CNN

The candidates on stage in Des Moines

(CNN) - At a debate Sunday in the critical showdown state of Iowa, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama worked to counter suggestions that he is too inexperienced for the job, while Sen. Hillary Clinton fended off attacks from outgoing White House political adviser Karl Rove that voters perceive her too negatively.

"Is Barack Obama ready to be president, experienced enough to be president?" moderator George Stephanopoulos asked, presenting the first question of the debate hosted by ABC's "This Week" in Des Moines, Iowa - the first state in the nation to choose party nominees.

Clinton was asked about criticisms from outgoing White House political adviser Karl Rove that her negative ratings could hurt her in a general election.

The eight Democrats generally avoided outright attacks on each other, though they took the opportunity to note disagreements, particularly on issues of foreign policy.

The question about Obama triggered a renewed discussion of his vow, made during a previous debate, that he would meet with dictators - without preconditions - during his first year in office. Clinton and others have said that such a commitment would remove a critical bargaining chip in dealing with problematic foreign governments.

Clinton answered the question Sunday by discussing her own campaign goals and experience - though, when pressed, noted that she did have a "specific disagreement" with Obama on that front. "I think the next president will face some of the most difficult international dangerous threats and challenges that any president has faced in a very long time," she said.

The senator from New York added, "When you've got that big an agenda facing you, you should not telegraph to our adversaries that you're willing to meet with them without preconditions during the first year in office."

Read the rest of this entry »

Richardson campaigned in Iowa Thursday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson blasted the Bush administration’s economic policies at a campaign event Thursday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

"Frankly, the President is acting like a spoiled teenager who crashes the family car and then hopes no one will notice. Well, Mr. President, we have noticed,” said the New Mexico governor. “My friends, it's time we take our future back.”

He added that the Bush tax cuts “have cost $1.1 trillion dollars, and resulted in the worst record of job creation since Herbert Hoover. In the 1980s, President Reagan liked to talk about the ‘welfare queen’ who bilked the government out of $8,000 dollars. Well, we've got welfare queens today - they're called Halliburton and Exxon/Mobil."

Richardson also outlined his own economic and education proposals, including his support of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, his “Apollo program” for renewable energy, bolstering math and science education, and various tax credits.

– From CNN Contributor Ebonne Ruffins

Richardson has two new ads out Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New Mexico Governor and Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson launched two new TV ads in Iowa on Tuesday.

In one ad, called “Focused,” Richardson touts his economic record in New Mexico, highlighting the passage of tax credits and the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs.

The other ad is the fourth in Richardson’s light-hearted “Job Interview” series. In the latest installment, four corporate managers sit around a conference room table considering resumes. “Alright, a lot of candidates here,” says the leader of the meeting. “Any of them actually been a boss or a governor or something?”

Two other managers then chime in and say that none of the resumes fit the bill. The lead manager then asks if any of the candidates have ever created any jobs. At this point, the managers begin to focus on Richardson’s resume just as the governor himself walks past the conference room and waves at the group like an eager applicant.

Richardson is set to lay out his plan on jobs and the economy during a speech in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Thursday.

– CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart

Richardson said at Thursday's forum he thinks homosexuality is a choice but later backtracked.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – It was an answer the largely gay audience at Thursday night's Human Rights Campaign presidential forum was not expecting.

Asked whether he thought homosexuality was a "choice" or "biological," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson flatly said, "It's a choice."

Seemingly taken aback by the presidential hopeful's answer, panelist Melissa Etheridge responded, "I don't know if you understand the question."

But Richardson did not exactly repudiate his answer, saying, "I'm not a scientist. I don't see this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as people, as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. I don't like to categorize people. I don't like to answer definitions like that that perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don't understand."

Shortly after the forum ended, Richardson's campaign released a statement from the governor "clarifying" his remarks: "Let me be clear - I do not believe that sexual orientation or gender identity happen by choice."

"But I'm not a scientist, and the point I was trying to make is that no matter how it happens, we are all equal and should be treated that way under the law," he added.

Many opponents of gay rights make the argument that homosexuality is a choice and, as such, homosexuals should not be afforded the same rights as heterosexuals.

A similar question at a 2004 presidential debate also created trouble for then-Democratic nominee John Kerry. The Massachusetts senator took heat for invoking Dick Cheney's daughter in his answer.

"We're all God's children, and I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was. She's being who she was born as. I think if you talk to anybody, it's not a choice," said Kerry.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Richardson outlined his universal health care plan Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson revealed his plan to provide universal health care to all Americans in a speech on Tuesday, focusing on making health insurance affordable, improving the quality of care and giving people choices in their coverage.

