Richardson Watch -- Tuesday, February 27, 2007

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | February 27, 2007 | Leslie Linthicum

[CedarDave]

Keeping tabs on New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as he seeks the Democratic nomination for president ...

ATTACK DOG? Political consultant Dick Morris (whose big-time credentials include helping Bill Clinton get re-elected in 1996) blogs on The Hill that Richardson's backing of Hillary Clinton in the Clinton/Barack Obama/David Geffen war of words last week was no accident: " ... Richardson is not really running for president. He's running for vice president, so it makes sense to attack Obama. Not only is Barack his chief rival for vice president, but he can audition in front of Hillary for the role of attack dog, which Hillary badly needs in her vice presidential candidate."

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UP EARLY: Good thing he's an early riser. He was on C-SPAN live at 7 a.m. Monday— Eastern time. Sounding a little raspy, Richardson fielded questions for 30 minutes and most callers wanted to talk about foreign affairs.

ONE DOWN:One handicapping of the effects of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack getting out of the race puts Richardson in the winner's column. The Washington Post says: "Richardson is the only candidate left on the Democratic side with executive experience. There's a reason no senator has been directly elected to the White House since 1960."

PEACEMAKER: Speaking of the Post, Richardson's essay on diplomacy and Iran ran in Saturday's edition. He repeated his mantra: Talk now to avoid fighting later.

HE'S IN: Addressing the executive committee of the National Congress of American Indians in D.C. on Monday, Richardson said he's the first candidate to RSVP for the Prez on the Rez forum on a reservation in California in August.

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