By Travis Galey
Galey is a journalist in Washington, D.C. who attended today’s luncheon and wrote this article for Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics.
Gov. Bill Richardson has said repeatedly on the campaign trail that he’s not running for president as a Hispanic candidate.
That may be true most days, but not today.
Richardson gave the keynote address at the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series in Washington, D.C. this afternoon. And while some of the latest headlines suggest Richardson is having trouble attracting Hispanic voters, today’s event proved otherwise. The event is held once every quarter, and today’s lunch drew a bigger crowd – some 300 attendees – than any previous luncheon.
The attendance number even eclipsed that of last quarter’s speaker, Eva Longoria, the Latina actress from “Desperate Housewives.”
Jeff Kline, chairman of Hispanic Communications Network, said many Hispanics may currently support other presidential candidates, but he believes that will change.
“People don’t know much about Bill, but the more they learn of him… He’s a doer,” he said.
Richardson delivered a series of anecdotes to the crowd during today’s luncheon, moving flawlessly between Spanish and English, and his ease with Spanish-speaking reporters was evident.
Richardson said he’s targeting all American voters, but he he’s hopeful his Hispanic roots will help him. At the luncheon, the governor thanked Hispanic politicians who have helped him in the past. He said he’s still seeking Hispanic support, and he’s mindful of what a win would mean to many Latino citizens.
“I need your help,” Richardson said at the end of his speech. “We can win this thing. If that happens, we make history.”
Kline said he believes Richardson’s language skills will separate him from other candidates.
“In order to understand the subtleties of issues such as the war in Iraq, it helps that he’s able to speak Spanish,” he said.
Richardson believes Hispanic-rich states including California and Florida will be instrumental in his presidential bid. On three separate occasions during his speech and a press event, he called for California to move up its Democratic primary to Feb. 5 – something that state’s legislature is in the process of doing.
Richardson has been in the nation’s capital for a four-day meeting of the National Governors Association. During his speech he said that, on a visit Monday to the White House with the association, he congratulated President Bush on reaching a deal with North Korea to end its nuclear enrichment program in exchange for economic aide.
He said he also told Bush he needs to negotiate with the Iranians in order to get them to end their nuclear program.
Monday night, Richardson used his diplomatic ties to find more international support. Spanish Ambassador D. Carlos Westendorp hosted a dinner Richardson.
Richardson concedes he’s a long shot in the race to become the Democratic nominee. He said last month’s address to the Democratic National Committee’s winter meeting seemed to jumpstart his campaign.
He believes is now at the top of the second tier of candidates, and he’s gaining momentum.
“I started this race four weeks ago and I was at one percent. But check the polls today. I’m at eight percent. I’m moving up,” he said to applause.
After the cheering died down, he added, “I’ve got to move up a little more.”
Richardson said the New Mexico Legislature is keeping him from devoting all of his time to campaigning. But, he said, once he has finished signing bills following the session, that will change.
“After the first of April, I’m pretty much going to be full time, and that’s where you’re going to see the real Bill Richardson campaign,” he said. “… watch what we do the second quarter.”
One story from Richardson’s speech may sum up how far he still has to go. He said he called his mother, who lives in Mexico City, recently to see how she was doing. Twice during the conversation, she asked if he was still governor of New Mexico.
He told her he was, and that he was also running for president. Her response was, “President of what?”
If more people don’t learn the answer to that question, soon, he won’t be president of anything.
By Travis Galey