Lets talk about Bill Richardson as VP

[Quixote1818]

I am not a big Bill Richardson fan because he is such a moderate but I think he would be the bets choice for VP for several reasons. First of all the Hispanic vote is becoming more and more important all over the country. Second of all he would help us with Southwest states like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. I have heard that he is about the most connected politician around and his work with the UN was very impressive. He was successful negotiating the release of several hostages more than once. He is well spoken and knows just what to say in most situations.

They say your VP choice can only hurt you and rarely helps you however in Richardson's case I think he might actually help the ticket. However I am not completely sold on him but right now I think he is the best choice for VP based on what little I know.

Please give your thoughts pro and con. Thanks

[The Sheik]

1. I am a huge Richardson fan and would like to see a Bayh/Richardson ticket

as I have said before on other threads. I think that he really has the spunk to pull to be a VP, yet really could not be a Prez. He has a Southwestern appeal to him and feel that we need people like him to run.

[alittlelark]

2. Let's not. I worked w/ 'election protection' in NM

There were bizarre abnormalities - but Richardson did everything in his power to prevent recounts and investigation.

[Quixote1818]

8. What Bizarre Abnormalities?

I live in New Mexico and thought the reasons for re-counts were based on very weak evidence. The stuff that was going on such as people pushing buttons and a different candidate lighting up were spotty at best and happened to both sides. I think he made the right choice on that based on how weak the case was. It would not have changed anything anyway and would have cost a lot of money. Sorry but he made the right choice and 75% of New Mexicans would agree.

[alittlelark]

10. For one, the early voting occurred on no trail e-voting machines

and the district that I worked was shifted at the 11th hour to optical scan.

My Personal experience.

Go to the 2004 elections forum and ask the question.... you'll get more that enough to make you squirm.

[DemDogs]

3. Way too much baggage (n/t)

[Quixote1818]

6. Such as?

[DemDogs]

12. Lots of rumors, stuff we don't need

And what we know is that either they are true, which is lousy, or there is enough smoke for the Rs to make something plausible up.

It won't help that he is apparently not liked by his staff people, but that's rumor too. I don't want to trade in rumors, but there is enough out there to be nervous about.

Too bad, too, because Hispanic governor sounds great on paper.

[KoKo]

25. Being a Hispanic, Black, Irish, Indian, Austrian, Native American, Italian

Wasp or anything else....should not be considered over "are they qualified," imho. We only have to look to Condi Rice (lying us into war and Alberto Gonzalez who approved torture" to say the color of one's skin or ethnic heritage is no longer a blank check in politics in the 21'st Century. :shrug:

[KittyWampus]

19. Why Was Richardson Diametrically Opposed To Recounts? It Stinks

[Warpy]

4. he's a fucking DINO, so let's NOT.

[Quixote1818]

5. DINO's are always good VP choices

[Warpy]

9. Like HELL

he's got baggage coming out of his ears, from selling working people out on tax cuts so he could fatten the rich to rubberstamping an election that was just as crooked as those in Florida and Ohio.

We do NOT need this bastard on any ticket. I am so damned angry at him I'm planning to vote pubbie to GET RID OF HIM.

This is what people here in NM think about him.

[Quixote1818]

16. I live in Albuquerque .

Richardson is very popular here. You know why? Because he is a moderate and thats what we need for VP. He is much to moderate for me but I would like to win for a change. I am not worried about a few places he and I disagree I am interested in winning the Hispanic vote big and winning the election.

[Kahuna]

7. I'm all for it. Wanted it in 2004. We suffered losses with

latino voters in 2004. Richardson may have made a big difference.

[Obviousman]

11. I think it's a good choice

I wanted Edwards for VP, but upon reflection I realized from now on, the VP's role is to be able to carry a state that the top of ticket can't.

[aquart]

13. What a completely delusional discussion.

[Quixote1818]

17. Please enlighten us?

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

18. Looking in from the outside, I agree...

... especially since the thread starter only cites Richardson's genetics and his "connections" as reasons for his qualifications as VP. What about his record and positions?

