There's Something About Bill: Report Card
By Nate Dinsdale
Published: June 6, 2007
Eloquence: Richardson tried to provide short, declarative answers. Problem is, most of his replies were sterile campaign bullet points and frequently failed to answer the specific question at hand. The governor’s difficulties staying on topic also led to frequent interruptions by moderator Wolf Blitzer. Grade: C.
Focus: Richardson’s most succinct statement of the debate was his introduction, “I’m Bill Richardson, the proud governor of New Mexico.” After that, the governor tried mostly to steer answers to his résumé and campaign platforms, regardless of the question asked. Grade: D.
Presence: The governor struggled mightily for microphone time, responding to only one question during the first 30 minutes of the two-hour debate. His frequent inability to provide direct answers led Blitzer to routinely cut him off in favor of other candidates. Grade: C.
Distinction: Richardson was the only candidate to mention education as a top priority, but it was anemic compared to more immediate concerns like Iraq and Darfur. Richardson distinguished himself by suggesting that the US could boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics in order to leverage China into helping stop genocide in Sudan, but the prospect was largely dismissed by everyone but John Edwards. Grade: C+.
Tenacity: Aside from nothing-to-lose candidates like Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel, Edwards and Joe Biden were the most aggressive in their attacks. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could afford to play it safe while Richardson was too busy playing catch-up to deliver many, if any, pointed criticisms. Grade: C.
Strongest point: Health care for veterans. Richardson nailed an answer about problems with Veteran Affairs by succinctly describing his plan to give veterans a “hero’s health card” with access to a hospital of their choice, while also acknowledging the VA’s shortcomings. Grade: A-.
Missed opportunities: Darfur. When the topic arose, Richardson tried frantically to get Blitzer’s attention but Biden ultimately stole Richardson’s thunder. While the governor talked of the “fragile cease-fire” he negotiated in Darfur and his peacekeeping plan for the region, his answers eventually devolved into his desire to close down military prisons like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Grade: C+.
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