Democracy for New Mexico

Gov. Richardson Formally Announces Entry Into Prez Race

Here's the online version of his announcement. You can also view a version he does in Spanish. And here's the press release, which includes the complete text of his remarks, a list of those who joined him onstage and a list of California endorsements. Gov. Richardson made the live announcement this morning at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, in the same room where John F. Kennedy accepted the Democratic nomination in 1960. AP video has a short clip of the announcement.

The campaign has also launched its upgraded website and blog with all sorts of new organizing gizmos and lots of video. Check it out.

Formally Announcing
(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press)

Here are links to major coverage of his announcement:

• LA Times
• International Herald Tribune (AP)
• Washington Post
• New York Times (on announcement)
• New York Times (background)
• New York Times (video report and interview)
• Yahoo News (photos)
• Albuquerque Journal (photo slide show thru the years)
• Albuquerque Journal (5-part bio)

Edwards Campaign Offers End the War T-Shirts and Free Bumperstickers

(Click on image for larger version.)

I like it. The John Edwards campaign is offering a free "Support the Troops - End the War" bumpersticker to anyone who asks. For $20, you can get both the bumpersticker and a t-shirt with the same message. Click to order. They're also encouraging people to take action during the Memorial Day weekend to help end the war, and suggest 10 things you can do. Visit this page for more info. I think EVERY Democratic presidential candidate should be doing something like this, don't you? (And much more, of course.)

Gore: The Assault on Reason

I'ts (another) rainy day in New Mexico -- perfect for reading. I suggest you start with a substantial excerpt from Al Gore's soon to be released new book, The Assault on Reason, courtesy of Time magazine. Some quotes:

Why do reason, logic and truth seem to play a sharply diminished role in the way America now makes important decisions?" The persistent and sustained reliance on falsehoods as the basis of policy, even in the face of massive and well-understood evidence to the contrary, seems to many Americans to have reached levels that were previously unimaginable.

... It is simply no longer possible to ignore the strangeness of our public discourse. I know I am not alone in feeling that something has gone fundamentally wrong. In 2001, I had hoped it was an aberration when polls showed that three-quarters of Americans believed that Saddam Hussein was responsible for attacking us on Sept. 11. More than five years later, however, nearly half of the American public still believes Saddam was connected to the attack.

... what television's dominance has come to mean is that the inherent value of political propositions put forward by candidates is now largely irrelevant compared with the image-based ad campaigns they use to shape the perceptions of voters. The high cost of these commercials has radically increased the role of money in politics—and the influence of those who contribute it. That is why campaign finance reform, however well drafted, often misses the main point: so long as the dominant means of engaging in political dialogue is through purchasing expensive television advertising, money will continue in one way or another to dominate American politics. And as a result, ideas will continue to play a diminished role. That is also why the House and Senate campaign committees in both parties now search for candidates who are multimillionaires and can buy the ads with their own personal resources.

... Fortunately, the Internet has the potential to revitalize the role played by the people in our constitutional framework. It has extremely low entry barriers for individuals. It is the most interactive medium in history and the one with the greatest potential for connecting individuals to one another and to a universe of knowledge. It's a platform for pursuing the truth, and the decentralized creation and distribution of ideas, in the same way that markets are a decentralized mechanism for the creation and distribution of goods and services. It's a platform, in other words, for reason.

But the Internet must be developed and protected, in the same way we develop and protect markets—through the establishment of fair rules of engagement and the exercise of the rule of law. The same ferocity that our Founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the Internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic. We must ensure that the Internet remains open and accessible to all citizens without any limitation on the ability of individuals to choose the content they wish regardless of the Internet service provider they use to connect to the Web. We cannot take this future for granted. We must be prepared to fight for it, because of the threat of corporate consolidation and control over the Internet marketplace of ideas.

Gore to Join Prez Race?
By the way, Gore has provided the strongest hint yet that he may still have plans to enter the presidential race. A soon to be published article in the New York Times reports:

When I asked Gore why he hasn’t dismissed all the speculation by issuing a Shermanesque refusal to stand, as he did in 2002, Gore said, "Having spent 30 years as part of the political dialogue, I don’t know why a 600-day campaign is taken as a given, and why people who aren’t in it 600 days out for the convenience of whatever brokers want to close the door and narrow the field and say, ‘This is it, now let’s place your bets’ — If they want to do that, fine. I don’t have to play that game."

New Richardson Ad Takes Humorous Approach

Editor's Note: I like the new approach. It's not often we see political ads that are creative and humorous. What do you think? Click below, watch the ads and and let the Bill Richardson campaign know your thoughts.

