An analysis of Richardson’s 2008 bid
By Jose Z. Garcia
A former governor of New Mexico told me not long ago that you cannot compare Bill Richardson with previous governors because “Richardson is in a class of his own. Nobody ever came to the governorship with that kind of political capital.”
Well said: Our last three governors included an Albuquerque businessman who believed in legalizing pot and minimalist government, a rancher serving his third stint as governor, and a college professor from a state university. Anybody who’s lived in the penthouse at the Waldorf Astoria – the residence for U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations in New York City – is bound to be viewed with awe in New Mexico.
Want more? How about energy secretary under Bill Clinton, seven terms as the congressman from Northern New Mexico, multiple images of grateful hostages rescued by our national hostage-saver, political insider in Democratic circles with access to the glamorous corridors of national power and money?
Richardson did not so much run for governor, making an earnest case for his candidacy, as co-host a series of welcoming parties and fundraisers to enable grateful voters to join the inevitable bandwagon. That he was able to pull this off without stirring up more resentment than he did is in part testimony to his extraordinary capacity to bond with a crowd. Nobody in recent New Mexico history has been as adept in a brief speech to convey such a rich repertoire of emotions – enthusiasm, seriousness of purpose, sadness, comedy, common sense and empathy, leaving an audience energized, smiling and dazzled by the performance. His numbers show it: 56 percent of the vote in 2002, 69 percent in 2006.
He tackled the governorship with energy, moving in many directions at once, assisted by a Democratically controlled Legislature (a small but influential group of legislators still act more like members of an adoring Bill Richardson Fan Club than as lawmakers in their own right) and by high ratings in the polls. He lowered income taxes, created a commuter rail line through Greater Albuquerque and promoted a spaceport for future space tourism in Southern New Mexico.
He made proposals to improve New Mexico schools, crack down on drunken driving and strengthen border controls (he asked for emergency funding for the National Guard), while opposing the building of a wall on the border. He paid more visits to often-neglected Southern New Mexico than any governor in recent history.
Becoming the 800-pound gorilla
In all of this, Richardson was careful to be moderate, rather than liberal, and his top supporters from the very beginning were quick to cast knowing glances at the mention of the 2008 presidential campaign. But given that state coffers during his term were booming from revenues on taxation of oil and gas, that his popularity remained high, and that he could book venues with national media outlets almost at will to maintain national visibility, it is safe to say Richardson has never been seriously tested as governor. He simply became the 800-pound gorilla of New Mexico politics.
The presidential sweepstakes is an altogether different kind of beast, and in this arena Richardson doesn’t weigh 800 pounds. He will be tested as never before and he begins far back in the pack. It’s not that he lacks credentials. With the possible exception of Al Gore, Richardson has the most impressive résumé among the Democratic contenders thus far.
And his ability to sprinkle flawless Spanish into his speeches without sounding awkward and without irritating Anglos is an indicator both of his ability to relate authentically to Hispanic voters and to his crossover appeal. Barack and Hillary are no longer the only candidates to represent “diversity” in America, and a strong Hispanic vote could well swing any number of states into the “D” column.
But Hillary has cultivated the money people (who, after all, in our system decide which candidates are viable) for years; Obama and Edwards are waiting in the wings, and the addition of even more candidates would only increase the competition for a share of the kinds of funds it takes to run a viable presidential campaign.
Two major hurdles
These facts are well known. But at least two additional hurdles lie ahead for Richardson.
First, like all candidates, Richardson will have to stand up to the intense scrutiny of a presidential bid. In an interview with Richardson that aired Sunday on ABC’s This Week, George Stephanopoulos hinted at this when he raised the question of Richardson’s “frat-boy image,” a term that covers a lot of potential ground. Rumors about flirtatious behavior with women have been persistent, as well as speculation about cozy relations with large donors, and a reputation for sometimes rude and imperious behavior.
The second challenge is more subtle, but possibly more important. Richardson’s résumé indicates an experienced manager, negotiator, legislator and governor – a good technician and problem solver. But it doesn’t have a paragraph about his moral courage or likely behavior in a crisis – inner values guided by a polar star. As the 800-pound gorilla of New Mexico politics, Richardson has been able to play it safe on these scores, solving problems with an eye on how his actions will be seen on a national stage.
After years of cynicism, deception and incompetence at the national level, the public yearns for a solid manager, a political broker, someone who actually likes the art of compromise. Richardson and Hillary offer this in spades.
But after even more years (going back at least to 1992) of mindless management-by-calculation-of-the-likely-electoral-impact, the public also seems to yearn for someone with a moral compass. Is this not the secret weapon of John McCain, whose popularity continues in spite of his position on Iraq? Or of John Edwards, daring to break the taboo about addressing the so-called “fairness” issue? Or of Barack, who had the moral courage to speak out, as very few dared to do, against an optional war started by opportunists using the cover of national security to pursue non-stated agendas?
Should Hillary falter, can Richardson compete with rivals who have demonstrated their willingness to stand up for what is right even when it is not popular to do so?
Jose Z. Garcia has taught at New Mexico State University for 30 years. Among other subjects, he teaches New Mexico government and politics. He has been active in Democratic Party politics in Doña Ana County for many years. He was appointed by Richardson to the N.M. Border Authority and served on it through the end of 2006.
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