Bill Richardson

PERSONAL DATA

• Party: Democratic
  
• Age: 59
• Marital Status: Married, Barbara Richardson
  
• Children: none
  
• Education: Tufts University, B.A.; Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, M.A.
• Occupation: Governor of New Mexico
  
• U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, 1997-1998
• U.S. Secretary of Energy, 1998-2001
• Ethnicity/ Religious Beliefs: Mexican/ Catholic
  

PLATFORM 2008

• Iraq War Policy: Outlines a comprehensive seven-step plan to pull all troops out of Iraq within six months and use diplomacy to mend the anarchic region.
  
• Health Care Policy: Favors universal health care but plans to create NO new bureaucracies
  
• Immigration Policy: As governor of a border state, Richardson has ample experience with illegal immigration and border security. To quote Richardson's own website:
  

Building a fence will not increase security, just as attempting to deport 12 million illegal immigrants is not feasible or reasonable. I believe a realistic immigration reform plan must address the problem from all sides -- securing the border, penalizing employers for knowingly hiring illegal workers, offering a tough but reasonable path to legalization, engaging Mexico in the reform process, and improving our current immigration quota system.

• Cultural Policies: Pro-choice, but personally opposed to abortion (due to Catholic beliefs)
• Website(s):Bill Richardson for President

GOSSIP AND SPIN

• A highly underrated candidate, Richardson has incredible credentials for the presidency. President Clinton appointed him United States Ambassador to the United Nations, providing him with years of international diplomatic experience. He later served as Secretary of the Department of Energy. With America's lackluster response to global warming and lack of legitimacy in foriegn affairs as two of the election's largest issues, Richardson seems to have integral experience for the job. But is he an inspiring leader?