Q and A With New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson

By KATE NASH and KATE NELSON
Friday, February 09, 2007

Q and A with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination:

Question: Tell us what you consider the three most important issues facing the nation.

Answer: First, energy security and national security. The issue of energy independence, how can we wean ourselves from the 65 (percent) imported oil statistic to become a country that is not so dependent on fossil fuels and shifts to renewable technologies.

Number two, how can we regain our standing in the world as a country. As part of that, how do we get out of Iraq in an efficient and honorable way.

Third, the state of our education system. Our schools need to become more competitive. We need to find ways to pay our teachers better, to restore America's ability to be able to send every kid to college or community college or vocational school.

Q: You're pinning a lot of your early hopes on Nevada, but you have to do well in some of the other early primary states. How are you going to connect with people in Iowa who focus heavily on issues like ethanol?

A: Well, the good news is that I have a record on ethanol. When I was a congressman, I pushed the first initiatives in the Clean Air Act that made ethanol a strong alternative source of energy. And so I believe that I'm going after every state.

Yes, Nevada, I have to do well because it's a Western state. But we have organizations today in New Hampshire. We have organizations in Iowa. We just started that. I need to visit Iowa more. And we have an organization in South Carolina.

But the election's a year to go. Yes, Nevada's important, but I'm not building a one-state strategy. I'm concentrating on the first four primaries intensively. But also after those four primaries, there's New Mexico, there's Arizona, there's Utah, and there's a possibility new states might come in, like California, like Michigan, like New Jersey.

So, the calendar's very fluid, but our effort is to concentrate on the first four primaries and caucuses.

Q: One of your opponents is, of course, Hillary Clinton, and you're close friends with her husband. Will that be awkward?

A: Well, it is a little awkward. But I believe we've all been in politics a long time.

Q: : The chase for money in the run for the White House is pretty daunting. You combine that with an early primary and a lot of people say the system is broken. What kind of reforms would you support?

A: Well, there is a real concentration, intensity of fund-raising. I feel that in the end the voters will judge the candidates on their experience, on their records, on their passion, and that fund-raising will be secondary. It should be secondary. It shouldn't decide the presidency _ who can raise the most money or get the most television.

This is a campaign that I believe the American people want to see the candidate, the passion, where they stand, the experience. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

Q: You wouldn't make any changes in the system?

A: Well, yeah, I would, but right now this public finance system, it seems like every candidate is opting out. The campaign finance system that was done after the Watergate years may be outdated. I don't know what we're going to do.

Q: You've certainly got a lot of success stories in New Mexico to trumpet when you're on the campaign trail. But we do remain one of the poorest states in the nation and have a lot of other problems. I'm sure a lot of your opponents will be bringing that up. How do you play that?

A: Well, I simply say that we've made progress in education, in per capita income, DWI. Yeah, we're at the bottom of a lot of lists, but we've made progress in a lot of areas.

The economy _ we've made dramatic progress. In education, we dramatically changed education. We made full-day kindergarten a reality, started new scholarship programs, tried to narrow the achievement gap.

But statistics, they move slowly. I wish they'd move a lot faster. Some of these statistics are a couple of years away, but all I say is, we're making progress and we're a state that is moving forward and the people of New Mexico, in polls and other data that I've seen, like the direction of the state. They're optimistic about the direction of the state.

Q: We all know your governing style is hands-on and pretty strong. Some would charge it's a little too hands-on and too strong. How do you describe your governing style with its attributes and its drawbacks.

A: Well, I'm hands-on, you're right. I know almost every item in the budget. I review almost every policy decision we make. I'm aggressive. I try to push my agenda. I use the public. I use the media. I consider myself a strong executive.

Others claim that I'm vindictive. I'm not vindictive. I'm a strong governor. It's a strong legislature. Sometimes those interests clash, but the fact is we've gotten a lot done together.

Q: One could argue that Barbara is one of the least-known first ladies in recent histories. How active do you expect her to be on the campaign trail and in the White House should you win?

A: Well, she'll be very active in the White House. She's been a first lady that has been involved mainly in three areas: domestic violence. She's been involved in literacy campaigns and she's been involved in, let's see, domestic violence, literacy, and, uh, and immunizations.

And Barbara's style is different. She gets things done. She meets with legislators. She lobbies me on her budget very strongly. There is a first lady budget and the governor's budget. Guess what? The first lady's budget does a lot better than mine.

Q: One of the weaknesses out there that might dog you in a national campaign is the Wen Ho Lee case and the speculation that you were the source of the leak in the case. Are you concerned about that at all?

A: Well, it's not a plus, obviously. But I believe I acted appropriately with Wen Ho Lee.

There were security problems at Los Alamos that still continue. But I believe there was _ he did plead guilty to unauthorized use of classified materials. Perhaps the Justice Department and his incarceration may have been a little harsh.

Q: We want to move off the issues for just a few questions about Bill Richardson the man. You interact incredibly well with children, but you and Barbara have never had children. Did you want children?

A: Yeah, but, you know, it didn't happen.

Q: Many Americans consider spirituality a key part of their life. What role does religion play in how you govern?

A.: Well, it's important. I feel that through my Roman Catholic beliefs, I care about social justice, I care about improving the lives of those who are destitute, those who are poor.

Q: You've been sighted at parties, at fund-raisers and at other functions after having had a few drinks. Alcohol is also offered at events at the Governor's Mansion. What's your attitude toward the consumption of alcohol?

A: Well, just for the record, I only drink wine and I drink very little.

There's this myth that somehow Bill Richardson likes to go to parties. That's not the case. I hardly go to any. I went to a Super Bowl party a couple of days ago and I'm sure that people will say I went to 30 of them.

Q: :A lot of us know that you're working hard to lose weight, but your face also looks different. Your teeth are much straighter than when you were first elected. You've had at least one mole removed. Have you had or would you consider having plastic surgery?

A: I've lost a lot of weight. And I did have a mole taken out. I did have a chipped tooth that was fixed.

I believe that the American people want to see the candidates and anybody running for office be physically fit.

This has been a problem for me. I've been on every diet. I've been on every possible effort to lose weight. And I finally have lost weight, but I haven't finished losing weight. I want to lose more.

Then, the key is, can I stay this way? And that is still the verdict that has not been decided.

Q: Rumors are a tool of the trade in politics. Throughout your political career, you've been dogged by rumors that you're either rude to women or too chummy with women. Now it's all over the blogosphere. There's that one post that keeps coming up about behavior you may or may not have exhibited. They're saying you may have a bimbo problem. How do you respond to that?

A: Those are just mean-spirited rumors. If you look at my record, there's never been anything published. I've been confirmed twice by the U.S. Senate. I've been vetted by the FBI. I was confirmed by the Senate for Cabinet positions. I've been through seven elections for Congress, two for governor.

I have been married to Barbara for 33 years. We have a very strong marriage.

These are mean-spirited rumors that have no basis.

And finally, I was vetted for vice president. They will tell you there was no problem of any kind. No scandal.

Sure, I've made mistakes as a human being, but those are just mean-spirited rumors. That's all I have to say.