$100,000 Rhetoric Question

Gov. Richardson, who's really getting the crowd going, just asked the conventioners: "Is anybody here gonna miss Dick Cheney?"

Bill Richardson Update

Richardson is trying to back his way out of that remark about God and Iowa. I don't think it's going to be successful, though.

"That was an off-the-cuff comment about the importance of Iowa. This was an Iowa crowd — I'm trying to score points, I'm moving up in the polls. So I don't consider that a mistake — that was an off-the-cuff comment, and I stand very strongly behind the fact that Iowa and New Hampshire should be first."

  TPM Election Central

I usually find it's easier to get your foot in your mouth if you take the other one out first.

"Well it was actually meant, if you'd been at the event, it was meant as a joke, and that's all it was," Richardson deputy communications director Katie Roberts told Election Central.

Whoa. Talking about God's blessing isn't likely to be considered a joke in Iowa, and I doubt if any points will be scored with that explanation.

I suspect the Richardson campaign is pretty much toast even in Iowa now.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

2008

Oh well, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson didn't stand any chance to take office before, so I guess this boner won't do any real harm.

"Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons related to the Lord, should be the first caucus and primary," Richardson, New Mexico's governor, said at the Northwest Iowa Labor Council Picnic. "And I want you to know who was the first candidate to sign a pledge not to campaign anywhere if they got ahead of Iowa. It was Bill Richardson."

Several people in the crowd snickered after Richardson made the comment.

"That was a little weird," said Sioux City resident Joe Shufro.

  De Moines Register

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's. --Mark Twain

And Richardson took on both topics at once.

Update