From Dave Contarino, Richardson for President: You have to see our new ad. We just released it on YouTube. Our ads will be running in Iowa and New Hampshire. Raising our profile and earning votes in these states are essential elements of our campaign to elect Governor Richardson in 2008. The new spot is not your typical campaign ad. It makes a crucial point to key primary voters that Bill Richardson, a four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the experienced leader that America needs.

Click here to see Bill Richardson's new ad. It is sure to earn attention from voters and it shows that Bill's resume - Governor, Energy Secretary, and statesman - is exactly what America needs.

With more than 20 states holding primaries and caucuses in the two weeks after Iowa and New Hampshire, these two early contests are more important than ever. A strong start will give our campaign a wave of momentum that will carry Governor Richardson to the nomination.

That's why we have to take every opportunity to talk directly to voters in these influential states. They need to know that Bill Richardson is the only candidate who has a proven record of negotiating peace in global trouble spots and that he's ready to do the same thing in the White House.

We're leveraging your investment in our campaign with a bold and aggressive media strategy aimed at raising our profile and earning pivotal votes. I have always believed that when voters learn that Governor Richardson invested in education, job creation, and alternative energy in New Mexico, they will side with us.

The new ad shows a mock job interview for President that gives new meaning to the words "over-qualified." The look on the Governor's face is priceless.

One of the secrets of Governor Richardson's success at governing, negotiation and foreign affairs is his ability to connect with people. His years of diplomatic experience have taught the Governor that sometimes the best way to reach out is to put others at ease with humor and self-deprecation.

But the message underscores a serious distinction. Bill Richardson has spent a lifetime in public service, preparing to meet our country's great challenges and to seize great opportunities. He is the only candidate with the wisdom and the sound judgment to take on the toughest dictators and to tackle global warming.

However, it takes something unconventional to get noticed in a crowded field. This new ad fits the bill. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Beware the Ghost of Reagan

Air America's Rachel Maddow takes on the Ghost of Deficits and Iran-Contra Crimes Past. Yes, Repubs are ever so nostalgic about Reagan and his major accomplishments: ignoring the AIDS crisis, arming Saddam and Bin-Laden, illegally selling arms to Iran to illegally fund the Contras -- a right-wing terrorist organization in Nicaragua that ran cocaine into the U.S., running up one of the largest deficits in American history, pursuing a strategy that resulted in the deaths of 241 American servicemen in Lebanon and invading Grenada. Oh, there were a few other scandals too. What's not to like? He was such a NICE man, a FUNNY man and the Great Communicator too. Repub candidates reportedly evoked Reagan's name more than 40 times during their recent debate at the Reagan Presidential Library.

White bread all in a row...

If your recent role model choices are Daddy Bush, Ronnie or Bush The Commander Guy, it's easy to see why you'd pick Ray-gun. He was the best actor of the bunch and could light up the room with a smile while in the process of telling heinous lies. I guess the Repubs are looking for another Morning in America candidate who can pretend all is well in Oz while the country reels from the after-effects of 8 years of Bush Mania. If that doesn't work, they can always try to keep the conversation on battling the evil forces of science, evolution, green energy and gay people. And offer more tax breaks to the rich.

Click on image for larger version. See more Kirktoons.

Edwards' Iraq Ad: I Like It

I encourage you to visit JohnEdwards.com/WeThePeople/ and donate a few bucks to keep this ad on the air. I just did. You can also upload a clip of yourself stating your We The People opinion on Iraq for use in the online version of the ad. Edwards definitely seems to be staking out one of the strongest bring-the-troops-home-now Iraq war positions of the prez candidates (along with Richardson and Kucinich). Thank goodness someone is. Our House and Senate Dems need a constant push to keep up the fight. Right after Bush's veto of the war funding bill, rumors of "compromising" with Bush about a firm deadline popped up everywhere. Let's encourage our Dems stand their ground!

Who Won Tonight's Dem Prez Debate?

I had to miss the live broadcast, so I just got done watching a recording. You can see some of it here. You can also view clips and more here.

I thought Brian Williams' questions were often shallow and designed to create "gotcha" moments. Hey, it's the mainstream media. It appeared that candidates had some difficulty getting going given that eight people were sharing the 90 minutes, and their answers had to be very short. The "debate" came across more like a quiz show than a forum for the discussion of serious issues. Next thing you know, they'll have a gong up there at these events, or someone yelling "you're fired." Maybe they'll force them to dance. With the celebrity pundits. Watch out for a guy in the wings with a hook and the installation of applause meters. Really.

