Analyzing Pakistan in Carroll, Iowa, Richardson Stresses Worldly Resume

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson Thursday afternoon weaved serious policy points with a Johnny Carsonesque disarming sense of humor to pitch what he called an underdog presidential quest.

Speaking to a packed house of about 150 people at the Carroll Moose Lodge just after noon, Richardson, a former congressman, energy secretary and U.N. ambassador, trumpeted his foreign policy credentials.

“We can’t afford a novice in the White House in foreign policy,” Richardson said. “Bill Clinton used to say, `Bad people like Richardson. Send him to talk to them.’”

Hours after news broke of the assassination in Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, Richardson talked of his experience in that nation and the diplomatic skills he would seek to employ there.

Here is a video of Richardson elaborating on Pakistan during his Carroll appearance:

Overall, in the arena of foreign policy, Richardson said he has the connections and experience to deal with troubling nations.

“You don’t make peace with your friends,” he said. “You make peace with your enemies.”

Richardson said recent American leaders have focused on the Middle East to the exclusion of other parts of the world.

“I’ll care about Africa,” Richardson said. “I’ll care about Asia and Latin America.”

He added, “The rebuilding of our foreign policy is not just getting out of Iraq.”
Richardson also pressed the case for realpolitick to Democrats, saying he could do well in the Southwest. Richardson is Hispanic.

“As a westerner I can bring some Southwest states that have not previously been in the Democratic column,” he said.

After fielding questions from veterans Richardson listed a number of accomplishments as governor and plans as a potential president.

In New Mexico, Richardson created $400,000 life insurance policies for all National Guardsmen to supplement what he felt was an otherwise inadequate benefit.
He also ended the state tax for military people.

“I would take steps like that” as president,” Richardson said.

In his second campaign stop in Carroll, Richardson joked about liking girls and baseball as a young man, and urged audience members to ask questions that were tough, but not to get carried away. He earned genuine laughter from the crowd at a number of points in the speech and question-and-answer session.

Richardson also covered an enormous amount of policy territory.

On Iraq: He pledged to get all troops out within a year, involve a United Nations peacekeeping force and establish a “donor conference” to get other nations to contribute to the rebuilding of Iraq.

On cancer research: The current federal funding of $6 billion annually is woefully short, he said.

On education: Richardson opposed No Child Left Behind and would propose a national starting teacher salary floor of $40,000. He also would seek to increase vocational-educational opportunities for those students who do not go to college.

In Carroll Thursday, as in recent western Iowa campaign appearances, Richardson said he would ask Americans to sacrifice for energy independence.

“I’m not going to have you all wear sweaters or turn off the lights,” he joked.
Richardson said his goal is to finish in the top 3 in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, close in to the top 2  in Nevada, and then do well in other western states.

He asked Iowans to look beyond the celebrity of top candidates.

“Shake them up, Iowa,” Richardson said.