Richardson promises to 'shock' the world

Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2007 6:33 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Richardson

From NBC's Mark Murray
DES MOINES, IA -- Star attraction Martin Sheen couldn't make it as originally planned -- he is sick and couldn't fly to Iowa -- but that didn't stop a few hundred people from packing a third-floor room above a downtown bar here to listen to Richardson speak.

Is this momentum!" Richardson exclaimed to the crowd. "Is this a real surge!" He went on to say, "We are going to shock the world, right?"

Richardson also said the election "should not be [decided] by the national media. It should be by Iowa." Then citing a poll by the national media -- our MSNBC/McClatchy survey, which has him in fourth place in Iowa, at 12% -- he told the crowd, "We are within striking distance of the top three."

Later in his remarks, Richardson went through all of his campaign promises: bring home all the troops from Iraq, scrap No Child Left Behind, enact universal health care, give veterans a "Heroes health card," which would provide former service members access to the hospitals and doctors of their choice. And then he made his pitch to his supporters and undecided caucus-goers." I want your support... We need you to shock the world."

A Richardson spokesman later estimated to First Read that about 500 people attended the event. Indeed, NBC/NJ Iowa reporter Carrie Dann, also covering the speech, said the gathering was "huge" for a normal Richardson event in Iowa. But it also was clear that quite a few of the people in attendance were from Richardson's home state of New Mexico. The governor, in fact, acknowledged that when he gave a shout-out to the "New Mexico Road Warriors" supporters present, and there was a sizable applause from them in return.

At the end of his speech, Richardson asked, "Iowa, will you help us to take back America?"

The crowd screamed back, "Yeah!"

He continued, "Do we love Iowa?"

"Yeah!"

"Do we love New Mexico."

"Yeah!"

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Comments

What a great article. This article, though subtley, beautifully illustrates how much the national media dictates the elections. They cant even create an unbiased article. Good Job! By trying to attack Richardson you only attacked yourself.
Of course Richardson will cite a national media poll. It is the only measurment of his success. What he was talking about when he said it"should not be [decided] by the national media. It should be by Iowa." He was refering to the way the media only talks about Hillary , Obama, and Edwards. Clinton has 229 articles about her, Obama 183, and Edwards 116 on the NBC website.
Other candidates like Biden have only 28, Richardson 36, Dodd 28, Gravel 1, and Kucinich 9. Combined they total 102 articles, 14 less than the least of the "big three".

Jon, Mass. (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 7:38 PM)

The jump isn't really that surprising. Bhutto's assassination clarified which candidates truly are ones of change and which are of the status quo.

Almost without exception candidates fell into line behind washington establishment groupthink of support the dictator call for investigations maintain the status quo. It's easy to say you are an agent of change but the washington groupthink on the assassination exhibited by the frontrunners clearly demonstrates they aren't about change and that they think the same as they always did and would act the same as well.

In short this tragic event clearly revealed who thinks differently and is an agent of change and who doesn't. Now it's time to see if the voters really want change or just a new package for old ideas and strategies.

Adam, Sacramento (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 7:51 PM)

Other candidates are *STILL* stealing Joe Biden's tag lines. He's right, and he has the best lines. So other candidates can't be original for 1 second. They steal lines like "shock the world" because they are too lame to figure out another way to say it.

Kevin, SF CA (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 7:59 PM)

Mitt Romney Flip Flopping on Abortion watch this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFMdK0TWtks&feature=related

Do you really want a scum bag like this.

Joe, New Mexico (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 9:17 PM)

Nice comment, Jon and I completely agree with you on how pathetic it is for these media conglomerates to decided who they're going to give coverage too and then laughingly tsk-tsk about why certain candidates aren't doing so well. Even at the top of CNNs Politics page, it says has links to CNN pages, then it says "Rudy Guiliani, Hillary Clinton, more topics". These media entities chose Clinton and Guiliani as our frontrunners back in March and not one thing is going to make them waver.

fabooj (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 9:41 PM)

Go Richardson! He has my vote.

Jeff, Mesa, AZ. (Sent Sunday, December 30, 2007 10:22 PM)

The Iowa Caucuses may offer a surprise given the recent assasination of Bhutto and resulting world tensions. Gov. Richardson's unequalled foreign policy and administrative experience, negotiating expertise (6 Nobel Peace Prize nominations), and no-nonsense approach to getting us out of Iraq (in his first year as President) may well resonate in Iowa. Get ready, national media!

Robert in Iowa (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 12:13 AM)

Actually, I'd say the media has treated this race like it was ONLY between Obama and Clinton since the beginning with the occasional nod to Edwards's existence.

Stan, Jackson, MS (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 3:29 AM)

Ommmm ok.

Ommm ok. (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 9:46 AM)

I agree. It's absolutely disgusting how poorly the media is handling this race.

Joe, Durham, NC (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 10:26 AM)

Was this article supposed to be favorable or unfavorable to Richardson? I can't tell, but then, that's just another example of the mass media wasting our time and money. The big news networks need to get a serious grip and start giving equal playing time to all candidates involved.

Mike, Kansas City, MO (Sent Monday, December 31, 2007 5:13 PM)

Mike in KC: Do you need some hack at MSNBC to tell you how to think? A sign of a good report is something that lays out the facts without slant. This is probably the first article I've read on MSNBC regarding a candidate that didn't have a clear bias.

fabooj (Sent Wednesday, January 02, 2008 1:32 PM)

Richardson is unique and highly qualified. I hope Iowa does shake it up a bit and consider Richardson. Then, some change could come about.

Steve, Louisville KY (Sent Wednesday, January 02, 2008 2:03 PM)

Go Richardson!

His determination to get this country back on the right track is inspiring!

I only wish that the East Coast takes a closer look at Richardson before they vote.

None of the other candidates has the amount of foreign relations experience that he does. He has the trust of several nations. He has 6 Nobel Prize nominations. Bush has how many? Hillary has how many? Obama? Romney? Guiliani? Ron Paul?

Bill Richardson is the only candidate to admit to being human. He said that he will make mistakes. No other candidate has had the brass cojones to come out and admit their own humanity.

Notice how when asked if she thought former governnors make good presidents, she smiled, looked over to Bill Richardson and stated, " No, but hey make good Vice-Presidents." She is afraid of Bill. She knows that Bill is the one guy that has the qualifications needed to fill the bill. Of course, Richardson was caught off gaurd and should have replied "So you're saying that your husband was a lousy President?" But that's beside the point.

People don't look to Bill because most of them don't know that New Mexico is a state. They think that next to Texas is Mexico and next is Arizona. Just like GW can't find Iraq on the Map.

But I digress.

If you want the best qualified with the most executive experience, proven systems and plans that have been accomplished, the one guy that the world would come talk to and most down to earth candidate, look no further than Governor Bill Richardson for President in 2008.

Please vote for this man. He is our best and brightest hope of returning the United States to that level of respect and honesty that we used to enjoy.

Angel Joy, Albuquerque, NM (Sent Wednesday, January 02, 2008 2:59 PM)

I will be voting for Bill Richardson in the NH primary on Tuesday.

Bryan, Keene, Nh (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 11:11 AM)

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