Dec 11, 2007
Time for the Richardson Revolution
Iowans need to give Richardson a Real Look
I don’t usually delve into politics these days but once upon a time I was a political consultant and then the Director of Communcations for an up-and-coming New York State Senator. And I’m still kind of a political junkie.
I know that Iowa has a lot of print and mail shops and that Iowans, perhaps more this election than at any other time in memory, have a special role to play in our political system. The Iowa Caucus will decide who is going succeed George W. Bush in the White House. So consider this an appeal from the electorally unimportant state of Connecticut: you’ve got the whole world in your hands, Iowa. We’re counting on you.
I also know that Iowans take this responsibility very seriously and that many people continue their evaluation process right up until the day of the Caucus. Right now they are—as they have for some time—being bombarded with direct mail pieces, phone calls, television ads, town hall meetings and radio spots. At this point in time it may be hard to take a step back and evaluate what this country needs and who the best person for the job is at this particular time. If you’re suffering from information overload, believe me, information overload is one of the goals of the consultant-driven candidacy; it is designed to confuse matters, to make you think that unimportant things are important and vice versa.
What matters most right now is our standing in the world. Our dollar is worthless. Our word is worthless. Our military strength is over-stretched and widely considered over-rated. These are dangerous precedents in the post-cold war world. We need to re-assert ourselves internationally. We need to be the most economically sound country on Earth again. We need to be the leaders of the free world again. And thanks to the current administration, we’re none of those things.
The second thing that matters most is our health care system. I read the other day that Americans, once the tallest people on Earth due to good nutrition and health, are now shorter on average than many Europeans—mainly due to the superiority of their health care systems. Every GM car comes with an additional $1500 in health care for the people who built it, which is more than they spend on the actual car material. By contrast, a Toyota is laden with only $400 in worker health care costs. Our health care system is destroying our ability to compete.
There’s only one candidate with a track record for diplomacy, a track record of facing down dictators and strong men, a knack for doing and saying the right things in a way that projects strength, confidence and competence. And luckily this candidate also has a remarkable record as a chief executive. He’s the governor of New Mexico.
It’s time for Iowans to take a good look at Bill Richardson. He’s got the best resume for the job, he’s a professional elected official, he’s served in numerous posts in government including Congress, the head of the Department of Energy (how important is that when we’re paying 3.70 for a gallon of gas and facing the undisputed scourge of global warming), and his current position.
When others talk about how they would deal with illegal immigration he can talk about how he does deal with it. Not in the abstract, not sitting in Washington, D.C., not in theory: Bill Richardson deals with tough issues in reality.
He’s not a perfect person. There aren’t any perfect people anymore. He’s a politician, and a good one. That’s a double-edged sword in some ways, no doubt about it. I hope someday an educator runs for the highest office in the land. But right now it’s only politicians.
John Edwards couldn’t carry his own state in 2004. That’s all that needs to be said about him.
Obama Barack is a phenom; if Richardson wasn’t running I’d tell you to give him a look.
I’m not sure why people tend to either love or hate Hillary Clinton. She’s OK. She’s bright, somewhat experienced. Her husband was a decent President, or at least looks decent in retrospect compared Bush. But Hillary’s idea of experience is to say that she’s always learned from her mistakes.
She says she learned her lesson after the mistakes she made in the health care debacle of 1993. She says she learned her lesson after her vote authorizing the Iraq war in 2003. But what was the cause of those mistakes? For the former, the mistake was hubris. For the latter: overly cautious political calculation, bordering on the cynical. Those aren’t mistakes you can learn from. Those are character mistakes. She’s not a twenty-year old. She’s not going to change who she is. She is who she is.
Bill Richardson has both experience and character. He may annoy you talking about himself all the time. But as a former political consultant I can tell you he’s doing exactly what he needs to do. Because otherwise he won’t get the media attention he needs to get. He’s not a “sexy” candidate. He’s far from flashy. He’s kind of dumpy looking. He’s not a “celebrity” candidate.
The media tends to love candidates with money, because that money comes in really handy for the media. It’s all about advertising dollars. Every election from now on is going to set unprecedented spending records and the media is the main beneficiary. The media, not the nation. Please keep that little fact in mind when the pundits pay more attention to the Clintons, Romneys, Obamas and Giulianis: they stand to gain more in the short term from the big money, so naturally they favor those with the big contributions.
There’s a natural tendency to vote for who you think will win, rather than who should win. Richardson has already been dismissed in the media as running for VP. But we need that experience and diplomatic skill in the top spot.
I’ve read a lot lately about the “Ron Paul” Revolution but, if people knew what he really stands for, they’d run away screaming. The time has come for the “Richardson Revolution” and Iowans need to lead the charge. Just give the man a fair chance. Listen to what he has to say. Use the considerable means at your disposal to verify it for yourself. Shake things up by giving him your vote. At least make the others earn it.
Yours is an awesome responsibility, Iowa. We’re all counting on you to make the right choice. Give Richardson a good look.