enthusiastic supporters who argue why our candidate is the best as opposed to a nasty, bloody campaign where everyone ends up bruised before we get to the general election. Of course, I think that Richardson is the best candidate -- and ought to run, win the primary, and take back the White House!

And now Sudan

2006-12-18T19:39:00.000-05:00

Because of the horrible crisis in Darfur, and because Richardson's wonderful negotiating skills, the Save Darfur Coalition has asked Bill Richardson to travel to Sudan to urge them to accept a peacekeeping force. Read about it here and here.

The world needs Bill Richardson to be our next president! If he can help with these crises now, just imagine how much good he could do as president.

New Hampshire

2006-12-17T17:50:00.000-05:00

Governor Richardson was in New Hampshire yesterday. Unfortunately, I had other obligations and couldn't get there. But read about his visit here.

Though he wasn't there as a candidate (he was congratulating NH Dems for their marvelous gains in the state house and governorship), he talked about how he is a grassroots kind of candidate. He hold the world's record for the most handshakes in a single day. Here in Maine, we love that kind of candidate too.

Richardson meets with North Korea officials

2006-12-15T17:02:00.000-05:00

Wow. This is one of the reasons I like this guy. He is doing what he can to help out by talking with N Korea diplomats. They came to New Mexico today to prepare for the upcoming six nation talks in China. The New York Times offers this quote:

"The only governor with a foreign policy'' is how Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, describes Richardson.

Read the article.

Richardson will announce in January

2006-12-08T15:06:00.000-05:00

According to the Washington Post, I have to wait until January to find out if Richardson will run to be our next president. Of course, I really want the answer to be a yes.

We can probably make the decision easier if there was already some money in the campaign coffers. Go to ActBlue and contribute to the Bill Richardson for President Draft fund! I know there are lots of organizations, people, and presents asking for money this time of the year. But any amount would have to help turn a maybe into a yes....

Richardson speaks out on immigration reform

2006-12-07T20:43:00.000-05:00

Richardson gave a great speech on illegal immigration today. You can read the text here. As usual for Richardson, it is a comprehensive, thoughtful approach.

First things first -- no fence. What a phenomenal waste of money! Here in Maine, we have an extensive border too. And we wouldn't dream of a fence. A fence (read wall) running the hundreds of miles of border will not deter anyone who feels they must be here. It will cost a ton of money. And the symbolism of a wall "flies in the face of America as a symbol of freedom."

No wall doesn't mean a policy of open borders. We need to improve our border security. Governor Richardson thinks we ought to double the number of border patrol agents. More agents would be more effective -- and cost a fraction of the monster fence.

We also need to acknowledge that illegal immigrants are helping our society run -- and pay taxes while they are doing so. We rely on immigrant labor to get things done. Even here in Maine, many of the blueberry rakers are migrant, immigrant workers. Richardson thinks that the economy wouldn't rely on immigrant labor as much if the minimum wage were raised. But it would still require more immigrant laborers than are currently permitted. So, he proposes extending the number of worker visas. Again, every summer, businesses in Maine complain that the quota of worker visas has already been met before our season really begins.

Richardson also proposes that there be a clear, streamlined path to citizenship. This is not an amnesty program, but a citizenship program. He also points out the real situations of families where the parents may be here illegally, but the children are US citizens. For these families, we need to have a path to citizenship.

Finally, and I think most importantly, Richardson reminds us that people wouldn't be coming here if the situation weren't so dire elsewhere. If 1/2 of Mexicans weren't living in poverty, if 1/5 weren't living in extreme poverty; then living in the shadows here wouldn't be nearly as attractive. We need a leader who will talk with our neighbors, with other leaders, and find real, thoughtful solutions to the problems that exist. We do not need simplistic finger pointing. We need Richardson.

Endorsement -- and Quinnipiac poll

2006-11-27T20:48:00.000-05:00

In his column today Bill Clark of the Columbia Daily Tribune endorsed Bill Richardson for president. Bill Clark offers a nice summery of Bill Richardson's impressive resume. I would recommend the reading. To quote just a bit, Clark writes:

Bill Richardson has a lengthy record of success on the international stage; he has 15 years of legislative experience in Washington; and he has been a successful governor who won re-election by 68 percent of the vote this year.

It is nice to have an endorsement so early. (Thanks to Missouri for Richardson, Florida for Richardson, and Washington for Richardson for being so swift.)

On another note, Quinnipiac released their "thermometer poll" of various politicians (many possible presidential candidates). For this poll, respondents gave the politicians a warmth rating between 0-100. They also track the percentage of respondents who didn't know enough to give a rating. There are a few interesting points to make with this poll. First, while Richardson only came it tenth among all of the possibilities,within the top ten, he had the highest percentage of respondents who didn't know enough about him. I am confident that as people know about him, the warmth will only rise. Second, while he rates better from Democrats than Republicans, he still gets decent ratings from Republicans and better than decent ratings from Independents.

