New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson pulled up to The Common Man in Concord yesterday in a big, dark SUV, fresh from speaking to a roomful of primary-minded Democrats. Waiting on the restaurant's steps were a photographer, a sweater-clad Gov. John Lynch, and Raymond and Marion Bowen, an older couple from Hopkinton.

Richardson, who didn't wear a sweater despite his assistant's prodding, was there to meet privately with Lynch. The photographer was there to snap their picture. The Bowens, however, were there to grab some lunch before heading downtown to see The Nutcracker.

But the restaurant was full. Though the Bowens didn't get a table - everyone, it seemed, had the same pre-Nutcracker idea - they did get a handshake and a hello from Richardson, who may soon join the race to be the next president of the United States.

"Primary, primary," said Marion Bowen with a smile.

Richardson, 59, says he'll make a decision next month about whether to run in 2008. He said he's in New Hampshire this weekend to congratulate state Democrats on their Election Day victories.

As chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, Richardson will continue his trek across the state today, from an eatery in Nashua to a church in Manchester to a house party in Concord. His first stop yesterday was St. Anselm College, where he spoke to state Democrats about his plan for Iraq, the value of education and why America is approaching illegal immigration the wrong way.

Richardson said the administration should fix a date in 2007 to withdraw American troops from Iraq. He joined other possible presidential contenders in criticizing Arizona Sen. John McCain's plan to send more soldiers there, saying the solution to the problems in Iraq should be political.

"Get the three ethnic groups (in Iraq) and say, 'You know, there's got to be a reconciliation,' " Richardson said. "Divide up, not the country, but divide up the power."

The United States' focus on Iraq is distracting leaders from other major challenges, he said. Richardson, a former United Nations ambassador, named terrorism, nuclear threats and peace in the Middle East as the issues he'd like to get more attention. He also said the country should find ways to deal with Syria and Iran.

Richardson, who also previously served as the U.S. Energy Secretary, went on to stress the importance of renewable energy, such as solar power. All vehicles should be fuel-efficient enough to get 40 miles-per-gallon, he said.

Improving education, Richardson said, should also top the nation's agenda. He called for putting more money into the federal No Child Left Behind Act, revising the high school curriculum and making preschool widely available.

When asked about illegal immigration, Richardson said he believes building a fence along the border is the wrong approach, but he admitted that the border is "porous" and must be shored up. He also said the country should go after people who hire undocumented workers and give illegal immigrants a chance to earn legalization.

Richardson then congratulated Lynch, a Democrat, and newly elected Democratic representatives Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter for their wins last month. ("On that day, God was a Democrat," he said.) He lauded New Hampshire as a state full of activists, a state responsible for electing presidents.

"Many times, I've been reading, that you pick those that perhaps are not the established candidate," Richardson said. "For some of us, if we run, that's a good thing."

After his speech, Richardson called himself a "grassroots candidate" who wears cowboy boots to campaign events, prefers one-on-one chats and proudly holds the world handshaking record. (For the record, it's 13,392 handshakes in eight hours.) That why, Richardson said, he loves New Hampshire politics.

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