Richardson fields questions

Presidential hopeful visits Fort Dodge

By DAWN THOMPSON, Messenger staff writer
Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson touted his optimism as the key to winning the White House when he spoke to crowd of around 150 people at the Best Western Starlite Village Sunday night.

“I have a different attitude,” Richardson said. “Mine is a can-do attitude. I want to give the American people a sense of hope. We can change this country, and I want the American people to believe we can.”

Overshadowed in the media by the celebrity-like status of other Democratic candidates, Richardson said his faith remains with the people he’s met while traveling to all 99 counties in five journeys through the state.

‘‘I’m glad Iowa is making the decision on who will be the next president rather than the national media,’’ he said. ‘‘They think this is a two or three person race and the heck with the rest of us.’’

Martin Sheen, a veteran actor who won critical acclaim for his role as President Josiah Bartlet in television drama ‘‘The West Wing,’’ was scheduled to appear to help in this last push through the state before the caucuses on Thursday. However, Sheen was unable to be there due to illness.

Still, without the added star power, Richardson said he detects a surge in support. He drew 500 spectators in a campaign stop in Des Moines prior to his visit to Fort Dodge. He also has precinct captains in more than 75 percent of the state’s precincts, which will help come caucus night.

‘‘All I am asking for it to be in the top three. I’m not greedy,’’ he joked.

Richardson said he believes he can make more than a decent showing in the caucuses because people are responsive to his upbeat attitude and his avoidance of negative campaigning.

“We can expect it will come from the Republicans,” he said, “but it’s wrong for us to mudsling and and attack one another.”

Such a belief will help him carry through on his goals and ideas, Richardson said.

‘‘Running for president is not just about wanting to change America in positive way, but bringing America back to the way it used to be before the Bush administration,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s about a restoring a dream.’’

Pessimism prevails in the legislature, Richardson said.

Richardson said he even detected it among the crowd while he fielded a dozen different questions ranging from his stand on gay rights and abortion to immigration, clean energy, care for the men and women of the military returning from the war, his thoughts on the situation in Pakistan and his criteria for a vice president.

The spirit of American people needs to be lifted, Richardson said. The pride of common person needs to be restored, like it was by President Franklin Roosevelt.

To make his point, Richardson shared a story about when Roosevelt died in 1945. During a stop by the train transporting his body home for burial, a reporter saw a man crying along the tracks and went up to him thinking the man had known the president. The man responded “I didn’t know the president, but he knew me.”

“That,” Richardson said, “is the kind of president I would like to be.”



Contact Dawn Thompson at (515) 573-2141 or dthompson@messengernews.net