Another Reason to love Bill Richardson...

2006-11-21T07:24:00.000-05:00

Bill Richardson instituted changes to New Mexico's OUI law. There was an article in the New York Times about this change yesterday.

Like Maine, New Mexico had a serious problem with OUI offenses. Lots of people were being killed. Despite tough penalties, people still drove with suspended licenses -- and drove drunk. (We had a situation here where a woman in Rockland drove drunk to the police station to complain about her previous arrest for drunk driving.) Governor Richardson came up with a great solution... Those who are convicted of OUI still have to pay their fines, still have community service hours, still have whatever jail time might apply to the charges, still have to attend DWI/ OUI school. But instead of not being allowed to drive at all, "an ignition interlock driver’s license must be obtained and an ignition interlock device must be installed and operating on all motor vehicles driven by the offender" for however long the license would have been revoked.

I cannot stress how cool this is. There are so many people who lose their license here in Maine because of driving under the influence. But instead of their lives getting better, many lose their jobs, can't get to medical appointments, go to the grocery store, even get to drug and alcohol treatment etc., unless they have someone to cart them around or if they break the law again. Richardson's solution punishes the offense, but allows for the offender to recover while still protecting the public from further offenses.

The result in New Mexico has been that they have seen a nearly 12% drop in alcohol related fatalities.

Why Maine needs Bill Richardson

2006-11-19T21:23:00.000-05:00

Bill Richardson would be a good president for the United States for the same reasons as he is right for Maine. But let me be more specific….

Foreign Affairs and Maine: First and foremost, we need Bill Richardson for President because we need someone who understands what diplomacy means, who can listen, and who can negotiate. Here in Maine, we have a large percentage of young people who enter the armed forces. We need to make sure that every diplomatic option is exhausted before those young people are put in harm's way. Richardson’s background in foreign affairs, his time as ambassador to the UN, and his well-documented success in international negotiations prove that he can handle the delicate discussions we need to enter internationally.

Maine’s Environment: As beautiful as Maine is, we at the end of the Midwest exhaust pipe. For the little pollution we produce and the phenomenal number of trees in our state, our air quality is frightful. Our waters and, in turn, our fisheries are threatened because of the precipitation from this pollution. We need someone for president who understands energy and will really do something to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as well as encourage the development of renewable energy. Richardson’s experiences as Secretary of Energy along with his expansion of renewable energy in New Mexico show that he understands energy.

Maine’s Economy: Governor Baldacci has done a great job with our state’s economy. But there is only so much that can be done on the state level. Unlike the current president, Richardson understands that Medicaid and education are ultimately the responsibility of the federal government. That means that Richardson understands that the federal government should be covering the bulk of the costs for these programs. For the past several years, states such as Maine have faced the same and growing demands from the population with fewer federal dollars to meet that need. With Maine having an older population and a higher rate of diseases such as Alzheimer’s than most states, we have higher Medicaid costs than most states. If the federal government covered more of the cost of Medicaid, then the state wouldn’t have to do so.

Fair Elections: Maine has the best election law in the country. We deeply care about our elections being fair and verifiable. Richardson shares Maine values in this regard. When Richardson became governor, New Mexico’s broken election system had electronic-only voting machines. Many people were disenfranchised. Governor Richardson changed his states laws, and now every ballot is paper.

Hunting and fishing: Like Maine, New Mexico has a lot of folks who care deeply about hunting and fishing. Hunting and fishing also bring tourism dollars into the state. In New Mexico, Richardson has taken an active role in assuring access to lands for hunting and fishing.

Heritage: Finally, and of least importance (but kind of fun), Bill Richardson apparently has Maine roots.

The fundraising -- it has begun

2006-11-17T07:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, it may seem early, but fundraising is already underway. But Bill Richardson hasn't announced yet? How can we raise money for his campaign? Here is how this works. Act Blue has set up a "Draft Bill Richardson fund". (They have funds for other prospective presidential candidates too). When Bill Richardson decides to announce, he will already have those funds available to him. Should someone donate to a "draft x fund" and x doesn't decide to run by convention time, the money will go to the DNC. Giving early can only show the support Richardson has.

Happy Birthday!

2006-11-15T12:05:00.000-05:00

Today is Bill Richardson's birthday! 59! Happy Birthday Governor!

Maine for Richardson is born

2006-11-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

Well, the 2006 elections are over and it is time to start on 2008. This will be a major election for our country. I have done a fair amount of research on the possible candidates for president, and I believe that Bill Richardson of New Mexico is the person for the job. I am impressed with his unique combination of national, foreign, legislative, and executive experience.