Posted on 07/28/2003 3:16:38 PM PDT by CedarDave
July 28, 2003
Democrats Nominate Richardson To Lead 2004 Convention
By Jennifer Peter The Associated Press
BOSTON — Democratic Party leaders nominated New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be chairman of their 2004 national convention on Monday, a move to appeal to Hispanic voters increasingly targeted by Republicans.
"I think it's a recognition that Hispanics are major players in the presidential race," Richardson said in an interview with The Associated Press shortly after the announcement.
He added, "I think there's going to be strong initiatives accompanying this appointment for the Hispanic community."
Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe announced the nomination at a news conference also attended by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
Richardson's appointment "reflects the diversity of our party, the strength of our party," Pelosi said.
The nomination of Richardson — a former Congressman, energy secretary and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who is the highest-ranking elected Hispanic official in the country — is a response to demands from the Hispanic caucus of the Democratic National Committee.
The convention chairman usually is named in the weeks prior to the convention, set for Boston next July, and the party's nominee would have input on that decision.
But Democrats have been under more pressure to address the needs of minority groups, particularly the fast-growing Hispanic population believed to be a swing group this election cycle.
Richardson said that "the message to Hispanic voters has to include economic empowerment issues and not just immigration and civil rights."
As for impact the high-profile job will have on his home state, Richardson said, "I'm very honored for myself and New Mexico and I'm going to make sure that New Mexico has a strong presence at this convention so that the state can get more investment, more tourism and we've already started planning to have a very strong physical presence in Boston."
New Mexico has a prominent place in the primary calendar in 2004, holding a Democratic caucus on Feb. 3, when several states have contests just a week after the New Hampshire primary.
Also Monday, Alice Huffman, president of the California NAACP, was nominated to head the convention committee, which could address concerns of black Democrats that they are taken for granted by the party.
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Associated Press reporter Matt Mygatt in Albuquerque, N.M., contributed to this report.All content copyright ABQJournal.com and Albuquerque Journal
Yeh, but Richardson came to NM about 400 years later than that. I've lived in NM since 1978, which is longer than his residency here.
Bump
This smells like Hillary.
Historically, Native New Mexicans have always supported the 2nd amendment. It's only the immigrants from California and New York who have tried to "enlighten" us.
My family has a tradition, extending back more than a hundred years, of playing poker at all family gatherings. Sometime before I was born, 53 years ago, surrendering all sidearms before the start of play became part of the tradition. At the last game everyone over the age of 16 was carrying. The kitchen counter had more handguns than the local gun shop's display counter. Around here the 2nd Amendment is set in stone.
LOL! That might have something to o with it. ;>)
Seriously, I'm for venture capital investment, but believe the anti-donation clause was put in our state constitution for a good reason. I also don't believe we should raid the State permanent fund. The only reason that Richardson can afford to reduce taxes this year is that Governor Johnson vetoed many Democrat spending bills which led to the surplus that they are now raiding.
As usual you are correct but if we don't do so something to create jobs in N.M. we will have the same high employment with low paying jobs in five years that we do today. At least this way we have a chance at changing the status quo. If it doesn't work we will have to straighten out the mess in a few years. But if it does work we will be way ahead.
(BTW, I agree with Johnson on drug decriminalization)
So do I! Johnson is a highly intelligent man who is ahead of his time. I hope he smoked a doob on top of Mt. Everest. He damned sure earned it.
Perish the thought!
This guy may very well be the most inept bureaucrat in the history of the Executive Branch. His fingerprints are all over the loss of nuke secrets, allowing the North Koreans to cheat on their non-development agreement, and Los Alamos nearly burned down under his watch. Given a gun-to-the-head choice between him and Hillary, I'd have to flip a coin.
But hey, he's half-Hispanic. That's good enough for the Dums.
Maybe Hillary will choose him as her running mate. He makes her look slim.
You mean all the schtuff that happened on his watch during the Clinton administration was done on purpose?
That thought has churned my stomach more than once. I think he appointed something like 19 environ_mentalists on his staff as soon as he took over. He's seldom in NM any more. He's even opened an office in DC. I wish he'd move to Michigan so you could babysit for a while. lol
No thanks. We have one 'outsider' as governor now. :(
Thanks California for giving us Jenny Grandstand....
At least we give some cool outsiders to other states. Chris Chicola and Steve Stockman(from 1994 fame).
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