"My plan provides choices - including the choice to keep your current coverage - and existing programs to expand coverage options," Richardson said in a statement. "We spend over 2.2 trillion dollars a year on health care in this country. We all know that we're not getting what we've paid for."

Richardson said he doesn't plan to establish a "one-size-fits-all system" to cover all Americans, but will instead create five different options to cover people based on age and economic status. To pay for it, he said, families and businesses will share the costs. There will also be a stronger focus on disease prevention, as well as a more concerted effort to control skyrocketing interest rates in order to help keep prices low.

Richardson criticized President Bush for threatening to veto legislation that would expand health insurance for poor children, calling his decision "predictably perverse."

"Despite Republican hand-wringing about the cost of universal care, it is clear that the cost of doing something—in lives and dollars—pales in comparison to the cost of doing nothing," he said. "We cannot afford a healthcare system that doesn’t cover every American. The cost to our economy and the well-being of our people is just too high."

– CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson

WASHINGTON (CNN) - For Bill and Barbara Richardson, a simple ride to school led to a lifetime together.

The Richardsons celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

"Over the past 35 years Barbara has been my wife, best friend and my number one advisor," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said in a statement. "She has stood by my side through it all and on this special day I thank her for her love and devotion. Truly, there is no luckier man. Barbara here's to another beautiful 35 years."

The couple met when Richardson was a senior in high school. Barbara saw Richardson in downtown Concord, Massachusetts and offered him a ride back to school. They've been together ever since.

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

WASHINGTON (CNN) - After Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, unveiled his comprehensive plans to deal with terrorism this week, he became his Democratic presidential rivals' collective punching bag.

In an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Obama was asked if he would use nuclear weapons to defeat terrorism and Osama bin Laden. "I think it would be a profound mistake for us to use nuclear weapons in any circumstance, involving civilians," Obama said to the Associate Press. "Let me scratch that. There's been no discussion of nuclear weapons. That's not on the table."

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton criticized his comments at a press conference. "I don’t believe any president should make any blanket statements in respect to the use or non-use of nuclear weapons," she said. She and Obama had an ongoing fight last week over how to handle diplomacy with rogue countries like North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd sent out a statement attacking Obama. "Over the past several days, Senator Obama's assertions about foreign and military affairs have been, frankly, confusing and confused. He has made threats he should not make and made unwise categorical statements about military options," Dodd said.

A spokeswoman for the campaign defended Obama for saying that he would not use nuclear weapons against terrorist targets.

"If we had actionable intelligence about the existence of high-level al Qaeda targets like Osama bin Laden, Senator Obama would act and is confident that conventional means would be sufficient to take the target down. Frankly we're surprised that others would disagree," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Across the board, most of his opponents came out swinging against his major counter-terrorism speech on Wednesday.

"It is dangerous and irresponsible to leave even the impression the United States would needlessly and publicly provoke a nuclear power," Dodd said in a statement. "I disagree with his plan to leave troops in Iraq indefinitely. We still would be militarily overextended," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said in a statement. And Delaware Sen. Joe Biden called Obama's talking points a "Johnny-come-lately position."

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

Related: Obama terror vows angers Pakistan

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - New Mexico governor and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson will tour southeast Iowa on Thursday for two days of events centering on energy. The campaign announced Tuesday that the former energy secretary will discuss his plan to boost domestic renewable fuel production and making America energy independent.

The eight stops of the tour are all being dubbed as "presidential job interviews" - Richardson's version of town hall meetings - and will begin in Eldridge, Iowa, on Thursday and conclude in Wapello on Friday.

–CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch

Veterans’ health care is front-and-center in a new Richardson ad.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson released a new ad a few hours before the CNN/YouTube debate on Monday night targeting health care for veterans and demanding better life insurance to aid families of soldiers that die in battle.

The ad, "Heroes," calls for a "Heroes Health Card," which would give veterans the opportunity to use other hospitals if they live far from designated veterans' facilities. It also highlights a law he passed in New Mexico that increased the life insurance policy for fallen National Guard soldiers from $12,000 to $400,000.

"This ad shows how the governor has long supported our troops and has fought to honor their service with meaningful life insurance benefits and a health care proposal that would make health care much more accessible for veterans who live great distances from VA hospitals," campaign manager Dave Contarino said in a statement.

The ad started running on Monday in Iowa and New Hampshire.

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (CNN) – Democratic presidential candidate and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson touted his foreign policy credentials to a house of Democrats in the Charleston suburb of Mount Pleasant today in advance of tomorrow night’s CNN/YouTube debate.

