This case of embellishment ironically centers on an accomplishment that Richardson should be proud of, and that needs no further exaggeration. Richardson pushed for legislation to up New Mexico's National Guard death benefits for veterans to $250,000. It was a good measure, and Richardson should tell everyone about it on the campaign trail. But in campaign speeches, especially recently in New Hampshire, he goes further with the story by reporting that he was prompted to raise the benefit by a conversation with the mother of a son who was killed in Iraq:
Three years ago, Richardson attended a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin, 21, who died in April 2004. As he campaigns for the Democratic nomination, the New Mexico governor often recounts an emotional conversation with Austin's mother, saying she thanked him for the federal death benefits she had received and even showed him the government check.But he continually botches the story, and even has lied about the conversation:
In speeches in New Hampshire, Richardson has gotten Austin's name wrong at least once and age wrong at least twice. He also has called Austin the first New Mexico soldier killed in Iraq - instead of the third.The scenario is similar to another event in his life that he's long told stories about, but turned out not to be true -- his being drafted by baseball's Kansas City Athletics (Richardson was forced to retract the claim). That case, like the one reported today, is yet another example of a politician, this time Bill Richardson, lying about something that he or she didn't have to lie about to look good. Is their need for self-aggrandizement that pathological?
But that's not what bothers the Marine's mother, De'on Miller, of Lovington, who says the conversation about money never took place. "I didn't exchange words at all with the governor there except when he gave me the flag. And those few words - whatever was exchanged when he handed me the flag and the Spirit of New Mexico award - certainly had nothing to do with money," she said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
This is just Richardson shooting himself in the foot needlessly. And it doesn't help his political aspirations at all, be they presidential or vice presidential. People uneasily view politicians as habitual liars in the first place. Leaving such a paper trail of the lies, however, is particularly unhelpful in overcoming that perception.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. He is a liberal DemocRAT,and he probably can't help himself,after all,he did hang out with the biggest liar of all,Bill(I did not have sex with that woman,Lewinsky)Clinton). Bada Bing!!!
Chaz at 4:00PM on May 21st 2007
2. I think Gov. Richardson is one of the most honest candidates that has appeared in years.
Republicans for Richardson is a good catch phrase, and he's the only democrat, and I'm more of a conservative, that I have considered....he comments from a memorial, words and phrases can be misconstrued...and if this is all he lies about, if it was a lie and not a battle of which words were used, in comparison to the last two presidents....let's get someone with morals and experience in business and overseas negotiations...maybe we should take a better look at the possibility of Richardson for President.
CAT at 4:05PM on May 21st 2007
3. HI MY NAME IS Arthur and I was reading this artical about richerdson and if you ask me rcherdson would be the best choice for president he has the best track record of doing thing right and getting things done the bush or any other nummi for president I THING THE BEST CHOICE IS RICHERDSON
arthur at 5:40PM on May 21st 2007
4. Which presidential candidate or any other candidate runnig for anything has ever told the truth. I laugh when i see that oh he was caught lying. Most of them never get caught but heck they all lie i have yet to see or hear of a politician that has not lied there is not such creature in existance.
http://www.todaypolitics.blogspot.com/
bloggershaven at 7:28PM on May 21st 2007
5. bill richardson is by far the most qaulified of pontential canidates and should definitely recieve the democratic nomination. if this is the only lie we can round up on a politician we should be pleased. let me list the lies of the bush administration, oh wait i don't have 8 hours of spare time on my hands!
wesley o'keefe at 11:31PM on May 21st 2007
6. Politicians lie? Then maybe we should look at ourselves, and see what we do to make them feel it's necessary.
Bill Clinton had sex, & lied about it.
He also got a standing ovation at the United Nations -- a STANDING OVATION ! What other president did? Additionally, while Repub. presidents in recent history ALL found ways to get out of our promise to join with the world in giving health care to pregnant women in impoverished countries, Clinton renewed renewed it. (Bush/Cheney/Santorum found lies to stop it, & other U.S. aid).
Jimmy Carter negotiated successfully negotiated peace, and no one had to get killed. Nonetheless, heopenly admits he wasn't great, as president, but that being a former president has enabled him to do great things for peace & better ways of life, nationally & internationally. Thank you.
C.W. at 1:17AM on May 22nd 2007
7. If you finished reading the story, you may have seen there were some inaccuracies in how she remembers the conversation as well. Johnny Cope, chairman of New Mexico's transportation department, was at the memorial service with Richardson in 2004 and saw him speak to Miller. He didn't hear the conversation, he said, but remembers seeing Miller show the governor an envelope.
"What I remember is, they were visiting and she pulled out an envelope and was showing it to him," Cope said. Miller claims she never mentioned the money to Richardson. Also, the story mentions she is a "staunch Republican."
LP at 2:01AM on May 22nd 2007
8. These are "lies"? What petty bullshit. These are different recollection of an incident and details that get mixed up. Lies are WMD when there are none or saying that I have never had sex with that woman.Deliberate misrepresentation of the facts. This kind of blogging makes the commentator a trafficker in minutia and renders him irrelevent.Hit the hard issues not this crap. We get enough of this from the MSM.
Kickboxermomma at 1:52PM on May 22nd 2007
9. Chaz- you really need to correct yourself. "The biggest liar of all time" is your fearful "There are WMD's" Bush. Over 700,000 dead- countless thoussands maimed for life- and an otherwise innocent country now blown to bits. Makes a bj between two consenting adults seem a bit petty- but then you and RepubliCANTS are that and more.