I thought the only excitement was provided by Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich, who were the only Dems willing to be confrontive and dismissive of the "business as usual" conduct of the others. People can criticize Gravel for his vociferous responses, but I confess that what he had to say and how he said it sounded more like the sitting-around-talking comments of rank and file Dems than any of the others to me. Somebody acting like there really ARE a bunch of tragedies and emergencies happening all at once in the nation. As upset and worried as we are about it all, and feeling the pain and foreboding. I thought Gravel displayed what came to be a rather welcome lack of polish and programming compared to the others. with their set-piece answers and overly careful rhetoric. He complained he didn't get as much talk time as the others. He didn't.

My takes: Hillary seemed set on cool, calm and collected automatic debate speak. Obama mostly stayed abstract and lofty, but got somewhat defensive and rattled when he was challenged. Richardson seemed a bit nervous and hemmed in by the short times allowed for responses, but he was strong on his answers about Iraq. Edwards seemed a little flat somehow, except at the end. Biden was, well, Biden, and he created some laughter by staying pointedly silent when Williams' asked him about putting his foot in his mouth early in his campaign. Dodd was businesslike. Gravel made Kucinich seem tame, stealing some of the outsider fire. Nobody was really bad, or very good either, in my opinion. Few surprises, lots of practiced talking without saying much, too much Brian Williams trying to be impressive, if only in his own mind.

From the measured, deliberate and "moderate" tones struck by most of the candidates, you'd never guess what's been going on in America and on the planet for the last 6+ years. Very little sense of urgency or passion. I think they need to get out more and LISTEN to the mood of ordinary Americans. We're not even close to the primaries and too many already seem to be inside the bubble blown by handlers and groomers and consultants. No big mistakes, but a paucity of inspiration, outrage or excitement. And like Gravel said, some of their answers on things like nuking Iran were downright scary in their nonchalance.

I kept thinking, geez, by the time we get to the actual primaries, we'll be sick to death of all of them as well as the unsatisfying format of these debates-in-name-only. Maybe allowing fewer questions and longer times to answer would be helpful. Or limiting the questions to one topic. Or letting less "famous" media personalities run the show. Or encouraging back and forth between the participants. Or something.

What did you think?

(Above photo by AP)

2008 Dem Presidential Candidate Debate Thursday on MSNBC

All eight Democratic candidates for president will debate on Thursday at an event, organized by the South Carolina Democratic Party, to be held at the historic Martin Luther King, Jr., Theater at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. The debate is set to air on MSNBC cable on April 26th from 5:00 to 6:30 PM MDT, moderated by NBC News anchor Brian Williams. It will also be streamed live on MSNBC.com. Bill Richardson, John Edwards, Barack Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel have all confirmed their participation. Click for MSNBC debate coverage.

According to Reuters, "The debate kicks off three days of political activity in South Carolina. On Friday, most candidates will attend a state party dinner and the annual fish fry hosted by Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state's most prominent black politician. On Saturday, some candidates will address the state party convention."

On the eve of the Democratic Party events, South Carolina lawmakers are urging candidates to release their comprehensive energy plans and make discussion of energy policies a top priorty.

South Carolina will hold the first Democratic primary contest in the South in January 2008, following Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire.

An article by Adam Nagourney of the New York Times describes the crush of invitations to presidential candidate forums and debates being received by candidates of both parties, and efforts being made to coordinate a reasonable schedule:

After a private dinner of Democratic campaign managers at a Washington steakhouse last month with Howard Dean, the Democratic National Committee chairman, the party agreed that starting in July it would limit debates to one a month through the end of the year. Dean, blocking for his candidates, will choose the sponsors.

... "The DNC should stand firm and demand as many debates as possible," said Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is seeking the Democratic nomination. "This is one way there is equity in this presidential process because they are several candidates with alarmingly more money and resources than everyone else."

Guest Blog: Richardson's Experience Proves He's a Fit Candidate

This is a guest blog by Stephen Fox of Santa Fe that was originally published in The Daily Lobo: In a speech given in New Hampshire in late 2006, Gov. Bill Richardson said, "One thing the Bush administration has never understood is that diplomacy and military power are not alternatives to one another, but rather complementary sources of strength. Because diplomacy without power is weak, and power without diplomacy is blind."

This is the very core of Richardson's international platform, and the kind of insight he gained as a U.N. ambassador and energy secretary under President Bill Clinton. Richardson's trip to North Korea is already bringing important results.

