FarPastGone
02/05/07, 11:21 PM
Richardson Touts Unique Qualifications
By NEDRA PICKLER, The Associated Press
Feb 3, 2007 10:32 AM (2 days ago)
KHARTOUM, Sudan - It's been said that Bill Richardson would negotiate with the devil. And by some definitions, he has - several times.
New Mexico's Democratic governor has bartered with some of the most notorious rulers of modern times: Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Yugoslavia's Slobodan Milosevic, Cuba's Fidel Castro, Kenya's Daniel Arap Moi, Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, Nigeria's Sani Abacha and most recently, Sudan's Omar al-Bashir. Richardson has compared himself to Red Adair, renowned for his ability to put out erupting oil well fires.
He has done this work on his own ambition as an influential U.S. citizen, but usually without an official imprimatur from the government. Now he is trying to use his freelance diplomacy, combined with his state executive experience, to show he has unique qualifications in his run for the presidency.
Richardson has more international experience than just about anyone else in the 2008 field. The 59-year-old was ambassador to the United Nations in the Clinton administration, served on the intelligence committee during his 14 years in the House and has done international work from his perch as a small-state governor.
Richardson's most recent trip came last month at the request of the Save Darfur Coalition, which sent him to Sudan to try to help bring an end to the four-year-old war. The governor was persistent, straightforward, friendly and above all relentless in his determination to emerge promoting progress.
"I have good news," Richardson told al-Bashir after four days of back-to-back meetings with all sides in the conflict, including two rare hourlong sessions with the elusive president. "We are going to leave today."
Al-Bashir, who has ruled during the ethnic persecution in Darfur that has killed more than 200,000 people, laughed.
"With all that, we expect you to be the president of the United States!" he said in English, after speaking Arabic for the earlier discussions.
The exchange was classic Richardson. The gregarious governor tries to put the people he meets at ease with jokes, gestures and occasionally overeager touching.
"I'm not one for tight bows or formal handshakes when a bear hug or a gentle fist on the shoulder is an available option," Richardson wrote in his autobiography, "Between Worlds."
His approach worked once with Saddam, after a bad start.
Richardson had gone to Baghdad in 1995 at the request of the Iraqis to negotiate with Saddam for the release of two U.S. oil mechanics who had wandered over the border with Kuwait. Richardson has an impressive track record in convincing dictators that they should free U.S. prisoners from countries as isolated as North Korea, Cuba and Sudan.
The meeting with Saddam started out tensely. Richardson unknowingly committed the slight of crossing his legs and leaving the bottom of his shoe facing the Iraqi leader. Saddam stormed out of the room. An interpreter explained to a surprised Richardson that he must apologize for the insult.
After Saddam agreed to return, Richardson decided not to apologize but to continue making his case with respect and his feet firmly planted on the floor. Saddam authorized the mechanics' release after an hour of discussion.
Richardson said he instinctively reached out in a gesture of thanks and put his hand on Saddam's arm. The curtains around the room suddenly parted and out came armed soldiers who had been hiding in case Richardson harmed their leader, the governor remembered recently with amusement.
Richardson can be prickly and demanding of his staff. But he also likes to lighten the mood by having fun with people's names and their backgrounds.
He first introduced himself to longtime international adviser Calvin Humphrey, a black face in a sea of white congressional aides, by asking him in mock seriousness, "Are you a soul brother?"
Richardson bonded with Castro over their shared love of baseball and with Iraq's then-Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz over their shared Catholic faith and penchant for cigars. As U.N. ambassador, Richardson took his colleagues from around the world to a game between the New York Yankees and Mets.
Richardson emerged from his diplomatic meetings with clear impressions. He has written:
-Castro had horrible dandruff, but was humorous, personable and extremely well-informed about U.S. politics and geopolitical issues.
-Mobutu was dignified and regal despite overseeing vast corruption. His successor, Laurent Kabila was street-smart and had no scruples.
-Saddam had a twitch on the right side of his face and made Richardson sweat by staring him down.
Richardson's first visit to Sudan was in 1996, when he went to free three Red Cross workers held by Marxist rebels.
