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Audacity of Truth
Bill Richardson vs. mother of fallen Marine
Via AP:
CONCORD, N.H. – On the campaign trail, presidential hopeful Bill Richardson tells a moving story about a New Mexico Marine killed in Iraq and his mom. But is it true?
Three years ago, Richardson attended a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin, 21, who died in April 2004. As he campaigns for the Democratic nomination, the New Mexico governor often recounts an emotional conversation with Austin’s mother, saying she thanked him for the federal death benefits she had received and even showed him the government check.
In speeches in New Hampshire, Richardson has gotten Austin’s name wrong at least once and age wrong at least twice. He also has called Austin the first New Mexico soldier killed in Iraq — instead of the third.
But that’s not what bothers the Marine’s mother, De’on Miller, of Lovington, N.M., who says the conversation about money never took place.
“I didn’t exchange words at all with the governor there except when he gave me the flag. And those few words — whatever was exchanged when he handed me the flag and the Spirit of New Mexico award — certainly had nothing to do with money,” she said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
Richardson acknowledges getting the soldier’s name and age wrong, but insists the conversation about money occurred. He says the encounter inspired him to push for legislation that made New Mexico the first state to underwrite $250,000 in life insurance for National Guard members.
“Governor Richardson learned of the low federal death benefit from Corporal Austin’s mother at the funeral,” Richardson spokesman Pahl Shipley said Sunday. “That inspired the governor to fight for a higher death benefit for New Mexico National Guard soldiers. He was proud to propose, support, and sign legislation raising that benefit, which is now $400,000.”
[...]
Shipley said Richardson was trying to convey that Miller was proud of her son and grateful for the check, not that she was complaining about it.
“The governor has never had anything but praise and admiration for Corporal Austin’s family, who showed great strength and pride through their grief,” Shipley said. “He does not want anything to take away from the sacrifice Corporal Austin and his family have made on behalf of this country.”
But Miller said telling people that she even mentioned money puts her in a bad light.
“I don’t know a person rich or poor that would be told that their only living child has been killed, and you’re going strike up a money conversation?” she said.
“I didn’t discuss money with my mom or anyone like that. Why would I discuss it with him at a memorial son for my son?” she said. “I’m still in shock, I’m not busy thanking him. At that moment, if I had every bill in the world due and no money, I’m not caring about that right now. … He just makes us sound stupid.”
Miller said her son’s death benefits totaled about $80,000 — including an initial check for about $12,000 — and that she divided it equally among herself, Austin’s father and her son’s best friend. Austin joined the Marines straight of high school and was by no means the family breadwinner, she said.
“Our family does come from what a lot of people would consider to be humble means, but we have never depended on my son’s paycheck,” she said. “I got the feeling he’s trying to use us to make us sound like little podunks or something. My husband makes $60,000 a year. I’m a college graduate. You know, I find it all very insulting.”
[...]
Miller, a staunch Republican, said she nevertheless held Richardson in high regard because of his respectful, low-key appearance at the memorial service.
Not a good way to kick off the day you make your presidential intentions official, Governor …
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9 Responses to “Bill Richardson vs. mother of fallen Marine”
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It is sadly obvious that this matter about the Marine’s mother has been almost entirely misconstrued. Gov. Richardson clearly must have talked in more detail with this lady than she recalls; how else would he have known that she had received only $11,000? The real point is that he upped the ante to $400,000 in the NM Legislature through his own Governor’s bill; it passed, and he signed it. That is what I deem responsive government, a point that seems to have been missed by many. I recall how the media and pundits jumped all over Howard Dean’s exuberant yell, and used it to pull the plug on his credibility. After the Bush debacles in the past six years, shouting in enthusiasm in Iowa seems hardly to very much matter, eh? Or can Americans remember that far back?
The real on-going issue is that through diplomacy, not more mindless military bludgeoning in Iraq, could we achieve a lasting peace there. Richardson has formidable skills and experience in diplomacy, all of which are direly needed after 6 years of Halliburton corporate-driven plutocracy! Richardson was re-elected by a record 69% in NM. I believe his intentions with this fallen soldier were sincere; if he made a mistake in recollection, I would like to posit here the strong likelihood that there was nothing malevolent about it, certainly not to be a continuing story spliced into the context of his announcement of candidacy. I am a fan of his, having known the guy personally and well for 30 years, but not in any way connected to the Richardson campaign.
These are my own views.
