Nation-Building >> Veep watch: Bill Richardson | return to front page

remember: Gov. Richardson of New Mexico has flatly ruled out entering the veepstakes. Still, there was an inordinate amount of feeling the love in New Mexico yesterday - including a rather odd comment:

'Please don't frame it that he's endorsing Gov. Dean, because he's not,' a spokesperson for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday after the two governors held a joint press conference in Albuquerque.

As chair of the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Boston, Richardson, one of the nation's highest-ranking minority politicians, may not formally endorse any of the Democratic candidates competing to be their party's nominee for president.

But yesterday, appearing before reporters with Dean after a private meeting, Richardson paid the highest of compliments to the doctor turned politician.

'Gov. Dean has an impressive array of endorsements from New Mexico from Hispanic and Native American leaders,' Richardson said. 'Literally, my organization's endorsed him.'

His organization?

When Richardson's office was pressed for an explanation on just what the governor meant by his 'organization,' the response was simply 'his coalition of supporters.' Richardson's choice of words, however, seemed intentional.

(emphasis mine). Well, whatever - Bill would make a great VP but it's no use speculating. Still, it's clear that the Governors have a closer relationship than any of the Senators or Congresspeople (or Generals) running for the Democratic nod seem to have. And since Richardson is the chair of th enational convention in Boston, that could very well benefit Dean behind the scenes.