| The Democratic primary will more than likely result in | | | | might not only look west for the number two man |
| a fractured party and no clear winner going into their | | | | on the 2008 ticket, but they may be wise to look at |
| Quadrennial confab. The candidates will have beaten | | | | Latino candidates, the most viable of whom is New |
| up on each other to no avail, and critics will cite | | | | Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson. |
| Barack Obama's inexperience, and Hillary Clinton's | | | | Richardson has impressive credentials. He was |
| questionable electability. Moreover, John Edwards and | | | | nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to the United |
| others--no, not the name of a Seattle-based grunge | | | | Nations. In 1998, he was unanimously confirmed by |
| band--will further fragment the voting. | | | | the U.S. Senate as Secretary of Energy. He was |
| Leave it to Academy Award winner, and the former | | | | elected Governor of "The Land of Enchantment" in |
| Vice President Albert A. Gore to ride to the rescue. | | | | 2002. He has also negotiated with Saddam Hussein |
| --"The man who used to be the next president of | | | | and the government of the Sudan to free prisoners |
| the United States, " has been sounding more and | | | | and his work addressing human rights abuses earned |
| more like a candidate. Observe: | | | | him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, |
| The 60-year-old Gore may have left the door ajar in | | | | 1997, 2000 and 2001. He also assisted in the arms |
| 2002, when during an interview on National Public | | | | negotiations with North Korean delegates. |
| Radio, he stated "If I did run again, it would be on | | | | Richardson has also recognized the importance of |
| the basis of just starting over from scratch and not | | | | environmental issues. He states emphatically that |
| taking anything for granted...talking to people in small | | | | New Mexico requires "Ten percent of all energy |
| groups and individually... about the major challenges | | | | come from renewable sources and we're moving |
| facing the country." | | | | toward 20 percent, we've provided incentives for |
| Three years ago, Gore accused Bush of betraying | | | | solar, wind, biofuels and other renewables...As Energy |
| the country. "He played on our fears. He took | | | | Secretary I implemented tough efficiency standards |
| America on an ill-conceived foreign adventure | | | | that have saved consumers billions in energy costs.". |
| dangerous to our troops, an adventure preordained | | | | Richardson understands the power of the Hispanic |
| and planned before 9/11 ever took place." Later, he | | | | voting bloc, saying "These are changing political |
| called for the resignations of Secretary of Defense | | | | times...We have to band together and that means |
| Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul | | | | Latinos in Florida, Cuban-Americans, |
| Wolfowitz, Director of Central Intelligence George | | | | Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, South Americans - |
| Tenet, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, | | | | we have to network better. We have to be more |
| Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith, | | | | politically minded, we have to put aside party and |
| and Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence | | | | think of ourselves as Latinos, as Hispanics, more than |
| Stephen Cambone. In that same speech he also | | | | we have in the past." |
| chastised the administration for turning a blind eye to | | | | Richardson however, has no clear position on |
| the abuse taking place at Abu Ghraib Prison, calling it | | | | immigration. He declared four counties along the New |
| "the natural consequence of the Bush Administration | | | | Mexico border as disaster areas and stepped up |
| policy." | | | | border patrols; at one time he called for an amnesty |
| Later Gore said, "We would not have invaded a | | | | program; another time he was against building a |
| country that didn't attack us. We would not be trying | | | | fence along the border, calling it "easily porous." In |
| to control and intimidate the news media. We would | | | | 2003 he signed a bill allowing illegal immigrants to |
| not be routinely torturing people." | | | | obtain drivers' licenses. |
| Gore's central concern is the threat the world faces | | | | On immigration, he writes, "Securing the border must |
| from global warming, of which the U.S. is the major | | | | come first -- but we must understand that building a |
| offender. "It is now clear that we face a deepening | | | | fence will not in any way accomplish that objective. |
