Governor Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) suggested to the newly awarded Nobel Peace Prize winner President Barack Obama to pay more attention to Latin America. Richardson says he wants to see the current administration establish better ties with Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. (0:29)
Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Governor Bill Richardson (D-N.M.), today said that he was, “utterly and positively surprised that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace prize.” Richardson’s remarks came during an event hosted by the New Democrat Network.
Richardson, who spent a week in Cuba talking to leaders from various Latin speaking nations, said that he would like to see “our new Nobel Peace Prize winning president…pay more attention to Latin America.”
Richardson, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination against Obama before dropping out in early 2008, called for a new alliance of progress with Latin American countries to focus on micro-lending, education, health care, new aid efforts and capitalization.
The Governor of New Mexico also commented on the recent selection of Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.
“This is our hemisphere, where we have shared generations of culture, and brotherhood…somehow, we’re ignoring the fact that one of the most dynamic countries in the world, Brazil, just overwhelmed us with the Olympic site,” he said.
Richardson closed by asking to see more U.S. free trade agreements with Cuba. “We need to get rid of the travel ban… the embargo has not worked.”
President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”, making him the third U.S. sitting president to win the Prize. Click the audo link below to listen to the President’s full remarks regarding the award. (5:53)
By Talk Radio News Service White House Staff
President Obama says he was “surprised and deeply humbled” to be awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Obama, who learned the news in a 6:00 a.m. phone call from White House Secretary Robert Gibbs, will travel to Oslo, Norway for the Dec. 10 award ceremony, which comes with a $1.4 million prize.
Standing in a sunny Rose Garden Friday morning, Obama said he doesn’t feel like he deserves “to be in the company” of prior winners,” adding “I do not view it as a recognition of my accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership.”
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which made the stunning announcement around 5:00 a.m. Eastern time, said it selected Mr. Obama for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”
Asked by Talk Radio News about First Lady Michelle Obama’s reaction, the President declined to comment. He appeared to downplay the event, saying daughter Malia came into the their bedroom to say “You won the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Just 8 1/2 months into the job, Mr. Obama is now the third sitting American President to win the coveted award. Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 for brokering an end to a war betwen Russia and Japan, and Woodrow Wilson was selected for the honor in 1919 for helping to establish the League of Nations after World War I.
