'We have lot in common,' Richardson tells Utahns

As governor of a neighboring state, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told hundreds of Utahns Friday night that he is in a unique position to understand and bring their concerns to the White House.

"Utah, New Mexico, we have a lot in common," the presidential candidate said at the Utah Democratic Party's annual Jefferson/Jackson Day dinner. "We care about preserving the environment ... open spaces ... agriculture ... immigration."

Richardson was in Utah for only about three hours, appearing first at two private fund-raisers, one for himself and another for the state Democrats, and then delivering the night's keynote address.

Some 700 Utahns paid $65 apiece to attend the buffet dinner at This Is the Place Heritage Park. Others paid either $500 or $2,300 each to attend the private receptions.

Richardson touched on all the major issues expected to be discussed by a presidential candidate, outlining his first five days in office. First on his agenda, he said, would be "ending the war in an honorable way."

Outlined on his campaign Web site, Richardson's "7-point plan for Iraq" calls for immediate deauthorization of the war, followed by a complete troop withdrawal within six months.

"We elected this Congress to end the war and they're not. And I'm not happy, and you shouldn't be either," he said. "The whole soul of this country is wrapped up in this war that is totally divided."

Second on his list is "an energy revolution," which would require significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil. Third is revitalizing education through an increased focus on math and science in the classroom, a $40,000 a year "minimum wage" for teachers and the elimination of President Bush's No Child Left Behind effort.

On his fourth day, Richardson said, he would work to fix a national economy that has "left the middle class behind." The governor earned a standing ovation and enthusiastic cheers when discussing his support of unions and promising that "a union member will be my Secretary of Labor."

Finally, Richardson said, he would turn his focus to establishing universal health care in the United States. The plan, according to Richardson's Web site, calls for increasing access to affordable health care by allowing working families and small businesses to purchase coverage through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, allowing Americans over the age of 55 to purchase coverage through Medicare and low-income Americans to obtain coverage through expanded Medicaid and state child health insurance programs.