Gov. Bill Richardson took a beating on Sunday from the host of NBC’s Meet The Press, but he managed to stay calm and composed and held his own during a tough round of questioning.
All things considered, I don’t think he’ll gain in the polls as a result of the hour-long interview, but I also don’t think he’s going to lose support.
Tim Russert asked a series of questions on just about every controversy or flip flop in Richardson’s past. None appeared to catch Richardson off guard. Though many of his answers weren’t completely satisfying, under the circumstances, his performance was about as good as could be expected.
The grilling began with Iraq. Richardson said in his book several years ago that America had to stay the course, that it couldn’t abandon the Iraqis. Richardson now wants all American troops out of Iraq by the end of this year.
Asked about it, Richardson said he at first supported the war and, even after it became clear that the war was initiated under false pretenses and was being mismanaged, he believed the United States would have to stick it out. As the war has evolved, he said, American troops have become hated by more than half the population and are part of the problem, not the solution.
Richardson was asked about his most recent controversy – the claim by the mother of a soldier who was killed in Iraq that he is lying when he says she thanked him for her son’s death benefit check – and he refused to apologize.
Still, she has demanded that he stop using her son’s story, and Richardson said he would do that.
“We have different recollections,” he said. “… I respect that woman. I will not mention that again. I’m sorry for the way she feels, but I believe I acted honorably.”
Richardson effectively turned attention to the fact that he proposed a death benefit in New Mexico for the families of National Guard soldiers who are killed – a proposal that has since been copied in 30 states.
He effectively turned the focus a number of times to his experience and record, but Russert was also effective in bringing Richardson back to the question at hand, which prolonged the beating.
Richardson’s weakest moment
Richardson’s weakest moment came as he discussed the current immigration proposal in the Senate. When the plan was first announced, he said he supported it. Three days later, he changed his mind.
He tried to explain that by saying he saw a document laying out the framework for the plan the day before he officially announced his presidential run last week, then saw the actual bill, which included more details, the day after he announced. He said he supports the general framework, but not some of the specifics in the bill.
But he didn’t seem to know about some of the specifics in the bill. At one point he admitted he didn’t know the details of a provision in the bill that he brought up, and explained that by saying the bill is long and he’s been busy campaigning in a different state every day.
He attempted to disarm the moment, as he frequently does, with the silly grin that some say adds to his “frat boy” image. It made him look childish.
I counted three of those “frat boy” moments during the show, which is a huge improvement for Richardson. After a light week of campaigning, Richardson appeared rested, spoke softly but confidently and didn’t appear overly caffeinated or sweaty like he did during the first candidate debate in April.
When asked about New Mexico being last in so many categories, including poverty, dropout and crime rates, Richardson said the state is improving. He pulled a few examples out of his hat that made the point, then emphasized it by reminding Russert that 69 percent of voter re-elected him.
“We are a poor state, Tim, but the fact is, we have been moving forward,” he said.
Admitting mistakes
Richardson admitted that scandal during his tenure at the Department of Energy cost him a shot at being Al Gore’s running mate in 2000, and admitted that he made a mistake during his tenure in saying reforms he put in place made the nation’s laboratories entirely secure.
He also spoke with confidence about those reforms and how he believes he made a difference.
He defended owning stock in an energy company that benefits from higher gas prices – and on whose board he sat for a time after being energy secretary – by saying he “had to earn a living.” Coming from a man who has never known poverty, or even a middle-class living, it was a less-than-satisfying explanation on which Russert hammered him.
Richardson later recovered by saying he has sold his interest in the company and pointing out that he has made a lot less off corporations than the other, richer presidential candidates, which is a valid point.
Richardson explained his decision to vote to repeal an assault weapons ban in Congress that he had earlier voted for by saying the ban was part of a larger package he supported but the ban was something he didn’t support. He admitted once again that he hesitated to call for the resignation of the U.S. attorney general simply because he is Hispanic.
Then he hit a home run.
“I am not a model of perfection,” Richardson said. “I believe I have strong principles. I believe I am somebody who is going to tell the truth.”
That’s how Richardson has played the game his entire career, and it’s why regular people like him. All politicians have their flip flops. Richardson has generally managed to portray himself as human, as an average guy who’s taking on a bunch of rich career politicians.
He even managed to sound credible and funny when arguing that he can be a fan of both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. He used that argument to cap off the show and highlight the experience he wants everyone to remember.
“This is the thing about me Tim,” he said. “I can bring people together.”
That one got even Russert to chuckle.
You can watch the entire show by clicking here. You can read the transcript here.
Gov. Bill Richardson took a beating on Sunday from the host of NBC’s Meet The Press, but he managed to stay calm and composed and held his own during a tough round of questioning.