Obama charms crowd at Albuquerque town hall meeting

Senator mum on VP pick, focuses on economy during Duke City visit

Kate Nash | The New Mexican

8/18/2008 - 8/19/08

ALBUQUERQUE — If Gov. Bill Richardson had any behind-the-scenes conversations with Sen. Barack Obama about a possible spot in a Democratic administration during his trip here, Richardson didn't let on when he took the stage at Rio Grande High School.

A smiling and sometimes squinting Richardson introduced Obama as the "next president of the United States" in a stifling hot and jam-packed gymnasium in the South Valley.

In turn, Obama praised Richardson, calling him "one of the best governors in this country" before starting the town hall meeting, but made no mention of Richardson as a potential member of his Cabinet.

Onstage, Richardson and Obama briefly stood on either side of a single mom who spoke about her difficulty paying the bills — a common theme at both the high school and Albuquerque's Main Library earlier Monday morning.

Richardson didn't stay on stage with Obama after the introduction, but instead sat in the front row during the candidate's hourlong appearance.

Obama in the coming days is expected to announce his vice-presidential pick ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, which starts Monday.

A spokesman for Richardson confirmed the two met backstage before the event but gave no clue as to the topic. Obama was about 45 minutes late in addressing the impatient and sometimes chanting crowd.

"Governor Richardson and Senator Obama spoke backstage before today's event. It was a personal conversation, and I can't comment on what they discussed," said spokesman Pahl Shipley.

But Obama had plenty to talk about during two town hall meetings here, including one with just 40 women at the library and the other with about 2,000 at the high school.

In both places, Obama agreed with the handful of audience members who spoke about the rough state of the economy and added his own comments about how struggling Americans are trying to stay in the black.

"John McCain's advisers must not have met the single mom who is working two jobs and still doesn't have health care," he said. "I meet them everywhere I go."

The Illinois senator worked to contrast his health care plan from McCain's during both of the events.

"I believe we have to start with the basic premise that every family in America should be able to get health insurance," he said.

Audience members at the events spoke of steep insurance-premium increases and being worried about having enough Social Security to live on, both situations Obama pledged to fix.

"Here's the bottom line: If you think that this economy is working well, if you think George Bush has been a good steward of the economy, then you should vote for John McCain. If, on the other hand, you think we've got some fundamental decisions to make to rebound America ... so they can live out their version of the American dream, then you need to vote for Barack Obama for president of the United States," he said, the middle of his sentence inaudible because of the thunderous applause from the audience at the gym — many of whom used whatever they could to fan themselves.

Obama did throw some kudos Richardson's way when an audience member asked about immigration policies.

"Bill Richardson, I think, has it right, which is that we've got to have better border security. That means more effective surveillance, that means more effective patrols. We've got to crack down on employers who are hiring undocumented workers and exploiting them," he said.

Obama also said immigration often has a "Latino face" but includes people from a myriad of countries, including Polish and Lithuanian immigrants in his home state.

"Having said that, what is true is that we do have a general immigration problem with folks coming mostly from the south of the border, but not exclusively," he said.

Obama also outlined his immigration-reform plan, which sounded largely like the one Richardson pushed when he was running for president and includes paying a fine for breaking the law, paying taxes and going "to the back of the line" when applying to be a U.S. citizen.

While Obama seemed to wow the crowds during the events, some of whom wore shirts that said "Barack my world" and "I'm fired up," the state Republican Party issued a statement denouncing his visit.

"Barack Obama is out of touch with New Mexico's working families and he is out of touch with issues important to Hispanics. But don't take my word for it. Many Hispanic Democrats feel the same way," Marco Gonzales, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the 3rd Congressional District this June, said in the statement.

Contact Kate Nash at 986-3036 or knash@sfnewmexican.com. Read her blog, Green Chile Chatter, at www.santafenewmexican.com.