Guv must show he’s as capable as he is personable

In his quest for the presidency, Bill Richardson has managed recently to climb above the margin of error in at least one national poll – to 5 percent – and to reach 10 percent in polls in Iowa and New Hampshire.

He’s done it while making a number of, at best, mediocre nationally televised appearances. Richardson’s attempts to set himself apart on Iraq and energy independence have been only marginally successful. And while he’s trying to score points for being Hispanic, most people across the nation don’t know he’s three-fourths Mexican.

So why has Richardson gained significant ground in the last few weeks?

He’s likeable.

Richardson has climbed while John Edwards has fallen and Barack Obama’s support has stagnated. Among Democratic contenders, only Hillary Clinton has climbed faster than Richardson in recent weeks.

Richardson has said all along that he’s “not a rock star,” not focused on endorsements and media attention and won’t raise as much money as the top candidates. He is certainly trying to keep up in those areas, but they haven’t been his focus.

Richardson’s strength lies in making personal connections, and he knows it.

It’s what makes him a great negotiator. He’s a natural at non-verbal communication and reading body language. That’s why he’s often mediocre in debates and in front of massive crowds: He’s speaking to a camera or thousands of faceless people.

In small groups or one-on-one settings, however, he’s brilliant. Richardson holds the world record for shaking the most hands in an eight-hour period – 13,392. But he often disregards such formality. His penchant for bear hugs and head butts is well documented.

Richardson does have a fabulous résumé, but his strength is that, when he greets people, he comes across as human and friendly, as someone who doesn’t believe his experience and knowledge make him better than those he’s speaking with. He knows how to make others feel listened to and understood.

His candidacy has potential because his qualifications match or surpass those of his opponents, but he’s still someone with whom you’d like to have a beer at a barbeque.

Richardson’s campaign knows that. His “job interview” television commercials, which were followed by a jump in the polls in May, effectively portray Richardson as qualified and likeable.

His irreverence has, at times, gotten him into trouble. Recall the lieutenant governor’s infamous comments that she sometimes tried to avoid Richardson because of his touchiness. Some wonder, in his disregard for formality, if Richardson has crossed the line between friendliness and harassment, or worse.

There’s been no evidence presented publicly that would doom Richardson’s campaign, at least yet. With such behavior, however, Richardson risks being labeled as someone who isn’t serious enough to be president.

Richardson’s style is a gamble, but one that has carried him through three decades in the public eye. If he can convince voters he can lead the nation as effectively the other candidates while remaining friendly and human, he’ll continue climbing in the polls.

The risk is that Clinton or others will come across as more serious and competent in a time of war, and Richardson will, in the end, look like the class clown. Only time will tell.

A version of this article was published today in the Albuquerque Tribune. I write a column for the newspaper that runs on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.