From the Albuquerque Tribune
An experienced political guide is leading Gov. Bill Richardson on a 14-stop tour of New Hampshire this weekend as Richardson considers whether to run for president in 2008.
Dick Bouley, 68, has been greeting Democratic presidential candidates to that key primary state since he told John F. Kennedy in 1960 that he planned to be a teacher. He has worked for several, including Jimmy Carter, Bruce Babbitt, Tom Harkin and Dick Gephardt.
"If he (Richardson) runs for president, I'd be very interested," said Bouley, now a Concord, N.H., lobbyist. "He's got the best résumé and he has tremendous experience."
Bouley is the kind of activist Richardson will need to enlist in key primary and caucus states if he runs, especially in New Hampshire with its emphasis on hand-to-hand campaigning.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
Rice Rejects Talks with Iran, Syria on Iraq
So this is what passes for foriegn policy with the Bush administration? More of the same seems to be the Prez's course in Iraq and in global affairs: isolate, demagogue, and failed military operations. I certainly hope that we can look forward to a Bill Richardson v. Condi Rice race in 2008...he will mop the floor with her on this...
Russell Shaw on 2008
Columnist Russell Shaw has weighed in on the 2008 race and the pop culture fascination with Senator Barak Obama. In yesterday's Huffington Post Russell opines..."Enough With Obama Already: We're Electing a President, Not A Personality" and says about Governor Bill Richardson, "I'll tell you someone the Dems could nominate who does have the experience. That would be popular New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Valuable gubernatorial executive experience running a growing and complex state? Right where he is. Valuable national executive experience? Was Energy Department Secretary under Clinton. International diplomatic experience? Was the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. During his 14 years as a Congressperson, (as compared to Sen. Obama's two years).he garnered significant foreign policy knowledge."
Click here to read more....
Click here to read more....
Thursday, December 14, 2006
North Korea Talks Must Make `Measurable Progress,' Hill Says
EXCERPT
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Six-nation talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program must make ``measurable progress'' when they resume at the weekend in Beijing, said Christopher Hill, the U.S. assistant secretary of state.
``Our purpose is to achieve denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,'' Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator, told a briefing in Washington yesterday. ``There were indications that the DPRK, the North Koreans, would be prepared to deal in specifics at the coming round.''
MORE
Tomorrow, in advance of the six party talks, Governor Bill Richardson will meet with a North Korean delegation, at the request of the North Koreans, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Says Governor Richardson, "We have an opportunity to end this crisis and bring stability to the Korean peninsula. I will press the North Koreans to start dismantling their nuclear weapons.''
Amazing. An American politician willing to engage in one-on-one talks with an adversary? This is precisely the reason why I am hopeful of a Richardson run for the White House. We need, desperately, to abandon our nation's current foriegn policy, which is isolation, demagoguery, and destabilizing regions through childish rhetoric and ill-advised, if not outright criminal, military action.
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Six-nation talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program must make ``measurable progress'' when they resume at the weekend in Beijing, said Christopher Hill, the U.S. assistant secretary of state.
``Our purpose is to achieve denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,'' Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator, told a briefing in Washington yesterday. ``There were indications that the DPRK, the North Koreans, would be prepared to deal in specifics at the coming round.''
MORE
Tomorrow, in advance of the six party talks, Governor Bill Richardson will meet with a North Korean delegation, at the request of the North Koreans, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Says Governor Richardson, "We have an opportunity to end this crisis and bring stability to the Korean peninsula. I will press the North Koreans to start dismantling their nuclear weapons.''
Amazing. An American politician willing to engage in one-on-one talks with an adversary? This is precisely the reason why I am hopeful of a Richardson run for the White House. We need, desperately, to abandon our nation's current foriegn policy, which is isolation, demagoguery, and destabilizing regions through childish rhetoric and ill-advised, if not outright criminal, military action.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Governor Bill Richardson to Meet with North Korean Delegation in Santa Fe
Governor Bill Richardson to Meet with North Korean Delegation in Santa Fe
North Koreans request meeting with Governor to discuss upcoming six-party talksSANTA FE, NM - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will meet with two top North Korean officials this Friday, December 15, in Santa Fe. The North Koreans asked for the meeting with Governor Richardson to discuss the upcoming multi-lateral talks regarding the North Korean nuclear weapons program.
The so-called six-party talks include North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. They are scheduled to resume Monday, December 18, in Beijing, China. Two diplomats from the North Korean Mission to the United Nations, Minister Kim Myong Gil and First Secretary Song Se Il, have been granted permission by the US State Department to make the visit to Santa Fe.
“While I will not be acting as an official representative of the administration, I am pleased to do whatever I can to help increase understanding between our two countries and help move the 6-party talks forward,” said Governor Richardson. “I believe we have an opportunity to use diplomacy to end this crisis and bring stability to the Korean Peninsula. I will press the North Koreans to start dismantling their nuclear weapons.”
The North Korean delegation will arrive in New Mexico Friday morning and meet with Governor Richardson in the afternoon at the Governor’s mansion. "We have reached a critical crossroads in the effort to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons," stated Dr. K.A. Namkung, Governor Richardson's senior advisor. "The North Koreans' visit to Santa Fe this week will hopefully help move the talks forward."
