{"id":1849,"date":"2007-06-13T11:02:00","date_gmt":"2007-06-13T17:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/06\/will-guvs-personality-win-over-or-turn-off-voters\/"},"modified":"2007-06-13T11:02:00","modified_gmt":"2007-06-13T17:02:00","slug":"will-guvs-personality-win-over-or-turn-off-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/06\/will-guvs-personality-win-over-or-turn-off-voters\/","title":{"rendered":"Will guv’s personality win over or turn off voters?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Following a new poll that shows him only two points behind John Edwards<\/a> in New Hampshire<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>, Gov. Bill Richardson\u2019s<\/a> campaign is declaring him a top-tier candidate. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The poll<\/a>, which I wrote about on Monday<\/a>, has Richardson at 10 percent and Edwards at 12 percent, with <\/span>Hillary Clinton<\/a> leading the pack at 36 percent and Barack Obama<\/a> at 22 percent. I wrote at the time that Edwards and Richardson now make up their own second-tier in New Hampshire<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

But Richardson Campaign Manager Dave Contarino told The Hill<\/a> it means the governor is in the top tier, saying recent polls placing Richardson<\/st1:city> at about 10 percent in Iowa<\/st1:state> and New Hampshire<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> represent a \u201cclear trend.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cA few months ago, people didn\u2019t even know who Bill Richardson was,\u201d Contarino told the publication.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The article was one of several in national publications to come out this week. The popular liberal blog the Huffington Post ran a piece by Paul Abrams<\/a> declaring that, though Richardson is \u201cnot a great debater\u2026 every time he meets voters, he impresses, he shifts people\u2019s perspectives, he wins adherents.\u201d Abrams writes that, if Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> hones his debating skills, the Big Three should be afraid of him.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Another article in The New Republic<\/a> plays off the same theme but is not so flattering, declaring Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> as \u201cthe paper candidate\u201d who has a great r\u00e9sum\u00e9 but other problems that will doom his candidacy, including his infamous touchiness.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The common theme here is the Richardson New Mexicans know: Fabulous experience, the knowledge and determination to get things done and a personality unlike most in Washington<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>. He is someone who likes to touch, but he\u2019s also personable and likes offending the powers-that-be if it wins the hearts of the electorate.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

It\u2019s why Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> is great in a crowd or small group but not in a debate. He impresses those he meets, except when he crosses a line and gets a little too touchy.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The New<\/st1:placename> Republic<\/st1:placetype> recounts an incident in a ballpark while Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> is shimmying out of an aisle and past two young, attractive women. After they smile up at him, he \u201creaches down and places his fingertips on the head of one of the women, tickling her scalp as he opens and closes his hand. Then, as he reaches for the next scalp, his hand suddenly aborts its mission, as if the governor realizes this wasn\u2019t such a good idea after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

No offense, guv, but that should have been something you thought of before you touched the first woman\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The author of the article, who followed Richardson<\/st1:city> in Iowa<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>, also recounts his inability to resist hot dogs and other food. Clearly, touchiness and food are Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s personal weaknesses.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Some call that a professional strength: \u201cI\u2019m Bill Richardson. I\u2019m an average guy, and I want to be president.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Others think that, in the end, it will mean he\u2019s not taken seriously.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll see. This early in the game, voters are clearly warming to him, as evidenced by his rise in the polls. As crunch time nears, will those supporters stick with him or side with a more traditional candidate?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following a new poll that shows him only two points behind John Edwards in New Hampshire, Gov. Bill Richardson\u2019s campaign is declaring him a top-tier candidate. The poll, which I wrote about on Monday, has Richardson at 10 percent and Edwards at 12 percent, with Hillary Clinton leading the pack at 36 percent and Barack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1849"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1849\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}