His international résumé is a breath of fresh air, and since the U.S. needs to rebuild and rethink its international policies after six years of corporate, Halliburton-driven plutocracy, I believe Richardson must become president.

Our domestic economy is in the pits because of hundreds of billions of dollars going to Iraq and Afghanistan - mostly military expenditures - all to advance the Bush administration's corporate agenda. Other nations are capitalizing on our errors and distractions - like China, with its trillion-dollar balance of payments, as well as Russia, which has funded many developing nations in their colonial struggles, pointing to our oppressive presence in Iraq and telling African, South Asian and South American nations that they are perfectly willing to buy their natural resources instead of plundering them.

On March 28, Richardson said, "I would not leave any troops in Iraq ... If I were president today, I would withdraw by the end of this calendar year ... But I would also have a reconciliation conference of the three religious groups, forge a coalition government and divide the country into three entities."

The international backlash of a totally failed U.S. foreign policy has profound implications for a worsening domestic economy, and the situation is getting seriously worse by the day. This is why I support Richardson's presidential campaign.

Editor's Notes: This is a guest blog by Stephen Fox, who describes himself as follows: Stephen Fox is a Santa Fe Art dealer and the founder of New Millennium Fine Art.He is keen on New Mexico establishing a higher standard for nutrition not just for schools, but at all levels. He authored a bill to ban the neurotoxic artificial sweetener Aspartame, which was sponsored by Sen. Ortiz y Pino, but during the 2007 session, the bill was shot down by "insidious mendacious corporate lobbyists, the scourge of the legislative process," representing Coca Cola, and Ajinomoto of Japan, the world's largest manufacturer of both MSG and Aspartame.  He is working on establish a Nutrition Council for the United Nations by passage of a Resolution he wrote. The text and supporting medical documents can be found at Fox's website.

Guest blogs provide an opportunity for readers to express their personal opinions on relevant political matters and don't necessarily represent the views of DFNM. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand corner of our main page.

Results In: Richardson Shows Strength in MoveOn Prez Town Hall on Iraq

Gov. Bill Richardson is generating lots of buzz around the net for his strong showing in the voting after this week's MoveOn Virtual Town Hall on Iraq with the Dem presidential candidates. MoveOn released two vote tallies -- one of all those who voted in the straw poll, regardless of whether they watched the candidates answer questions, and one of those who attended the viewing parties and participated in the event in real time:

MoveOn reports the full results from the Virtual Town Hall vote (remember, this does not imply a MoveOn endorsement):

Sen. Barak Obama  28%
Sen. John Edwards  25%
Rep. Dennis Kucinich  17%
Gov. Bill Richardson  12%
Sen. Hillary Clinton  11%
Sen. Joe Biden  6%
Sen. Chris Dodd  1%

MoveOn members who watched the Town Hall at one of the parties voted differently from those who did not. Here are how the folks who attended the event ranked their choices:

Sen. John Edwards  25%
Gov. Bill Richardson  21%
Sen. Barack Obama  19%
Rep. Dennis Kucinich  15%
Sen. Joe Biden  10%
Sen. Hillary Clinton 7%
Sen. Chris Dodd 4%

Here's what kos had to say about Richardson's position on Iraq in his frontpage story on the event (590 comments):

Richardson would completely exit Iraq. The others wouldn't.
by kos Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 12:56:27 PM MDT

: "if I were President today, I would withdraw American troops by the end of this calendar year. I would have no residual force whatsoever."

Richardson, in just the last couple of months, has brokered landmark deals in Darfur and North Korea -- efforts that had stymied the Bush Administration through two terms. There is no one in American politics today more respected and accomplished on foreign policy than Bill Richardson.

Compare this to Hillary Clinton, who talks about "ending the war", yet the fine print of her plan shows she'd keep up to 75,000 American troops in Iraq.

Compare this to Barack Obama, who would still leave an undisclosed number of troops in Iraq ... Compare this to John Edwards ... Of all the top candidates, Richardson is the only candidate who currently advocates a complete withdrawal from Iraq. That he's also the sharpest mind on foreign policy issues isn't a coincidence.

You can hear clips or read transcripts of all the presidential candidates' answers to questions posed during MoveOn's Virtual Town Hall by .

More on Bill Richardson:

• Richardson Iraq Plan and Petition
• Richardson Boosts Foreign-Policy Credentials (The Hill)
• Slow and Steady (Donna Brazile, Washington Times commentary)
• Endorse Bill Richardson
• Richardson for President YouTube Channel

Latest Video:

4.13.07: Upon Gov. Richardson's Return from North Korea