Richardson Hopes to Ride Resume, Personality Into White House

April 9, 2007 — -- When Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico comes to town, voters should prepare for some up close and personal campaigning.

"I'm not a rock star," Richardson told audiences in New Hampshire during his last campaign swing before leading a Bush administration-endorsed diplomatic delegation to North Korea.

And while Richardson is the first to admit he isn't at the level of rival Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., when it comes to bucks or buzz, the governor is banking on his resume and personality to fill in the fundraising gap.

Richardson, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton era, adds another line to an already lengthy diplomatic resume this week as he travels to North Korea on a goodwill mission.

The high-profile outing -- officially to claim the remains of American troops killed in the Korean War but also including a request to tour one of North Korea's controversial nuclear reactors -- has the blessing of an unusual source in President Bush.

Back on the trail, Richardson seems most relaxed when talking about foreign policy, a fact often noticed when approaching only the second election since Sept. 11.

"This presidential cycle is going to be about foreign policy and national security, and I think the governor has all of the experience that would lead us through the challenging times ahead," New Hampshire local Pamela Green noted during Richardson's trip last week.

On the overarching foreign policy issue of the day -- Iraq -- the governor said, if elected, he would withdraw U.S. troops as well as engage future international enemies instead of antagonizing them.

When a Dartmouth College student asked the governor last week how he plans to beat his top-tier rivals, Richardson quickly answered, "I'm going to outwork them. I've got better qualifications. I'm going to go around to the small communities and meet as many people as possible."

And during a three-day tour of the Granite State, Richardson did just that, meeting with locals at restaurants, visiting the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and shaking hands with just about anyone and everyone in between.

"He connects with people, he shakes hands with everyone, whether it is everyone in the room or everyone in the kitchen too," said Pahl Shipley, Richardson's communication director. As Richardson toured the Stonyfild Farm yogurt factory he practically ran to say hello to employees who disappeared behind palettes.

At Dartmouth College in Hanover, few of the roughly three hundred students coming to learn more about the governor were willing to sign up for the Richardson mailing list at first. Still, he stuck around after the talk to sign posters, shake hands, answer more questions and take pictures. By the time the crowd had filed out, the mailing list was completely full.