Richardson learned the rebel leader had recently lost a daughter and a son was on his death bed in the rebels' disease-ridden camp. The rebel leader wanted $10 million. Richardson appealed to him by saying he could get him medicine, rice, vehicles and other aid so other children did not have to die.
Some criticized Richardson's effort because he violated a cardinal rule of hostage negotiators: never bargain for their release.
"If you give them money, that is negotiating with a terrorist," Richardson said in a recent Associated Press interview. "But a couple of Jeeps, a health study, medicine, that's what made it happen. It was a human connection with that rebel.
"I don't mind saying I try to psychologically go into their heads and see what's on their mind and what's important to them at the time," he said. "I do study my subject pretty intensely."
Richardson's freelance diplomacy has gotten mixed reaction from the White House over the years. President Clinton gave his private blessing to the Iraq trip, whispered to Richardson as the two were watching the premiere of the Spanish-language movie "Mi Familia."
David Goldwin, who worked in the Clinton State Department and later became Richardson's national security aide at the U.N., said the administration also was appreciative that Richardson negotiated for the release of two downed Army helicopter pilots in December 1994 in North Korea.
"They had no real diplomatic access in North Korea," Goldwin said. "He had good access first person. ... He's delivered them bad news every time he's dealt with them. But they feel listed to and respected by him and so they are willing to take that message."
James Dobbins, who worked for President Bush and his father as well as in the Clinton administration, said he does not recall anyone at the White House complaining about Richardson acting as a free agent.
"He was by and large taking missions that the president was happy to have him take," Dobbins said. "There have been many occasions where congressmen have been encouraged to go places where we have a difficult relationship or no relationship at all to see what develops."
Richardson writes in his book that Clinton administration officials urged him not to travel to Haiti to negotiate a peaceful transfer of power in July 1994, as Clinton was threatening military action.
Richardson went anyway, although it was Clinton's approach that eventually forced the military rulers to step down.
Upon his confirmation as Clinton's nominee for U.N. ambassador, Richardson wrote that incoming Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ordered him to stop all independent diplomacy and warned him that others had been fired for trying to negotiate side deals.
Interest in different cultures is rooted in Richardson's childhood. He is the son of an American businessman father and a Mexican mother. He grew up in Mexico City and is fluent in Spanish. His father sent him to high school in the United States and Richardson has said he often felt trapped between two worlds.
Michael Dukakis, the former Massachusetts governor who was the 1988 Democratic nominee for president, said Richardson's combination of foreign policy and executive experience should be an asset in the 2008 race.
Governors often make stronger presidential candidates but can suffer from criticism that they are light on foreign affairs.
"Bill's foreign policy experience is a big plus for him," Dukakis said. "He has a lot more than most of us who began in state politics and came up through the ranks and became governors. ... And I think foreign policy is going to be a big issue in this campaign, especially in the Democratic primary."
Bill Weld, a Republican who was Massachusetts governor, was three years ahead of Richardson at the Middlesex School, a boarding school in Concord, Mass. Weld said Richardson does not need to prove himself like other governors who get most of their international experience through trade missions.
Richardson's experience in single-handedly brokering high-profile diplomatic deals and his time in the statehouse "is a very attractive combination," Weld said.
That is not to say all of Richardson's travels are successful.
Richardson was not able to achieve one his top goals on the trip to Sudan - persuading al-Bashir to allow U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur. But he persuaded al-Bashir to agree to a 60-day cease-fire with rebel armies while peace talks could be arranged. It didn't hold.
http://www.examiner.com/a-545219~Richardson_Touts_Unique_Qual ifications.html
In a time where our popularity is virtually nil globally, and we face an enemy that is hardly centralized negotiating skills, mutual admiration from fellow leaders, an overall understanding of the complexity of issues facing us, and the ability to form unprecedented alliances are more important then ever. Richardson has proven himself in front of some of the toughest world figures, built a name for himself in some of the most uncommon of places, and seems to pose the aptly important ability to be appropriately informal. Although economic and social ideals separate him from I, this is the type of person I would gladly allow to control my nation.
Unfortunately, coming from a small-state government, being Hispanic, and having to compete with candidates such as Obama and Clinton in his own party I doubt Richardson will take office as the first Hispanic President. However, I would love to see Richardson make the bill as a potential running mate of the DNC presidential candidate.
