A couple of days ago someone told me that the particular candidate I'm supporting for President was "too unknown." I replied that not too long ago there was a little-known governor from Arkansas who became the symbol of the Democratic Party for 8 years. I take it as my civic duty to inform Daily Kossacks, as well as the entire netroots community, about my candidate.
Bill Richardson was born in 1947 to a Mexican mother and a Boston father in Pasadena, California. After living in Mexico City for 13 years, Richardson moved to the Boston-Area. After playing baseball in high school, he went on to play at Tufts University, where he majored in French and Political Science. With his degree, he went on to do congressional relations at the state department and the senate foreign relations committee.
In 1978, he moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where he ran for Congress in the first district and lost to a long-time congressman. Only four years later, he was victorious in the race for the brand-new 3rd congressional district of New Mexico's northern region. He rarely faced a close challenge in the next 14 years of his congressional career, and focused especially on foreign relations as he made trips all over the world. In 1995, he even convinced Saddam Hussein to let two American aerospace workers free who had wandered over the border into Iraq after lengthy one-on-one negations.
After working with Bill Clinton closely on many issues, he was appointed the US Ambassador to the United Nations in 1997. One year later, Clinton appointed him to be Secretary of Energy, where he served for the rest of the administration's tenure. In 2002, he defeated Republican candidate John Sanchez to become the governor of New Mexico by 17 percentage points. He was the only Hispanic governor in the United States at the time.
He has done much for his state and his country. After promoting tax cuts to promote growth and investment, he won a special election that allowed him to tap into the state's permanent fund to meet current and future projects for the state. Through Governor Richardson's Investment Partnership (GRIP), he funded large-scale public infrastructure works, including highways and a brand new commuter rail line called "The Railrunner" between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Even though he was very busy as governor, he managed to find time in the summer of 2003 to go to North Korea to discuss the country's future nuclear energy. In 2005, he made New Mexico the first state to provide $400,000 in life insurance coverage for New Mexico National Guardsmen. Later in 2005, he announced the state's intentions to pair up with billionaire Richard Branson to bring the exciting new business of space tourism to the Southwest corner of the state. One of his most recent endeavors involved going to Sudan last September to negotiate the release of imprisoned journalist Paul Salopek from Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. He is the chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association where he has worked to increase the role of governor's in the party. Just over a week ago, he won his second term handily with 68% of the vote against former New Mexico Republican Party Chair John Dendahl.
That is a short bit of history for those of you. Now, it is my hope that people will no longer tell me they have "never heard of him.."
Finally, if you could please recommend this diary, I would truly be indebted to you, for I want the entire community to know one of the smaller guys vying for our support in light of the '08 Presidential race. Thank you for you time!
UPDATE: I mistakenly said he was born in Nicaragua, when he was in fact born in Pasadena California. This clears up questions about whether or not he is a US citizen allowed to run for president. Thanks.