I consider using Richardson's race and "inside the beltway"-ism to be very weak "qualifications". One could use these same criteria to justify Gonzales and Rice -- although Rice is definitely a superior human being because of her gender, purported intelligence and piano-playing ability. :eyes:

The fact that there are shady goings-on with the 2004 election results in NM (as cited by others) makes him even more suspect to me. I believe that any Democrat in a position of power who rejects public transparency should be subject to very close scrutiny before being given even more power.

I challenge Quixote1818 to justify why "DINO's are always good VP choices" and why Richardson is the best VP candidate, beyond his genetics, NM popularity and supposed connections. Actually, to be honest, I don't really care -- I don't think this thread is meant to further the Democratic cause at all.

Edit: typos.

[Quixote1818]

27. Why? Because VP's are typically powerless but they can help a candidate

They are a figure head so we might as well pick a figurehead that can help us win. Despite all the misgivings about Richardson among the fringe of his own party here on DU he is very popular in New Mexico to people in the middle. To me, with a figurehead position the ONLY thing that counts is helping someone like Clark or another candidate win. But I am sure some of you will loose your rational thinking and want to put someone in as VP who may be a great person but wont help us win back the presidency. My post is about WHO will help us win not putting in the perfect person in a position that really does not matter when it comes to policy. ALL VP is about is helping the main candidate WIN. Why is that so hard for people to comprehend?

[marcologico]

14. For a Southern Dem, maybe. For anybody else they'd need a Southern Dem.

Clark/Richardson for example, but I don't see it winning.

[AntiCoup2K4]

15. By virtue of being a governor, Richardson is technically a better choice..

..than any senator for even the top of the ticket. But on the other hand, the fact that he's a DLC'er who appears on FAUX news more than Zell & Lieberman combined, and calls Sean Hannisheep his "friend" (and likewise) means he won't be anywhere near the top of my list. As I said in a thread yesterday, a governor is the best candidate, assuming we can find one whose nose isn't buried in Al From's ass.

[UTUSN]

20. I'm a Middle of the Roader and He Makes ME Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

(I'm more Left on civil rights/justice/liberties issues.)

And his supposed Hispanic persona doesn't come across in any way. AND his willingness to pop into any wingnut circus at the drop of a hat, from Don ANUS to Faux, is irksome. Yeah-yeah, to play the game you gotta play, but...

That said, my vote will be there as it always has.

[MissWaverly]

21. No, please no

Is this the same Bill Richardson, who as governor of New Mexico, blocked the recount of the votes in New Mexico in 2004. That literally had the machines cleaned while there was an appeal for a recount pending judicial review. The delay in the recount was caused by his demand of an astronomical fee to hold a recount.
Do you mean, him????

:nopity:

[imagine1989]

22. math

Hispanic voters in large numbers + southwest = southern votes = election win

[Quixote1818]

30. Thats exactly my point.. Thank you!

[seabeyond]

23. nm was one of the most corrupted states in elections

this year. and he did everything in his power to stop any kind of investigation into votes stolen

he is a nope for me

[autorank]

24. IF Richardson was behind the $1.4 million price for NM recount...

HE SHOULD BE SHUNNED AND MARGINALIZED, DRUMMED OUT OF THE PARTY.

My understanding is that he helped generate this fee request for a recount and that he wanted/had the machines cleared after a 72 hour period some time ago. If either or both of these statements are true, he is anti-democratic, anti Democrat, and a bum of the first order (as per Senator Byrd's tongue lashing during on oversight hearing on DOE security).

If he didn't promulgate the $1.4 million fee and/or suggest that the machines be cleared, then I apologize. If he did, he can forget any role other than the one he has now.

[Vadem]

26. Let's not! We don't need another DLC Dem in our leadership....n/t

[Rowdyboy]

28. Whoever is nominated, Richardson should be one of the 3 finalists

for VP. He absolutely must be in the running. The breadth of his experience, congressional, executive and international, immediately qualifies him for most serious consideration. Add to that the fact that he a westerner representing a swing state and he's hard to beat. Throw inthe fact that he's Hispanic and he's even more appealing.

[Quixote1818]

31. Yes, and I think the only reason he is running in 08' is because he knows

he will be looked at as VP. He seems to have everything a VP candidate needs to help the main candidate win. All these people who don't agree with him on many issues are missing the point here. It's about who can best help us win in 08.

[Al-CIAda]

29. DLC PNAC/neocon appeaser who thwarted efforts to expose eFraud...no -eom