Most Underrated Democrat for '08

The most underrated candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination is New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Here's why:

1) He's a hell of a guy.
Richardson has been a congressman, UN ambassador (and not the evil kind), and energy secretary. All this while never pissing off his constituents.

Richardson has always been popular in New Mexico, a diverse and poor state that has always been tough to govern. These are the people who know him best.

2) He has extensive foreign policy experience.
Many presidential candidates have bet on their foreign policy appeal and lost; domestic policy seems to win elections much more handily. However, if there's ever an election where foreign policy is going to be an issue, this is it.

Richardson has been to Iraq. He's been to North Korea. He's been to the UN. And, unlike Bush, he did all this before he ran for the most important foreign policy position in America and arguably the world.

3) Governors win presidential elections.
Senators lose them. A governor is sort of a mini-president: he has to manage a legislative branch, an economy, a diverse constituency.

A senator is a national policy maker, but the politics of Washington are much different than the politics of the country - there's an inherent disconnect there.

Historically, governors have beaten senators in presidential races (total number of senators elected president: two.) Governors also tend to be presidents who are effective at accomplishing their goals.

4) Latinos are constantly gaining importance as a voting block.
The "day without an immigrant" was a turning point for Latinos as a unified and outspoken voting block. Latinos are the fastest-growing minority in the U.S., and they're swing voters in large states and important swing states like Florida. Latinos are going to get more and more important in presidential elections.

5) Nothing is decided.
So the only people you're hearing about are Clinton, Obama and Edwards. Who gives a shit? In 1991 all we were hearing about was Mario Cuomo (at least, that's what I saw in the Doonesbury archives. I was 10.)

We've got months before we can decide for sure who are the serious contenders.