By NEDRA PICKLER, The Associated Press
Feb 3, 2007 10:32 AM (2 days ago)
KHARTOUM, Sudan - It's been said that Bill Richardson would negotiate with the devil. And by some definitions, he has - several times.
New Mexico's Democratic governor has bartered with some of the most notorious rulers of modern times: Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Yugoslavia's Slobodan Milosevic, Cuba's Fidel Castro, Kenya's Daniel Arap Moi, Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, Nigeria's Sani Abacha and most recently, Sudan's Omar al-Bashir. Richardson has compared himself to Red Adair, renowned for his ability to put out erupting oil well fires.
He has done this work on his own ambition as an influential U.S. citizen, but usually without an official imprimatur from the government. Now he is trying to use his freelance diplomacy, combined with his state executive experience, to show he has unique qualifications in his run for the presidency.
Richardson has more international experience than just about anyone else in the 2008 field. The 59-year-old was ambassador to the United Nations in the Clinton administration, served on the intelligence committee during his 14 years in the House and has done international work from his perch as a small-state governor.
Richardson's most recent trip came last month at the request of the Save Darfur Coalition, which sent him to Sudan to try to help bring an end to the four-year-old war. The governor was persistent, straightforward, friendly and above all relentless in his determination to emerge promoting progress.
"I have good news," Richardson told al-Bashir after four days of back-to-back meetings with all sides in the conflict, including two rare hourlong sessions with the elusive president. "We are going to leave today."
Al-Bashir, who has ruled during the ethnic persecution in Darfur that has killed more than 200,000 people, laughed.
"With all that, we expect you to be the president of the United States!" he said in English, after speaking Arabic for the earlier discussions.
The exchange was classic Richardson. The gregarious governor tries to put the people he meets at ease with jokes, gestures and occasionally overeager touching.
"I'm not one for tight bows or formal handshakes when a bear hug or a gentle fist on the shoulder is an available option," Richardson wrote in his autobiography, "Between Worlds."
His approach worked once with Saddam, after a bad start.
Richardson had gone to Baghdad in 1995 at the request of the Iraqis to negotiate with Saddam for the release of two U.S. oil mechanics who had wandered over the border with Kuwait. Richardson has an impressive track record in convincing dictators that they should free U.S. prisoners from countries as isolated as North Korea, Cuba and Sudan.
The meeting with Saddam started out tensely. Richardson unknowingly committed the slight of crossing his legs and leaving the bottom of his shoe facing the Iraqi leader. Saddam stormed out of the room. An interpreter explained to a surprised Richardson that he must apologize for the insult.
After Saddam agreed to return, Richardson decided not to apologize but to continue making his case with respect and his feet firmly planted on the floor. Saddam authorized the mechanics' release after an hour of discussion.
Richardson said he instinctively reached out in a gesture of thanks and put his hand on Saddam's arm. The curtains around the room suddenly parted and out came armed soldiers who had been hiding in case Richardson harmed their leader, the governor remembered recently with amusement.
Richardson can be prickly and demanding of his staff. But he also likes to lighten the mood by having fun with people's names and their backgrounds.
He first introduced himself to longtime international adviser Calvin Humphrey, a black face in a sea of white congressional aides, by asking him in mock seriousness, "Are you a soul brother?"
Richardson bonded with Castro over their shared love of baseball and with Iraq's then-Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz over their shared Catholic faith and penchant for cigars. As U.N. ambassador, Richardson took his colleagues from around the world to a game between the New York Yankees and Mets.
Richardson emerged from his diplomatic meetings with clear impressions. He has written:
-Castro had horrible dandruff, but was humorous, personable and extremely well-informed about U.S. politics and geopolitical issues.
-Mobutu was dignified and regal despite overseeing vast corruption. His successor, Laurent Kabila was street-smart and had no scruples.
-Saddam had a twitch on the right side of his face and made Richardson sweat by staring him down.
Richardson's first visit to Sudan was in 1996, when he went to free three Red Cross workers held by Marxist rebels.
Richardson learned the rebel leader had recently lost a daughter and a son was on his death bed in the rebels' disease-ridden camp. The rebel leader wanted $10 million. Richardson appealed to him by saying he could get him medicine, rice, vehicles and other aid so other children did not have to die.
