WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Speculation mounted Friday over whether New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson would announce a presidential exploratory committee next week.
A source close to Richardson, a Democrat, told United Press International Friday, "Richardson will announce his exploratory committee on Monday."
But Pahl Shippley, a spokeman for Richardson later told UPI, "The governor is not going to announce the exploratory committee on Monday." When asked when the announcemnet would be made, Shipley replied, "I cannot comment on this now."
Richardson, 59, served in Congress, as ambassador to the United Nations and as energy secretary in Bill Clinton's Cabient. He was also chairman of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, which nominated John Kerry for the presidency.
Richardson spent nearly 15 years in Congress, where his interests were mostly in foreign relations. In 1995 he traveled to Baghdad and engaged in lengthy one-on-one negotiations with Saddam Hussein to secure the release of two U.S. aerospace workers who had been captured by the Iraqis after wandering over the Kuwaiti border.
Earlier in the week Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., announced on his Web site he was forming a presidential exploratory committee.
