Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/21/richardson/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITI CS/05/21/richardson/index.html</a> And silly me, I had figured he'd already done this. ---------------------------- "We need a president who is not dismissive of diplomacy, but someone who embraces it as the primary instrument of foreign policy because he has practiced it," he said. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations called for all American troops to be pulled out of Iraq by the end of this year and said there needed to be a "political compromise" among the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in addition to a donor and security conference to help secure Iraq's future. "Some will tell you that we only have two options: Either stay in Iraq and try to referee a civil war or leave and collapse into chaos. I've spent a lot time in this part of the world and let me tell you this: That is a false choice," he said. "Removing all of our troops and healing Iraq are one and the same."
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder There isn't a whole lot he hasn't done. Been an energy secretary, governor, congressman, ambassador, on and on. I think he's my early favorite. He has a body that looks like it was shaped by oreos, something many of us can relate to anymore and makes me feel good. He's also pretty dull personally, which could hurt. I'm also not sold on his immigration stance, but hey, it's early yet.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I respect him, and will be checking out his stances compared to the others closely. He's one I'm inclined to like based on his experience and what seems like a very even temperament. He does have a certain lack of charisma, though, which is unfortunate. Charisma has seemed to count for more than substance more often than not in the television age. He has increased his standing in the polls lately, and AFAIK he's the only one among those considered "second-tier" (Biden, Dodd, etc.) who has done so. He's now a solid 4th, and closing, but whether he can break into the top 3 is a big question. However, even if he doesn't, he'd make pretty much the ideal VP candidate for any of the top 3, as I've said. He's well liked (he was in the Clinton cabinet and gets along pretty well with Hillary I've heard, if she's the nominee), has great experience (remember Cheney adding "gravitas" to Bush in 2000? Richardson could do the same for Obama if he's the nominee), he's Hispanic, and he's from the region that has gone GOP traditionally but is increasingly considered "in play" and which the Dems consider their best chance at picking up states they lost in 2004 - NM itself, Colorado, Nevada, and AZ (if it's not McCain) are all considered possible pick-ups.
