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Q&A with Gov. Bill Richardson
The hand-shaker
By Brian Early bearly@hippopress.com
New Mexico governor and Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson has held a wide range of political offices. He was elected to House of Representatives, served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and was the Secretary of Energy for the Clinton administration. Recently, his campaign made a swing through Manchester.
Q:What made you think that you could be president or should be president?
I made the decision when I knew I was going to be reelected as the governor in New Mexico. And I saw the field, and I said, I love being a CEO as governor, and the ultimate CEO job is president, and I know I can do good things. I like the power do to good things. And I felt I had the international experience that I could change the country. I love campaigning, so I jumped.
What do you like about being a CEO?
The fact that I set the agenda. The fact that I can balance budgets. The agenda revolves around what I want to do. I saw the success we had in New Mexico as governor in terms of creating 80,000 new jobs, becoming the clean-energy state, insuring kids under 5, improving education, increasing teachers’ salaries. And I love foreign policy. I love negotiating with dictators and bringing prisoners home. Being president, I believe, is being the ultimate CEO … where you can make a difference.
If as president you could do one thing and it happens, what’s that one thing you do?
End the war. That would be a part of the executive power of the president’s foreign policy. I would bring the troops home as quickly as possible. And that would be an enormous signal to the rest of the country that America is changing and that we’re going to do what the American people want us to do.
You campaigned in 2004 [for] John Kerry. How is this campaign different than the last one?
Nationally? For one, you’ve got a very disruptive primary season where you don’t know which state is first, and there is uncertainty about where you should go to campaign. But I’ve taken the simple position that you’ve got to respect the first three states. I was the first one to pledge that we shouldn’t campaign outside of those three states, unlike one candidate, but I won’t mention her name. Get it?
How will this affect your campaign, especially with the discussion of the December primary?
We’re going to have enough resources and organization and my message getting across for me to do well in New Hampshire. Here’s my goal: I’m trying to come in the top three in Iowa and New Hampshire. That’s what I need to do to get going. And I’m confident that I can do it. I have enough resources to do it, and I might even do better. My push is to do well in Iowa and New Hampshire, to do extremely well in Nevada, and then move on to the next series of primaries, which is Feb. 5, which includes my state, other Western states and California, where I know I’ll do well. I think you know who the nominee is by mid February, early March. That’s the reality.
Who was the last person you put into a headlock? I read you’re fond of putting people into headlocks.
It might have been today at a house party. Somebody I knew.
Is it always people you know?
Not necessarily. I don’t do it all the time. I believe in being genuine in campaigning. If there’s somebody I know and I want to kid and connect with ... I put them in a headlock. [Laughs.] I wouldn’t do that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. It’s a way of campaigning. I’m a physical campaigner. I hold the world’s handshaking record. I don’t take myself seriously. I think you have to be genuine. I have always done that.
How do you stay active on the campaign?
I try to do a physical workout every day. And I try to schedule it in the middle of the day to break up a very intensive day which usually goes to nine or 10 at night. Like today, I worked out at UNH from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. By the way there is no hot water there. I’m going to talk to Governor Lynch about more funding for UNH. [Laughs.] The only way I relax ... I take one day off out of 10. I ride my horse in New Mexico. I’ll watch television. I’ll smoke a cigar.
How has the campaigning affected your governorship and being an effective leader?
It’s increased my popularity, the fact I haven’t been home. My wife jokes about this. I have the highest popularity rating at 68 percent. She says because I’m not there. [Laughs.] I have a good lieutenant governor. I stay in touch with state problems through my Blackberry, through my chief of staff. I think New Mexicans are proud that one of their guys for the first time is running, generally. I’m way of ahead Hillary in New Mexico. There are only two places that I’m ahead of her: New Mexico and the city of El Paso.
When you look at the field now, Hillary seems at the tops of all polls.
The race has three months to go. It’s too early. I feel that I’m going to make my move and I’m going to break out. I’m the only one that has momentum that’s been going up. I want to peak at the right time. And I like the fact that Iowa and New Hampshire like underdogs and upset the apple cart. I’m the candidate for that.
What do you think the deciding issue is going to be in this race?
Iraq. And I have the strongest plan there. Get all the troops out as quickly as possible. I think that will be the issue that gives me the edge at the end.
Stronger than Senator Gravel, or is he not considered a serious candidate?
Stronger than Gravel. He’s a good guy. The poor guy has no money. He’s colorful. So is Kucinich. I’m for keeping them in all the debates.
What do you think of the debates?
Some good, some bad. The best one was the YouTube debate where ordinary people asked you questions. The ones that are canned that just like to provoke a fight between the three front runners are boring. I sense a lot of voters are tuning out in that debate because they are so canned and structured. The best ones is where you’re asked questions by ordinary people.
—Brian Early
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