Univision debate results in lots of press for guv

Sunday evening’s Univision debate provided Gov. Bill Richardson with more mainstream press coverage than any other candidate forum to date.

Perhaps that was because Richardson was the only Hispanic candidate and this was the first-ever presidential candidate forum on Spanish-language television. Perhaps it was because he criticized the network for requiring him and Chris Dodd, who are fluent in Spanish, to speak in English like the other candidates and allow a translator to relay their answers to the in-person and television audiences.

Regardless, Richardson was featured prominently in articles published by the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times and others. There wasn’t a lot of new ground covered at the forum, but Richardson did set himself apart on Iraq and the proposal to build a border wall. Most importantly, he had a chance to let the nation’s Hispanic voters know he’s one of them – something the majority did not realize before last night’s debate.

“I’m disappointed today that 43 million Latinos in this country – for them not to hear one of their own speak Spanish is unfortunate,” Richardson said. “In other words, Univision is promoting English-only in this debate.”

He then tried to speak in Spanish, but the moderators cut him off.

Being cut off certainly earned Richardson points. The Miami Herald pointed out that, “Outside of the better-known contenders for the nomination, Richardson had the most at stake. The forum was a cost-free opportunity for Richardson, whose name doesn’t give away his Mexican background, to telegraph to Hispanic viewers at home that he is one of them.”

Richardson appeared to use the opportunity to his advantage with his criticism and the bit of well-placed Spanish. His campaign declared him the debate’s winner in a news release.

And the campaign attacked Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, claiming that, “once again,” they “refused to tell the American people how many troops they would leave behind in Iraq.” The release then highlighted Richardson’s plan to withdraw all American troops.

The release also attacked Clinton, Obama, Dodd and Joe Biden for voting to build the border wall. At the debate, Richardson called the plan “a horrendous example of what is wrong with our current approach to immigration reform.”