Governor Richardson has dealt extensively with North Korea during his tenure as US Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Energy Secretary. He has traveled to North Korea five times, most recently last October. This will be the second North Korean delegation to travel to Santa Fe to meet with Governor Richardson. The first visit took place shortly after he took office in January, 2003.
North Koreans request meeting with Governor to discuss upcoming six-party talksSANTA FE, NM - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will meet with two top North Korean officials this Friday, December 15, in Santa Fe. The North Koreans asked for the meeting with Governor Richardson to discuss the upcoming multi-lateral talks regarding the North Korean nuclear weapons program.
The so-called six-party talks include North Korea, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. They are scheduled to resume Monday, December 18, in Beijing, China. Two diplomats from the North Korean Mission to the United Nations, Minister Kim Myong Gil and First Secretary Song Se Il, have been granted permission by the US State Department to make the visit to Santa Fe.
“While I will not be acting as an official representative of the administration, I am pleased to do whatever I can to help increase understanding between our two countries and help move the 6-party talks forward,” said Governor Richardson. “I believe we have an opportunity to use diplomacy to end this crisis and bring stability to the Korean Peninsula. I will press the North Koreans to start dismantling their nuclear weapons.”
The North Korean delegation will arrive in New Mexico Friday morning and meet with Governor Richardson in the afternoon at the Governor’s mansion. "We have reached a critical crossroads in the effort to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons," stated Dr. K.A. Namkung, Governor Richardson's senior advisor. "The North Koreans' visit to Santa Fe this week will hopefully help move the talks forward."
Governor Richardson has dealt extensively with North Korea during his tenure as US Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Energy Secretary. He has traveled to North Korea five times, most recently last October. This will be the second North Korean delegation to travel to Santa Fe to meet with Governor Richardson. The first visit took place shortly after he took office in January, 2003.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
The 2008 Presidential Hopefuls, LTS Musings
Of course I will say up front that I support Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, for the nomination, should he run (fingers crossed here!) but these are my thoughts on the contenders...
Bill Richardson (will start with him because it is my blog!) ... Smart, savvy, tremendous leadership. Great foriegn policy experience. A little on the unknown side, but that is changing daily. Four Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Great foriegn policy experience. Brilliant but with a sense of humor. Also, his hispanic heritage will help him in places that are considered pretty red, like Florida and Texas.
Hillary Clinton...My whole life I have waited to support a woman for the presidency. I just don't know that this time is it. I think she is brilliant, and I love her husband, but the CW says she is pretty polarizing. Not so crazy about the company she has been keeping lately, as in Newt and Rupert, and sure don't like the way she jumped on the "Bomb Baghdad Bandwagon".
John Edwards...What is not to like? Charming, easy on the peepers. Smart, great bio. He is probably my second choice.
Tom Vilsack...Vilsack rhymes with Dukakis. So does Kucinich.
Evan Bayh...who? wha?
Al Gore...I love you Al. I really do. You have done more to raise awareness about the growing environmental crises than anyone else has even tried to, and we all owe you a debt. But I am not sure I can forgive you for not fighting the coup of 2000. Of course if you are nominated I promise to love you again.
John Kerry...If anyone was ever wronged by American politics it is John Kerry. Kerry should be hailed as a hero and a noble man, but people who were too cowardly to ever have served in combat on their own painted him as a coward. I hate that. I am proud that I supported him in 2004, and I am angry that he has been so ill-defined. That said, I wish he had come back swinging against those swiftboaters. I don't see him running this time.
Barak Obama...what is not to love about this guy? Well, not much, but I would like to see him get a little more experience. I think that if he runs and gets the nomination he will be nailed for his lack fo experience. But I would love to see a Richardson/Obama ticket!
Those are my thoughts for the morning!
Bill Richardson (will start with him because it is my blog!) ... Smart, savvy, tremendous leadership. Great foriegn policy experience. A little on the unknown side, but that is changing daily. Four Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Great foriegn policy experience. Brilliant but with a sense of humor. Also, his hispanic heritage will help him in places that are considered pretty red, like Florida and Texas.
Hillary Clinton...My whole life I have waited to support a woman for the presidency. I just don't know that this time is it. I think she is brilliant, and I love her husband, but the CW says she is pretty polarizing. Not so crazy about the company she has been keeping lately, as in Newt and Rupert, and sure don't like the way she jumped on the "Bomb Baghdad Bandwagon".
John Edwards...What is not to like? Charming, easy on the peepers. Smart, great bio. He is probably my second choice.
Tom Vilsack...Vilsack rhymes with Dukakis. So does Kucinich.
Evan Bayh...who? wha?
Al Gore...I love you Al. I really do. You have done more to raise awareness about the growing environmental crises than anyone else has even tried to, and we all owe you a debt. But I am not sure I can forgive you for not fighting the coup of 2000. Of course if you are nominated I promise to love you again.
John Kerry...If anyone was ever wronged by American politics it is John Kerry. Kerry should be hailed as a hero and a noble man, but people who were too cowardly to ever have served in combat on their own painted him as a coward. I hate that. I am proud that I supported him in 2004, and I am angry that he has been so ill-defined. That said, I wish he had come back swinging against those swiftboaters. I don't see him running this time.
Barak Obama...what is not to love about this guy? Well, not much, but I would like to see him get a little more experience. I think that if he runs and gets the nomination he will be nailed for his lack fo experience. But I would love to see a Richardson/Obama ticket!
Those are my thoughts for the morning!
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