The Continuing Back And Forth Saga of Bill Richardson

He still adopts right-wing tax frames, he's still an erratic campaigner, but he managed to get off this funny line...

"The President has been allowed to spy on Americans without a warrant, and our U.S. Senate is letting it continue," Richardson said. "You know something is wrong when the New England Patriots face stiffer penalties for spying on innocent Americans than Dick Cheney and George Bush."

... and he did show up at our Drinking Liberaly National Conference event last night in Des Moines. The DL chapter here is really remarkable, and because it's Des Moines, where big offices are already up and running, staffers for all the campaigns routinely show up (except for, I guess, Hillary Clinton). And one of them came through and got Richardson to make it last night. "I'm proud to be a progressive, and I'm proud to wear this (Drinking Liberally) button. And now, I have to leave," he said in brief remarks.

Headed to the Harkin Steak Fry today, which should be interesting. Harkin has promised to remain neutral in the Presidential race, unlike Wes Clark, who endorsed Hillary Clinton yesterday. I remember the rumor that Clark only got in the race in 2004 to split the antiwar vote and stop Howard Dean at the behest of the Clintons. So I'm not too surprised. Hardcore Clarkies, apparently, are crestfallen, though.