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Richardson Campaigns in J-Town
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson kicked off his presidential campaign Monday with an ethnic media briefing at the Japanese American Cultural Center in Little Tokyo. Before about 20 print and broadcast journalists representing Japanese American, Hispanic, Indian, and Irani news outlets, Gov. Richardson outlined his platform on issues ranging from Iraq and the Middle East, to immigration and the environment at the forum sponsored by New American Media. With concerns to Iraq, the governor would be determined to withdraw all U.S. troops from the country by the end of the calendar year. But he insists he will not leave the country to be decimated by civil war. “I would use the leverage of the withdrawal to have a reconciliation conference between the Sunni, the Shiite, and the Kurds,” said Richardson. He feels that the country must rely on a coalition government where the three ethnic entities within Iraq could cooperate within the framework of a federal government. Secondly, the governor would insist on a security conference that would unite all the Middle Eastern powers. “We have to give Iraq the opportunity to survive as an entity. We invaded, we owe that to them. I would have countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Iran, and Syria to be part of a regional security solution. The United States has tried to do it alone in Iraq and it hasn’t worked.” The referendum on Iraq will most likely be the dominant issue throughout his campaign. But as a Latino candidate, he will also have to focus on an issue closer to California: immigration. As president, Richardson would push for a comprehensive immigration bill that would encourage legalization and relief. An open dialogue with Mexico to reduce the flow of immigrants into the country and an increase in border security—but without the construction of a wall—would be central to his plan. Also, he would encourage legal immigration that would support a stream of skilled immigrants (engineers, biotechnicians, etc.) that would keep America competitive in the global marketplace. Richardson said that his compassion for the minority population and developing countries also fuels his stance on education. “I’d advance a new initiative on American education that would deal between the gap between minority students. I would have universal pre-school, full-day kindergarten, I would have curriculums that emphasize language, curriculums that emphasize science and math.” Globalization is changing the scope of political and economic interactions daily. With such fast-moving change, Richardson, a former U.N. Ambassador under President Clinton, feels that comparatively antiquated institutions like the United Nations should be modernized. “If I’m president I’m going to push for India being in the (U.N.) Security As a Democrat and a self-described westerner, Richardson returned often during the press conference to his environmental policies. He feels that the ecosystem is genuinely in danger and that a worldwide commitment to clean the planet is essential to its survival. He announced his plan to reduce domestic dependence on foreign oil from 65 percent to 10 percent; he would encourage the use of alternate energy, like wind, solar, biomass, and fuel-efficient vehicles; he would demand an international reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Perhaps the most expressive confirmation of Richardson’s commitment to the environment: “I would ask every American to sacrifice for conservation.” Richardson emphasized many things during his speech: a respect for international institutions, a desire to find common ground with respect to foreign policy, a focus on education, minority rights, and the environment. But above all, he stressed the importance of a return to diplomacy. “President Clinton used to say, ‘Bad guys like Richardson,’” said Richardson with a smile. “We’re going to send him to them.”
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