“Let’s make this decision not based on who has the most money, or who has the best political pedigree, or two political pedigrees, or who is the biggest rock star or has the most glamour … although I’m working on it,” said Richardson.

“It should be on vision, it should be on who can bring change, it should be on experience. And how about a president that knows a little bit about foreign policy, who knows a little about energy?,” he said, elaborating on his experience as U.N. Ambassador and Secretary of Energy under Bill Clinton.

Richardson shook hands and spoke with about 75 area Democrats at the home of Robert Burton, a Richardson supporter from the East Cooper area of Mount Pleasant.

The governor, who is in single digits in South Carolina according CNN’s most recent poll, said a strong showing in the state’s primary would help him in a national election.

“South Carolina is a state that is moderate, I’m a moderate,” said Richardson. “I need to do well in South Carolina because South Carolina is a state like New Mexico. We have a lot of challenges in South Carolina and New Mexico. And I need to show some strength in the South so that I can be electable in November as the nominee.”

He added: “It’s the kind of state that can warm up to an underdog like me.”

Richardson acknowledged that making inroads among South Carolina’s large African-American population could be a challenge.

“I’ve been attending services in African-American churches. I’m not going to concede that vote to Senators Clinton and Obama. They’re probably the frontrunners in that vote, but there are a lot of other pockets of strength that I’m trying to attract,” he said, such as rural voters and Hispanic voters.

– CNN South Carolina Producer Peter Hamby

Richardson campaigned in Iowa Thursday.

NEWTON, Iowa (CNN) - A self-described 'news junkie' asked democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson what he thought of the dismissal of Valerie Plame's CIA leak lawsuit at a campaign stop in rural Iowa Thursday.

"Tell me what happened," Richardson said. "Tell everybody [so we can hear you]."

Obviously, this was the first Richardson had heard of the news. After being told, and then explaining to the crowd of about 90 what the case was about for those who were unfamiliar, he responded.

"That's wrong," he said. "She has a right to defend her career. She can't go back into intelligence. She was a very accomplished person, and it probably was a judge appointed by President Bush. The Supreme Court is not on our side, not on the peoples' side, so I'm worried about those appointments. Was that [news] out this morning?"

The same man in the audience at the United Auto Workers Hall in Newton told him that the story had only broke "about an hour ago."

"Oh," Richardson said laughing. "Well, [here's CNN], now this is my official reaction. I'm glad you told me though."

Read the rest of this entry »

Richardson call on Congress to end the Iraq war in his latest ad.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson calls on members of Congress to “stand up to the president” to end the Iraq war, in a new television ad that began airing Wednesday in Iowa.

"Congress must stand up to a president who has put our brave military men and women in an impossible situation refereeing a civil war,” Richardson, a Democratic presidential hopeful, says in the ad. “Our troops are targets - viewed as occupiers. If George Bush doesn't get them out, as President, Bill Richardson will.”

Five of Richardson’s rivals for the Democratic nomination are currently members of Congress – Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Richardson, whose chief rivals enjoy considerably higher name recognition, has already run several ads in the early voting states - most of which promote the New Mexico governor’s lengthy resume.

In the latest CNN/WMUR-TV poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire, Richardson finds himself running third at 9 percent among Granite State Democratic primary votes, behind Clinton with 36 percent and Obama with 27 percent.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Richardson said Monday he’s not interested in being vice president..

WASHINGTON (CNN) - His impeccable résumé, foreign policy credentials, and relation to an important battleground state landed New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on John Kerry’s shortlist for the vice presidential nominee in 2004.

But Richardson, currently a Democratic presidential hopeful himself, said Monday he’s not interested in the No. 2 post if it was offered at some point down the road, telling CNN “There is a better job, it’s called governor of New Mexico.”

“I’m not running for vice president, and I believe after this debate is over I’m going to win - but I don’t want to be vice president,” Richardson told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “I’ve got the best job, governor of New Mexico.

“I can go ride my horse and get into foreign policy, as I have done as a governor,” he added.

In addition to his current post, Richardson is a former U.S. congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, and energy secretary. He has also engaged in several talks with North Korea.

In 2004, Bush won New Mexico by only 6,000 votes.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

(CNN) – Presidential candidate Bill Richardson fulfilled a “childhood dream” Wednesday. He took a different type of campaign swing in Dyersville, Iowa at the site of the 1989 film “Field of Dreams.”

The Democratic New Mexico governor and avid baseball fan stepped into the batter’s box and accidentally took a crack at a photographer while swinging at a few pitches.

“I hit a photographer. I am a pull hitter. He should have gotten out of the way,” said Richardson, a former left-handed pitcher for Tufts University, to a group of supporters at a stop in Waterloo, Iowa.

