By Jim Tankersley
Bill Richardson may be out of the Democratic presidential race, but his spirit lived on at last night’s debate.
Just take his word for it.
And while you’re at it, please send money.
In an e-mail this afternoon to supporters of his stalled-out-in-New-Hampshire campaign, the New Mexico governor says he watched his former rivals on television in South Carolina last night and “couldn’t help but be struck by how much their positions have come around to the positions that you and I hold dear” on Iraq, health care, energy independence and education.
“It was like I was still in the debate!” he writes.
Personal back-patting settled, Richardson goes on to raise “one last issue I still need your help on before I can officially end my presidential bid” — a batch of debt he rolled up in the final weeks before his single-digit finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.
“I recognize that it’s a hard thing to do with the nomination no longer on the line,” he writes. “But I believe it is essential that the final act of our campaign is to meet every outstanding obligation.”
Read on for the full plea:These last couple of weeks have been blessedly peaceful.
After living inside the tornado of a presidential campaign for 11 months, it has been so good to get back to New Mexico and the business of running this wonderful state I call home.
I’ve had a lot of calls from the media asking me which of the remaining Democratic candidates I’m going to endorse. And I thought you should be the first to hear my answer.
I’m not endorsing any of them — at least not for now.
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But I am endorsing the issues and priorities that were first raised by my campaign and which are now an accepted part of the discussion.
Watching the candidates debate in South Carolina last night, I couldn’t help but be struck by how much their positions have come around to the positions that you and I hold dear.
It is now clear that ending this war and bringing our troops home will be a priority for any Democratic President. As will energy independence and universal health care — issues we led the way on here in New Mexico.
And now all of them are talking about improving education and providing scholarships for public service.
It was like I was still in the debate!
So while we may not have been successful in electing me the Democratic candidate for President, we were very successful in influencing the Democratic platform in important ways.
I’m proud of that accomplishment. And you should be, too.
There’s one last issue I still need your help on before I can officially end my presidential bid. Right now we still have an outstanding debt.
We spent that money in those last few frenzied weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire trying to capitalize on the fluid poll numbers. Given how high the stakes were, I’m sure we would do the same thing given the same situation again.
Will you please make one final contribution to my campaign so we can officially “zero out” that debt?
I recognize that it’s a hard thing to do with the nomination no longer on the line. But I believe it is essential that the final act of our campaign is to meet every outstanding obligation.
And let me tell you one last time just how much your support has meant to me. Backing a presidential candidate is a serious, thoughtful act. And knowing that you considered all your options and chose me makes me very proud.
Thank you once again.
All the best,
Bill