The Herald

Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: Opinion

Former presidential candidate Bill Richardson

By: Victoria M. Lewis
Staff Writer

With Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton leading the poitical parade, the 2008 presidential race is proving to be one to go down in the history books.
It will be a great first for this nation if either one of these candidates win the 2008 election. Most of the focus of this race has been on Clinton and Obama, but what if this nation could have its first Hispanic American President?
Believe it or not, but that was a possibility until Democrat, Bill Richardson, a Hispanic American and governor of New Mexico, dropped out of the 2008 race on Thursday, Jan. 10.
Richardson expressed in his speech that running in the presidential race was an experience that he will treasure and never forget. He also stated that despite overwhelming financial and political odds, his campaign did a great job.
Although many Americans did not hear about Richardson running or were unfamiliar with his views on what this country needs, he is someone with great ideas for change. Had he been funded properly and received more publicity, Richardson may have been able to introduce his platform to the American public.
He believes very strongly in women's rights, and in children's health care. He was the only Presidential candidate who called for a Social Security caregiver credit, and the only candidate to call for disclosure of pay statistics by gender, race, and job category, in an effort to help women ensure that they are being treated fairly in the workplace.
The media did not show Richardson as much as they could have because he was not viewed by most as a contender. Unfortunately, Richardson was overshadowed by the forerunners, Obama and Clinton.
Richardson has been an important asset to the state of New Mexico. He was born on November 15, 1947 in Pasadena, California. His father William Richardson was a banker and had been working in New Mexico and decided to move his family there when Richardson was a baby.
While growing up in New Mexico Richardson experienced both American and Mexican cultures. His parent made sure that their children knew both of their cultures and languages. Richardson attended Tufts University in Boston in 1966. He became interested in politics on a trip he took to Washington, DC. Senator Hubert Humphrey talked to Bill's class about American values and the importance of public service.
Since 2002, Richardson has been making significant changes in New Mexico. Over 80,000 new jobs have been created, and the unemployment is the lowest it has been in 30 years.
New Mexico has also become the Clean Energy State due to Richardson's leadership. A bill by Richardson was signed requiring state utilities to quadruple their use of renewable energy. He has the states wind, solar and biofuels industries booming, which has created hundreds of new jobs. New Mexico has some of the country's strongest greenhouse gas reduction goals.
In 2002 Richardson even traveled to Sudan to negotiate the release of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Paul Salopek. Then in 2007 he traveled to North Korea to retrieve the bodies of American service men who had given their lives to the Korean War.
He created pre-kindergarten for four year-olds, guaranteed access to health care for every child under five, and created a women's health task force. This man has done a lot of great and unbelievable things for his state of New Mexico, why not the rest of America?
If the people of New Mexico could respond to Richardson's commitment to improving their lives and fighting for what is right, why not all of America? He was reelected with almost 70% of their vote in 2006. What are they seeing that the rest of America could not?
Richardson wanted to be the next president of the United States so that he could make a difference. He had the experience and record track to change this country for the best. The next few years could have been a turning point for Richardson and for all Americans.
I think that if Richardson had had better funding he would have given Clinton and Obama a run for their money.

Victoria Lewis is a Junior Journalism major in the Tavis Smiley School of Communications and is a staff writer for the TSU Herald. arthur.monroe@gmail.com

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