Gravel & Richardson: On the move Alaska, DNC, New Mexico, Presidential Politics

Over at MyDD, Jerome Armstrong is blogging the DNC winter meeting. Here's what he has to say about the two Western Democrats in the presidential race:

Bill Richardson: "Stay lose, we gotta year to go", says Richardson regarding his stand in the polls. Richardson's intro is "lean on me" by Bill Withers [the hip hop remix], and closes with some cha-cha music. He looks great-- Richardson might be getting tips from Huckabee. He is one of two that I believe can break out of the second tier. Richardson has a big opening in Nevada, if he is able to mobilize Latino voters to show up. If he does, in a week when it's the only contest and there's not a competing Republican contest for media attention, he's gonna pop onto the radar in a very big way. Then, maybe Florida? Don't count out union support for Richardson either, as he's got a record in New Mexico that's very union-friendly. Teachers too, Richardson came with NM at 47th in pay and is now in the 20's-- AFT. NM's enacted equality legislation, enacted the Kyoto standards, it's impressive. I really like Governor's as Presidential candidates, they have accomplishments they can point to, and Richardson has foreign experience as well. He was very well recieved by this audience, with multiple standing ovations, and Richardson probably moved up a few nothes in their views. Richardson believes in a "reconciliation" effort in Iraq, and calls for a deadline by the end of this year for the US to be out of Iraq.

Mike Gravel: Gravel will be the voice of the pissed-off Democrats, saying about the Oct 2002 vote, "political calculations trumped morality" and "anyone who voted for the war... is not qualified to hold the office of the Presidency." In short, Gravel will not give Edwards, Biden, Dodd, Clinton any breathing room. As a Senator, he says, "I spoke truth to power... and as a result Nixon sued me." Gravel is coming back from being on the Senate floor during the Vietnam war, and as he stood up then to end the war,he now will be the thorn in the side of those "that did nothing" when they were in office, as a Democratic majority in the Senate, and allowed it to happen. "And we all know, 'vital interest' is a code word for oil." With Gravel in the race, there's really no need for the vanity candidacy of Kucinich. Gravel is an anti-war candidate that speaks well and carries a stick. "Power to the People" is the song and "Let the People Decide" the slogan of Gravel.

Kari Chisholm | February 4, 2007 | Comment on This Post (2 so far) Permalink: Gravel & Richardson: On the move Alaska, DNC, New Mexico, Presidential Politics

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