Governor Bill Richardson to Announce For President

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson intends to announce his plans this Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Senator Clinton has all the headlines and Governor Richardson has to overcome the Main Stream Media's love affair with their "Big 3" (Clinton, Obama and Edwards). I think Governor Richardson is a serious contender and highly qualified candidate. Hopefully he will get the press he will need to get the name recognition he lacks. The picture is from the Governor's trip to Sudan where Sudan's government and Darfur rebels agreed to a 60-day cease-fire and a peace summit sponsored by the African Union and the UN (read at CNN). This is not the end of the Sudan problem but it is great progress. Chris Matthews on MSNBC's Hardball asked the Governor how he managed to do it in the Sudan; his response is pure Richardson: “Negotiating, diplomacy … If you engage them, and conduct hard bargaining, you get things done.” (h/t billrichardsonblog) Richardson to Launch Presidential Bid By NEDRA PICKLER The Associated Press Saturday, January 20, 2007; 7:22 AM WASHINGTON -- After years of freelancing his diplomatic skills from the unlikely position as governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson is taking the first step toward a bid to become president and put his skills to work in the White House. Richardson plans to announce Sunday that he will soon file papers to create a presidential exploratory committee, several officials with knowledge of his plans said Friday. The governor is scheduled to appear Sunday on ABC's "This Week." [snip] Richardson, 59, is a former congressman, U.N. ambassador and Energy Department secretary. He brings a wealth of experience in international affairs that has extended even into his governorship of a sparsely populated but politically important swing state. He has hosted talks on North Korea's nuclear program in New Mexico and most recently traveled to Sudan to meet with the country's president to press him for an end to the bloodshed in Darfur. Both Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., considered Richardson as their running mate because of his impressive portfolio, his potential to win over Hispanic voters and his home in a western swing state. Read More at the Washington Post More links about Bill Richardson: Governor Bill Richardson's official website The Bill Richardson Blog (unofficial) America for Richardson (unofficial) Washington for Richardson (unofficial) Wikipedia UPDATE: Bill Richardson for President (official)