Election still about Iraq

The Courier, Waterloo, IA - Friday, December 21, 2007
Richardson pushes Iraq, veterans' care into center stage
By JOSH NELSON Courier Staff Writer


WATERLOO --- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Thursday the Iraq war remains one of the nation's paramount issues and obstacles to progress, despite receiving less play from major national media and other presidential candidates.

Richardson, a Democratic presidential hopeful, said during a town hall meeting in Waterloo that the war has drained resources, including time and money, away from many of the major problems still facing the country.

"We're deeply divided. This country can't focus and give health care a chance, our schools a chance, creating jobs a chance simply because of the enormous expenditures --- close to $500 billion --- that we've spent on this war," he said. "With that money we could have had universal health care, we could have had higher teacher salaries." ...(more)

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Published December 21. 2007 4:30AM
Election still about Iraq, Richardson says
By James Q. Lynch - The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS — Twelve months ago, Bill Richardson said the 2008 presidential election would be all about Iraq.

Twelve days out from the leadoff event in the nomination process, the New Mexico governor said the election is still all about Iraq, and he's not going to let his rivals for the Democratic nomination avoid it.

"I'm saying that this presidential race should be decided on who has the best plan to get out of Iraq because Iraq is at the center of whether America can come together again, whether we can have a health care plan, whether we can have clean energy and create jobs," Richardson said after a house party in southeast Cedar Rapids Friday. "Because of the huge expenditures we've made in Iraq we can't focus on our domestic priorities. So I'm raising it at every stop and I want every candidate to talk about precisely what they will do to get out of the war and get our troops out." ...(more)