Richardson Campaign Press Release - Governor Bill Richardson Releases New Ad, Praises America's Heroes

"Heroes" Ad Details Richardson's Efforts to Get Decent Life Insurance for National Guard Soldiers, Proposes "Heroes Health Card" for Veterans

SANTA FE, NM -- Only a few hours before this evening's CNN-YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate, Governor Bill Richardson's campaign continued his focus on the health and welfare of American soldiers with the release of his latest TV ad "Heroes." The ad will run in Iowa and New Hampshire.

See the ad and background materials at: http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/heroes_ad

Following closely on the heels of his previous TV ad "Stand Up" that highlighted his call for the removal of all troops from Iraq by the end of the year, "Heroes" details how Governor Richardson led the national effort to raise death benefits for the families of fallen soldiers.

As told in the TV ad, after learning that families of soldiers killed in combat were only receiving $12,000, "Bill Richardson passed the first law in the nation giving National Guard soldiers $400,000 in life insurance. 18 states followed his lead." The ad also notes his call for a "Heroes Health Card" that would allow all veterans to "receive health care wherever they need it."

"This ad shows how the Governor has long supported our troops and has fought to honor their service with meaningful life insurance benefits and a health care proposal that would make health care much more accessible for veterans who live great distances from V.A. hospitals," said campaign manager Dave Contarino.

Governor Richardson's TV ads, produced by Mark Putnam and Steve Murphy of Murphy Putnam Media, have helped lead to a rising level of support and momentum in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, most recently lifting the Governor into a tie for third with John Edwards in a CNN poll of New Hampshire voters, and even leading Barack Obama among the most likely caucus attendees in Iowa.

With Congress again unable to pass legislation setting a strict timeline for the removal of troops from Iraq, Governor Richardson also continues to set himself apart from the other top four Democrats with the strongest message on Iraq.

"We need to remove all American troops from Iraq by the end of the year," Governor Richardson said today. "The American people want us out. The Iraqi people want us out. But some people in Washington have voted to leave troops in Iraq indefinitely. I think that's wrong."

The Richardson campaign also hinted that tonight's debate telecast would feature a preview of another Richardson TV ad that is slated to run in the near future.

"The Governor is running an aggressive campaign built on substance, passion and humor," said Contarino. "We think tonight's debate performance and accompanying video will continue to show the breadth of the Governor's message and appeal. It's time for the rest of the country to see what many Iowa and New Hampshire voters already know - that Governor Richardson is the most substantive and qualified candidate in the race, but that he also doesn't take himself too seriously. Stay tuned and watch the debate this evening to see the story."