Stephen Fox
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Mr. Fox,
I don’t know the man or NM politics. I do note that you think more of the governor than the mother of the fallen Marine. It does not matter if you say that the mother was lying or that she can’t remember a conversation, you quickly take the governor’s word about a conversation over the mother’s. What does the mother have to gain, what does the governor? The governor may be sincere, and upgrading the death benefit for those that fall in combat is laudable, but he still is using this for political purposes while the mother is not. And the mother did not forget the name of her son so I think she probably best recollects the moment she met the governor.
Then you turn your comments immediately to a political diatribe. Complaining about how the media attacked Dean over his scream is simply silly. Then you claim the President has done nothing but failed while asking why Americans weren’t smart enough to pick the screamer. Then you state that the American people are too stupid to remember back six years. You really don’t like the average American do you?
Finally you call for diplomacy instead of war while claming that the current administration is illegitimate and controlled by business. I am all for diplomacy when there is room for negotiation. I am also for using force when the room for negotiation no longer exists. It is you Mr. Fox that is forgetting or ignoring the past. We had a war with Iraq and were in a state of armistice agreement with Iraq. Iraq violated the rules of the armistice several times and in multiple ways. The UN stated this, not simply the US. The war in Iraq is just. The war in Iraq is also focusing the attention of those who would harm the US in a battle against those that are trained to battle them.
But the point of the post was the governor’s attempt to use the death of a Marine and a disputed conversation with his mother. It is a simple politicking as usual. Don’t worry, Republicans and Democrats both do this. Does this make Governor Richardson a bad guy? No. Does it give credibility to your comment? Again, no.
Gov. Richardson’s credibility has been in question long before this episode with the Marine’s mother. The most recent one I recall was his claiming on his bio to have been drafted by the Kansas City Athletics baseball team. It was proven to be a lie, and he ungracefully slithered out of it when confronted.
Richardson was also U.N. Ambassador when Bill Clinton sent Monica Lewinsky to him, trying to get her a cushy job out of Washington, D.C. and keep her quiet, for a job in Richardson’s office. Richardson claimed she was to fill an existing vacancy, but the alleged vacancy was not filled until three months later, and then a man with experience in nuclear disarmament, something Lewinsky was definitely not qualified for, and paid twice what Lewinsky was offered.
Given Richardson’s previous difficulties with telling the truth and/or embellishing it, his recollection of what was said with the Marine’s mother is at least suspect.
Nice try Mr. Fox, you sound like a staffer for the gov.
This Mother is more credible than a candidate for Presidnet with an agenda to push and we believe her, not the govenor but NO THANKS for trying to defend the indefensible.
God bless this Mom and her son.
I am not a “staffer” for Bill Richardson. I have, however, known the guy for just under 30 years; his entire speech from L.A. is posted in full at Irregular Times.Com, and maybe y’all could take five minutes and read it.
I know for a fact that the baseball matter was resolved when the ABQ Journal or Tribune contacted a former major league scout who recollected that he had offer a draft position to Richardson verbally (albeit not with the high powered contracts in the drafts baseball teams use today), thyus confirming the Governor’s recollection. How many people remember precisely what happened in 1968?
.
Maybe Richardson would make a great VP or Secretary of State? Maybe John Edwards would make a fine Attorney General? Maybe Howard Dean III, M.D., would make a great Secretary of Health?
Any reply?
Stephen Fox
Howard Dean?
REEEOOOWWRRR
The “unofficial” Richardson campaign tries to parse words:
Getting drafted by a major league baseball team is a rather significant and noteworthy event. It doesn’t happen to everyone. If it happens, you remember it. It’s not like someone challenged him on what he had for dinner on August 19, 1977.
By the way, in 1968 the A’s were already in Oakland. If you’re going to make excuses, you and Richardson ought to at least get your timelines consistent. If you keep this up, soon Richardson will be quibbling over what “is” is.
I know for a fact that the baseball matter was resolved when the ABQ Journal or Tribune contacted a former major league scout who recollected that he had offer a draft position to Richardson verbally (albeit not with the high powered contracts in the drafts baseball teams use today),…
Ummmm…
Hearsay is not evidence of fact. Does this scout have a name, or is he as fictional as Richardson’s claim? And Richardson didn’t say he was offered a draft position, he claimed to have been drafted.
Mr. Fox, if you are what Richardson considers an asset, he’s doomed.
I know for a fact that Deon Miller,her x- husband and Aaron Miller’s friend all recieved $80.000.00 each not 11000.00 each