Bill Richardson On the Rise in Iowa and New Hampshire

John Edwards is dropping fast and Bill Richardson is rising, soon to be in third place in Iowa and NH and the obvious alternative to the media-annointed Big Two. Today the Washington Post did a feature on the Gov's appeal to rural Iowans, and his soon-to-be-completed goal of campaigning in all 99 Iowa counties. Then the Atlantic Monthly discussed BR's blueprint for victory in Iowa. And last, but certainly not least--particularly in Iowa--Bill Richardson unveiled his agriculture plan. Read about it here from the Des Moines Register, complete with a lot of specifics.

We Still Need NJ Volunteers

Like the headline says....we still need NJ volunteers for Bill Richardson's campaign here. We need them two different ways:

(1) Right now! We need folks to collect signatures to get BR on the NJ primary ballot. The deadline (Dec 10th) is approaching fast.

(2) We need to sign up Jan '08 volunteers now so if the Gov finishes top three in Iowa, which is looking more likely every day (Edwards is dropping like a rock in IA and NH), we have an enthusiastic contingent to hit the Garden State with Richardson material in January, i.e., leading up to the 2/5/08 NJ primary.

Either way, email me now at njforrichardson@gmail.com and I'll get you signed up to help.

Thanks!

Bill Richardson's Time to Move Up

We're getting to crunch time--only a little over a month until the Iowa caucuses and the NH primary--and a couple of new polls show a unique opportunity for Bill Richardson to move up RIGHT NOW!

The CNN/WMUR poll in NH has the Gov doubling his support since the last poll and moving to within a point of John Edwards, who is dropping like a rock. That poll has Clinton 36, Obama 23, Edwards 13, and Richardson 12.

In Iowa, the latest Wash Post/ABC poll has Obama 30, Clinton 26, Edwards 22, and Richardson 11. While those numbers aren't as close for third place as in NH, they are extremely significant in that they show the lowest numbers for John Edwards since the campaign started. His support is dwindling fast. Meanwhile, the Gov is on the move again.

Finishing in the top three in both of these states is critical. The media has made it pretty clear that they can only handle major coverage of three candidates. So far, Clinton, Obama and Edwards get the lion's share of the press. That will all change if Bill Richardson can continue to rise in the polls as Edwards falls.

This race is not over. The voters in Iowa and NH seem hungry for another choice outside of the top three candidates so far. That choice is clear: Bill Richardson, change, experience and electability.

"Bill Richardson did not leave me and my crew behind and he will not leave you veterans or this country behind."

Here's an amazing piece from the Huffington Post. It's written by John Early, a special-forces-trained bush pilot whose plane went down in the Sudan. Who rescued him from 38 days of confinement by Sudanese rebels? Bill Richardson. Early has a lot to say that'll make you proud to support the Gov for president.

"Leading By Example"--A Review

Here's a link to a review of Bill Richardson's new book on energy policy, Leading By Example. The book plots a course for energy independence that works, and does so in a readable form, easily digested by the average person who isn't an energy wonk.

Bill Richardson Nominated For Nobel Prize For 5th Time

This time, it's for his work in the Sudan and North Korea. Read about it here.

2013--What the #%$@

Check it out--the new website that asks why Bill Richardson is the only major candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination to insist on withdrawing all American troops from Iraq within one year. Clinton, Obama and Edwards have all refused to promise that the US will leave Iraq completely by the end of the next president's first term--that's January 2013. Only Bill Richardson stands firm on this issue among the top four Dems.

Bill Richardson Interviewed By Charlie Rose

If you have the time, watch this interview. It is an in-depth look at the man behind the candidate, and makes me even more convinced than I already was that Bill Richardson has the experience and the character to be a hell of a great president:

The Nation on Bill Richardson

Here's a great piece by Rocky Anderson today in The Nation on why you ought to be voting for Bill Richardson.

Lee Iacocca Backs Bill Rchardson

Big news hit while I was traveling last week: former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca endorsed Bill Richardson for president! Read about it here. It's good to hear a figure who commands as much respect as does Iacocca say things like: "I think experience counts and so does character. And after the last seven years, [Bill Richardson's] the kind of president we need right now."

And here's video of the announcement:

Bill Richardson In An Unlikely Interview

Here's a link to a Baltimore Sun article featuring a load of quotes from the Gov's interview in an unlikely magazine: Playboy. It's a good read and gets not only into good political detail, but helps you meet the person behind all the campaigning.