| global climate crisis that requires us to act boldly, | | | | No fence ever built has stopped history and this one |
| quickly and wisely...it should be understood for what it | | | | wouldn't either...It flies in the face of America as a |
| is: a planetary emergency that now threatens human | | | | symbol of freedom. We should do: immediately put |
| civilization on multiple fronts." He has said of the | | | | enough National Guard troops at the border to keep |
| current administration's environmental policy, "a | | | | it covered until we can secure it with Border Patrol |
| massive and well-organized campaign of | | | | officers...I propose doubling the number of Border |
| disinformation lavishly funded by polluters who are | | | | Patrol agents from approximately 12-thousand to |
| determined to prevent any action to reduce the | | | | 24-thousand.We should give the Border Patrol the |
| greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, | | | | benefit of the best surveillance equipment available to |
| out of a fear that their profits might be affected if | | | | our military. And, as suggested by Texas |
| they had to stop dumping so much pollution into the | | | | Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a leader on |
| atmosphere." | | | | immigration issues, we should implement a system of |
| His recent Oscar win for the documentary, "An | | | | "informant visas" and cash rewards for aliens who |
| inconvenient Truth," has not only given Gore a | | | | provide law enforcement with information on human |
| platform, but has helped revamp his image, from a | | | | traffickers and document forgers." |
| wooden geek to an elder statesman with more | | | | Richardson also believes in is strong alliances between |
| fervor. Despite several "Draft Al" campaigns, Gore | | | | the U.S. and Mexico, saying, "Now is the time to |
| declined to run in 2004, calling on the Democrats to | | | | increase our economic cooperation, our trade, our |
| "Present fresh faces and new ideas." He argued that | | | | educational exchanges." Further, Richardson is praised |
| if he were to run the election would be more about | | | | by New Mexico's conservatives for cutting state |
| the rematch itself rather than the issues affecting | | | | taxes. |
| the country. 2008, however, presents a different | | | | While the War in the Middle East and terrorism are |
| scenario, with Clinton and Obama leading what is | | | | the core concerns of Americans, the nation's |
| considered to be a weak field. | | | | electorate has becoming more knowledge about the |
| Moreover, the Latino vote is expected to play a | | | | environment and the issues surrounding energy |
| significant role in the election of the nation's next | | | | pricing, availability and technology. A Gore-Richardson |
| Chief Executive. With no southern strategy of which | | | | ticket would no doubt make these issues a |
| to speak,the Democrats may turn their eye | | | | cornerstone of the Democrats 2008 platform. |
| westward. Arizona's population is 25 percent Hispanic. | | | | Sources: |
| New Mexico's is 42. California, Florida, Texas and New | | | | Biography of Al Gore, Wikipedia |
| York also have sizable Latino populations. These six | | | | Timothy N. Stelly, Sr., "Will Al Gore run For President |
| states account for 162 electoral votes, 60% of the | | | | In 2008?" Useless Knowledge e-zine, November 2005 |
| total needed to be elected | | | | Lisa Trei, "Gore encourages business students to 'be |
| The dramatic increase in the number of Latino | | | | the change'," Stanford University, November 16, 2005 |
| citizens in the 1990s has created a powerful voting | | | | Jessie Seyfer, "Gore's 'Generation' Seeks True |
| bloc that both Democrats and Republicans are | | | | Values," San Jose Mercury News, November 12, 2005 |
| wooing. Statistics show that between 1984 and 1996, | | | | 2007, Bill Richardson for President Exploratory |
| the GOP's share of the Hispanic vote in presidential | | | | Committee, Inc. |
| elections dropped from 37 to 21 percent, while voter | | | | Al Gore, "The climate crisis and the need for |
| registration increased by nearly 30%. The | | | | leadership," November 3, 2005 (Source unavailable) |
| ever-growing clout of Latinos is evident in California, | | | | Timothy N. Stelly, Sr. "Election 2008: Can Latino |
| where Latinos comprise about 30 percent of the | | | | Power Resuscitate The Democrats?" Useless |
| population. This political weight has enabled Latinos to | | | | Knowledge e-zine, Nov. 14, 2005 |
| combat anti-immigration sentiment, including denial of | | | | Stewart M. |
| social services to legal immigrants. The Democrats | | | | |