Some criticized Richardson's effort because he violated a cardinal rule of hostage negotiators: never bargain for their release.
"If you give them money, that is negotiating with a terrorist," Richardson said in a recent Associated Press interview. "But a couple of Jeeps, a health study, medicine, that's what made it happen. It was a human connection with that rebel.
"I don't mind saying I try to psychologically go into their heads and see what's on their mind and what's important to them at the time," he said. "I do study my subject pretty intensely."
Richardson's freelance diplomacy has gotten mixed reaction from the White House over the years. President Clinton gave his private blessing to the Iraq trip, whispered to Richardson as the two were watching the premiere of the Spanish-language movie "Mi Familia."
David Goldwin, who worked in the Clinton State Department and later became Richardson's national security aide at the U.N., said the administration also was appreciative that Richardson negotiated for the release of two downed Army helicopter pilots in December 1994 in North Korea.
"They had no real diplomatic access in North Korea," Goldwin said. "He had good access first person. ... He's delivered them bad news every time he's dealt with them. But they feel listed to and respected by him and so they are willing to take that message."
James Dobbins, who worked for President Bush and his father as well as in the Clinton administration, said he does not recall anyone at the White House complaining about Richardson acting as a free agent.
"He was by and large taking missions that the president was happy to have him take," Dobbins said. "There have been many occasions where congressmen have been encouraged to go places where we have a difficult relationship or no relationship at all to see what develops."
Richardson writes in his book that Clinton administration officials urged him not to travel to Haiti to negotiate a peaceful transfer of power in July 1994, as Clinton was threatening military action.
Richardson went anyway, although it was Clinton's approach that eventually forced the military rulers to step down.
Upon his confirmation as Clinton's nominee for U.N. ambassador, Richardson wrote that incoming Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ordered him to stop all independent diplomacy and warned him that others had been fired for trying to negotiate side deals.
Interest in different cultures is rooted in Richardson's childhood. He is the son of an American businessman father and a Mexican mother. He grew up in Mexico City and is fluent in Spanish. His father sent him to high school in the United States and Richardson has said he often felt trapped between two worlds.
Michael Dukakis, the former Massachusetts governor who was the 1988 Democratic nominee for president, said Richardson's combination of foreign policy and executive experience should be an asset in the 2008 race.
Governors often make stronger presidential candidates but can suffer from criticism that they are light on foreign affairs.
"Bill's foreign policy experience is a big plus for him," Dukakis said. "He has a lot more than most of us who began in state politics and came up through the ranks and became governors. ... And I think foreign policy is going to be a big issue in this campaign, especially in the Democratic primary."
Bill Weld, a Republican who was Massachusetts governor, was three years ahead of Richardson at the Middlesex School, a boarding school in Concord, Mass. Weld said Richardson does not need to prove himself like other governors who get most of their international experience through trade missions.
Richardson's experience in single-handedly brokering high-profile diplomatic deals and his time in the statehouse "is a very attractive combination," Weld said.
That is not to say all of Richardson's travels are successful.
Richardson was not able to achieve one his top goals on the trip to Sudan - persuading al-Bashir to allow U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur. But he persuaded al-Bashir to agree to a 60-day cease-fire with rebel armies while peace talks could be arranged. It didn't hold.
http://www.examiner.com/a-545219~Richardson_Touts_Unique_Qual ifications.html
In a time where our popularity is virtually nil globally, and we face an enemy that is hardly centralized negotiating skills, mutual admiration from fellow leaders, an overall understanding of the complexity of issues facing us, and the ability to form unprecedented alliances are more important then ever. Richardson has proven himself in front of some of the toughest world figures, built a name for himself in some of the most uncommon of places, and seems to pose the aptly important ability to be appropriately informal. Although economic and social ideals separate him from I, this is the type of person I would gladly allow to control my nation.
Unfortunately, coming from a small-state government, being Hispanic, and having to compete with candidates such as Obama and Clinton in his own party I doubt Richardson will take office as the first Hispanic President. However, I would love to see Richardson make the bill as a potential running mate of the DNC presidential candidate.