20 Reasons Why We Like Bill Richardson

1. Bill Richardson is not a Senator. Everyone already knows where this blog stands on the idea of nominating Senators.
2. He's not from the northeast. Face it, it is very difficult for Northeasterners, especially Democrats, to be successful nationally. On top of that, he is from the nation's fastest growing region. Looking at the electoral college, Richardson could open up a lot of contests that would usually be solidly Republican, especially if the GOP ends up nominating Giuliani or Romney.
3. He doesn't have a war vote to explain.
4. He's Hispanic. In 2004, Kerry barely escaped by with the Latino vote. Bill Richardson's support in this key, growing demographic would significantly alter his national averages.
5. He's personable and pragmatic. He's the sort of guy you might have a beer with. Superficial, yes, but important.
6. He has experience in Foreign policy.
7. He actually would get us out of Iraq. Unlike Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Biden, Dodd, he supports full withdrawal within 6 months.
8. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 4 times.
9. He was our UN Ambassador. Of course, that doesn't mean Bolten would be a good President, but it emphasizes Richardson's worldliness.
10. He negotiated for the release of many American hostages from Iraq, North Korea, and other hostile nations.
11. He knows that fighting terrorism includes fighting nuclear proliferation.
12. He has worked in Congress. .
13. He has experience in the cabinet as Secretary of Energy. Richardson thus has experience in every capacity in the federal government. Except Judicial I guess. Oh well, no one is perfect.
14. He has experience as an executive the Governor's mansion. Really, he is an ideal candidate. He hs both an outsider image and vast experience in foreign and domestic policy. Such a combination should not be overlooked.
15. As Secretary of Energy and Governor of New Mexico, he has made the shift towards requiring more energy to be derived from domestic and green sources.
16. As Governorof a border state, he has had to deal with the complexities of immigration first hand.He can also speak from the unique point of view of a man who spent a substantial portion of his childhood in Mexico.
    
17. He got his state to defeat a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
18. He would close Gitmo.
19. He legalized medical marijuana for those who are terminally ill.
20. He can actually ride a horse. Again, image is key. And Bill Richardson, unlike most of the Democrats that have been nominated in the last 30 years, actually has one that could appeal to most Americans.

We know that this is not the obvious choice, but it is the right one.
-Nkrosse and The Quiet American