Richardson is an Hispanic, the largest and fastest growing minority. He is a Dem governor (National Chairman of the Dem Goernors) of a western state who has cut taxes. Richardson has also, albeit for show, come down as being an advocate for immigration reform and controlling our borders. Richardson has been a member of Congress, UN rep, and Secretry of Energy. Political and governmental experience is not an issue.
Richardson has lots of baggage connected with Monica, North Korea, the Taliban, and Los Alamos, but he is also facile and eloquent enough to gloss over these issues. Assuming he is reelected as governor, I think the Dems will embrace him as the VP nominee, the first Hispanic to be nominated for that office.
Obviously, another case of perception versus reality.
Really, he must beieve in all this as he outright said all of these things and stood by them.