Kerry Veep Contender Drops Out

Democrat John Kerry has one less person to consider while deliberating his choice of a presidential running mate: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has said thanks, but no thanks.

Richardson said he wants to keep a promise to the people of his state to serve a full term and noted that Kerry has "numerous experienced and talented leaders" from which to choose a vice presidential candidate.

"As I told you, I believe any of these would make a superb vice president," Richardson said in a letter sent Thursday to Kerry's campaign. "It is with that knowledge and comfort that I must tell you that I respectfully remove myself from the selection process and withdraw my name from consideration for the vice presidential nomination."

Kerry campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter declined to comment on the governor's decision.

"Senator Kerry has the utmost respect for Governor Richardson's abilities and leadership both as a leader in New Mexico and across the nation," she said, adding that Kerry looks forward to working with Richardson in the future.

Richardson was one of several politicians mentioned as possible running mates for Kerry, who is expected to announce his selection this month, likely ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Boston, which starts July 26.

North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, Florida Sen. Bob Graham and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack also have been mentioned, among others.

The Boston Globe reported Thursday that Kerry's announcement could come as early as next Tuesday in Pittsburgh. But the Kerry campaign has told CBS News that the report is wrong – at least the part about Tuesday in Pittsburgh – since Kerry will be speaking to African Methodist Episcopal leaders in Indianapolis and to the NEA in Washington that day.

A decision is expected soon, however. A source has told CBS News that staffs for the leading vice-presidential contenders have been asked to be ready to clear their schedules for next week, in case the decision is made then.

In the letter, Richardson spoke of the commitment he made to the people of New Mexico after taking office in January 2003, issues his administration has dealt with and the work that he says remains to be done.

"I need to honor that pledge," he wrote.

Richardson previously had said he was very happy learning the ropes as governor. He apparently reached his decision to withdraw after a two-hour meeting with Kerry on Tuesday in Phoenix, a person familiar with the process said. Kerry was in Arizona to address a meeting of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights group.

Richardson, 56, was a New Mexico congressman from 1982 to 1997. President Clinton appointed him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 1997, and a year later put him in charge of the Energy Department.

Although his name was often mentioned, due largely to Hispanic heritage, Richardson was not considered a leading candidate for the No. 2 slot. And adding him to the ticket would not have been risk-free for Kerry.

Soaring oil prices, security problems at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the government's flawed investigation of former nuclear weapons scientist Wen Ho Lee marked Richardson's two years as energy secretary during the Clinton administration. Lee pleaded guilty to a felony count of mishandling classified information and spent nine months in prison. He is suing Richardson for defamation of character for allegedly leaking Lee's name to the media.

Richardson later said both problems likely diminished his chances to be Democrat Al Gore's running mate in 2000.

But his background — his mother was Mexican — would have appealed to Hispanics, the nation's largest minority group, and voters in the Southwest. Both Kerry and President Bush are eagerly courting Hispanic voters, two-thirds of whom voted for Gore over Mr. Bush in 2000.

Richardson also could claim foreign policy experience in two key areas — counterterrorism and the North Korean nuclear standoff.

In 1998, he met with Taliban leaders in Kabul, Afghanistan to demand that they hand over Osama bin Laden. The Taliban refused.

North Korean officials who were frustrated with the White House hard-line approach to negotiations took the unusual step of contacting Richardson last year for informal talks.