A casual Richardson sporting tennis shoes and blue jeans said that as a result of his visit to the “Field of Dreams” earlier in the day, “I am seriously considering pardoning Shoeless Joe Jackson.”

“Field of Dreams” centered on an Iowa farmer who hears a voice and interprets the message to plow through a corn field and build a baseball diamond.

Shoeless Joe Jackson appears as a ghost, along with seven other members of the so-called "Black Sox," who were banned from baseball for throwing the 1919 World Series. Some baseball historians believe Shoeless Joe Jackson was innocent.

– CNN Political Assignment Editor Marissa Muller

Watch Richardson on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

GREENVILLE, New Hampshire (CNN) - How do you make noise as a second-tier candidate for president in a crowded field? Bang a pot!

That's what Democratic hopeful Bill Richardson did in New Hampshire - a state he currently has to himself among his Democratic opponents - at midnight Tuesday to ring in the July 4th holiday.

Richardson marched and hammed it up with Greenville residents in their annual Pots and Pans Parade.

The parade dates back to World War I, involving pots and wooden spoons and a lot of noise to mark the holiday at midnight. There was plenty of music free of cooking utensils too - and the New Mexico governor was spotted dancing to Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA".

Richardson is spending the Fourth of July marching in parades and visiting with voters around the early-voting state.

– CNN Producer Shirley Zilberstein

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, raised at least $2.4 million for his presidential campaigns in the last three months, a campaign aide tells CNN. At least $2 million of that total can be spent during the primaries.

Here's how Biden stacks up so far against the Democratic fundraising totals:

• Barack Obama: raised $32.5 million overall
• Hillary Clinton: raised $27 million overall
• John Edwards: raised $9 million overall
• Bill Richardson: raised $7 million overall
• Chris Dodd: raised $3.2 million overall
• Joe Biden: raised $2.4 million overall

(Note: Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel did not release fundraising estimates)

A Google map shows the location of Marlow, New Hampshire.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - It holds the status as the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, and one would assume every New Hampshire town has been visited by at least one presidential candidate over the years.

But Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson says he will become the "first ever" White House contender to set foot in Marlow (population: 747) when he travels to the Granite State later this week.

"I am excited to be the first ever presidential candidate to visit Marlow," the New Mexico governor said in a statement. "The New Hampshire primary is about meeting voters one-on-one, looking them in the eye and answering their questions. It's about time the people of Marlow had an opportunity to directly participate in this process."

In addition Marlow, Richardson has stops planned in Manchester, Nashua Amherst, Merrimack and Greenville.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Richardson's camp released its second quarter fundraising numbers Friday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will show that he has raised at least $7 million for his presidential campaign in the past three months, a spokesman tells CNN, one day before the books on the second fundraising quarter are closed.

Richardson has raised more than $13 million for his White House bid from more than 38,000 contributors this year. The New Mexico Democrat raised $6.2 million in the first three months of 2007. And Pahl Shipley, Richardson's spokesman, notes that all of the money raised can be used in the primary.

Richardson's campaign is the second to estimate how much money it raised in the second quarter. On Thursday, Sen. Hillary Clinton's spokesman indicated that the New York Democrat will raise "in the range of $27 million" in this same time period.

– CNN Political Editor Mark Preston

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Campaign surrogates were out in force in the spin room following Thursday’s presidential forum. A sampling of their spin:

Sen. Bob Menendez on Clinton’s best moment: She noted that if HIV/AIDS mainly afflicted young, white women, it would have been eradicated already. "She showed her wealth of experience, depth of knowledge and core principles that are important to minority communities.”

Biden spokesman Larry Rasky on Biden’s best moment: “The last answer on Darfur. . . In the last debate he really called the field out on the no-fly zone and using troops. It’s interesting that Sen. Clinton has changed her position since the last debate.”

Richardson chief of staff David Contarino on what his boss needs to separate himself from the pack: "More of the same. He's moving up in the polls. People just need to get to know his record. Nights like tonight help."

– CNN’s Lauren Kornreich, Alex Mooney, and Xuan Thai

WASHINGTON (CNN) – In an unusual moment, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson praised President George Bush at Thursday’s Democratic presidential forum.

On the topic of HIV/AIDS and African American teens, Richardson said there is a need to also address the issue of the disease in Africa and the need to fund the effort.  He went on to praise President Bush in this effort.

“And here I'm going to say something positive about President Bush,” Richardson told the audience.  “His funding for Millennium accountability and Millennium appropriations has been relatively impressive.”

Millennium Challenge provides funding to international projects in poor foreign countries.

– CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai