Bill Richardson, Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Passes Away

Bill Richardson, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and two-term Governor of New Mexico, passed away on Saturday, September 2, at the age of 75. Before being elected Governor of New Mexico in 2002, Richardson served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and as Secretary of Energy during Bill Clinton's presidency. He also served for 14 years as a representative for New Mexico in the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed condolences upon the news of Richardson's passing, stating that he 'devoted his life to public service.' With a rich resume and a wealth of experience in foreign and domestic affairs, Richardson competed for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential election, aiming to become the first Hispanic president of the United States. However, he withdrew after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. During his two terms as Governor of New Mexico, he was the only Hispanic governor in the United States. In 2008, he signed a law abolishing the death penalty in the state. After his political career, he dedicated his life and time to efforts to free detained Americans abroad. This seasoned politician traveled to North Korea in 2007 to recover the remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War. He also managed to convince then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to release Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek in 2006. Richardson also holds a Guinness World Record; during the 2002 gubernatorial campaign, he shook hands with 13,392 people in 8 hours, a record that still stands. Sources: Associated Press and National Public Radio (NPR).