Neuticles at 10:42AM on May 22nd 2007
10. from 5.8 billion dollars to 15 billion dollars in 4 years for 3.5 miles of tunnel. He should not be left in charge of anything especially not the chief executive officer of an entire nation.
It takes an entire book, Arkansas Mischief, to explain what is dishonest about Hillary Clinton.
What is wrong about Barak Obama
(1) Between 1983 and 1985 Barak Obama spent a year working for Business International Corporation. You do not have to believe me it is in his biography on his web site and in his bio in Wikipedia.
Business International Corp. is a law firm that specializes in helping companies moving their manufacturing and product development overseas. Check out Business International Corp’s web site or their listing in Wikipedia. Someone whose only job in the private sector was shipping jobs overseas is not someone that should be in charge of the USA economy.
(2) The Presidency of the United States is an executive position. Barak Obama has never held an executive position of any type. No Governor, no Mayor, no CEO, not even the manager of a department store, or caption of a Swift boat. He did teach in a law school for 4 years.
(3) Barak Obama has only two years of experience in the federal government. Would anyone allow someone with only two years of experience in the aviation industry run an airline, or two years in retail run a department store, or two years of experience in a sport run a national franchise?
(4) The Presidency is an executive position that requires specific plans for solving problems. Check out Barak Obama’s web site where he states his positions in the broadest and vaguest possible terms; it contains no specific plans for anything.
(5) The best job Barak Obama has ever had is US Senate for two years for $157,000 per year. Yet he just purchased a house for $1,600,000. If he is not on the take his wife must have a valorously well paying job.
(6) Until a few days ago Barak Obama’s web site said he was educated in a Moslem school for at least 2 years while he lived in Indonesia from age 6 to age 12. His posting in Wikipedia still says that. Yet his supporters are claiming it is a smear even though it is the truth.
(7) Besides writing two auto-biographies and no legislation purposed, he has done not a thing.
(8) White canidate would be distroyed in one day if the church they went to had a doctrine aimed at ones race like Obama's church. Check out his churches web site.(i http://www.tucc.org/about.htm)
(9) In his 2006 Income Tax filing Obama donated $ 15,107 to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and $ 5,000 to Muntu Dance Theater. How long would a White presidential candidate last if it was found that he donated $ 20,000 to Whites only organizations.
Check out Fred Thompson in Wikipedia. You will find the following in his Wikipedia biagraphy:
"By 1982, Thompson worked the U.S. Congress membership as a lobbyist for passage of the Savings and Loan deregulation legislation desired by the Tennessee Savings and Loan League
--- in this case, federal deregulation legislation allowing for additional government support of ailing S&Ls; giving U.S. thrifts the freedom to invest in potentially more
profitable, but riskier, ventures; and eliminating interest-rate ceilings on new accounts to increase S&Ls'competitiveness.
Enacted into law in September 1982, the Senate bill pushed by Thompson was incorporated into the
Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982. The Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 is widely credited with having laid the groundwork for the U.S.
Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s."
During his Senate tenure, Thompson's work habits were suspect. The New York Times recently (gently) noted that "he was not known as one of the hardest working senators". The very fact that he left the Senate after only eight years in office raised suspicions that he was distracted by the allure of Hollywood and the joys of private life.
Bruce Saltzman 501st of the 101st Viet Nam 1968-69 at 10:52AM on May 22nd 2007
11. It is amazing to me that after 6 years and counting of lies (BIG ones, like WMD's, Al Quaida and Saddam, yellowcake in Nigeria), complete incompetence (rush to war, no plan beyond invasion, no securing of Iraqi arms/army, no plan beyond killing them until they're all dead, Walter Reed, the governing and administrative genius of Rumsfield, Wolfowitz, Bremmer, Gonzalez, Chertoff, and the slick handling of KATRINA!!), disregard for the US Constitution (wiretaps, torture, etc.)...it amazes me that you're still talking about Bill Clinton's BJ. OUr only hope is that Congress, or better still, the outcry from the people, can slow these very dangerous people down enough that they don't totally destroy this country, or any other country, before Jan 2009.
JB Carpenter at 11:49AM on May 22nd 2007
12. It just seems that when one of the Dem candidates start doing well in the polls the right wing starts dragging up junk. We know we have a winner when the right wing starts dissing them.
Lynne at 11:58AM on May 22nd 2007
13. 2 people remember the same incident differently. How surprising! Why do either of them have to be "lying?" Apparently this incident was not captured on You Tube. Just be aware that Bill Richarson must be sounding like a threat to the right wing or we wouldn't be posting about this yet again non-issue.
Lynne at 12:52PM on May 22nd 2007
14. There is only one reason I would vote for Richardson, a very liberal candidate and that is to
get him out of my home state, New Mexico.
He has set up special friends in big money positions
where they they are not needed.
Against the ruling of the attorney general he purchased an airplane with funds earmarked for
education.
dyhtzglaol.com at 5:16PM on May 22nd 2007
15. Richardson is mexican decent on his mothers side, I have taken a strong dislike of anything mexican no matter how remote. He would open up those borders for all, they always a millon miles of family trailing behind them. Just what this country doen't need.
jane at 11:46PM on May 22nd 2007