Richardson hits Strip

Questions about foreign policy dominated Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Bill… Questions about foreign policy dominated Democratic presidential candidate Gov. Bill Richardson’s local press conference yesterday in the Strip District.

Richardson’s experience as the Governor of New Mexico and as the former ambassador to the United Nations stirred ample discussion on the second floor of Wholey’s Fish Market.

Richardson, Congressman Mike Doyle and State Representative hopeful Dan Wholey spoke to local news representatives as well as members of the Pitt Democrats.

“I didn’t expect him to spend so much time with us. Both he and Congressman Doyle talked to us and answered our questions and took pictures with us. He’s a really friendly and amicable kind of person,” vice president of the Pitt Democrats, Lissa Geiger, said.

Richardson made an effort to appeal to the younger voters.

He proposed a plan to pay off student loans.

“In exchange for two years of college loans I would ask you to give one year of yourselves to national service. Where you could in that year, in exchange for paying off your loans, the government is a guarantor, you work in a hospital, you go in the military, you clean up a forest, you work in the inner city,” Richardson said.

His educational plan also calls for a “minimum wage” for teachers.

Richardson is confident that he can balance the budget and make this plan work.

“This would be part of the federal budget. It’d be through a shift of priorities. I’d like a Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget,” Richardson said.

He also focused on the “four terrible legacies”- the national debt, greenhouse gas emissions, social security and health care – that he fears that the current administration will pass on to future generations.

As the self-proclaimed “candidate for change,” Richardson is working to set himself apart from the frontrunners.

“I am the candidate with the most experience with foreign policy,” Richardson said. “I am ready to bring the troops back, unlike Obama and Clinton. The time has come to get the troops out.”

However, Richardson was firm on the point of maintaining a 5,000 strong contingent of troops stationed in Kuwait.

On the issue of abortion, Richardson is pro-choice.

However, he said he would like more emphasis on family planning and adoption.

After the conference, Richardson took time to answer individual questions, take pictures and enjoy a famous Wholey’s fish sandwich.