Democracy for New Mexico

Media/Online Coverage of Tonight's Iowa Caucuses

Results: Democratic Caucuses or Republican Caucuses

Coverage/Info:

• Air America: Team coverage of the Iowa Democratic and Republican presidential caucus results from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM Mountain. AAR Senior Political Correspondent David Bender will anchor the coverage with Air America President Mark Green, along with live updates and analysis from Rachel Maddow, Thom Hartmann, Lionel, Arianna Huffington, Sam Seder, Ron Reagan, Richard Greene, Jon Elliott, as well as special guests ranging from DNC Chairman Howard Dean to ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
• C-SPAN1: Live coverage starting at 5:00 PM Mountain, online live stream and cable TV
• C-SPAN2: Live coverage starting at 5:00 PM Mountain, online live stream and cable TV
• C-SPAN Radio: Live coverage of results from 8 to 10 PM Mountain, online live stream and XM Radio
• CSPAN's Campaign Network website
• CNN Election Center 2008
• MSNBC Decision '08
• DesMoinesRegister.com
• IowaCaucus.com
• Democratic Caucus Info
• Republican Caucus Info

DFA-DFNM Meetup Tonight: Ben Ray Lujan and More

This month's Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup is set for tonight at 7:00 PM at the Social Hall at the First Unitarian Church on the SW corner of Carlisle and Comanche. We're pleased to have as our special guest PRC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat who's running for Congress in NM-03. We'll also hear from Irene Parra of Big Brothers, Big Sisters and discuss the upcoming New Mexico Legislative Session that begins at Noon on January 15th. To sign up for the group and/or RSVP for tonight's Meetup click here. Should be another lively get together of Albuquerque's progressive grassroots.

Richardson Looking to Knock Out Edwards in Iowa Caucuses?

Two sources are now reporting that Gov. Bill Richardson's campaign plans to direct supporters in Iowa caucus precincts where he gets less than the 15% "viability" threshold to switch their votes to Obama in the second round. Both the Idaho Independent and the New York Times political blog, The Caucus are essentially sticking with their stories, despite a denial from Richardson campaign officials and "clarifications" from the Obama campaign.

In a previous post I had speculated on the possibility of Richardson urging his supporters to switch to Hillary in Iowa precincts where he didn't gain viability on the first round. After all, the Clintons and Richardson go way back. Now it looks like Richardson may be pursuing a more indirect way of supporting Clinton (and himself) by first trying to help push Edwards out of the race.

According to The Caucus:

Obama’s campaign has reached an agreement with Bill Richardson for the second-choice votes of Richardson supporters in caucuses where the New Mexico governor can’t clear the threshold for competition, according to a senior Obama campaign adviser. The adviser estimated that the deal puts Mr. Obama in position to claim support from roughly half of the 15 percent of Democratic caucus-goers expected to support second-tier candidates.

In return, the Obama adviser said, Obama forces will lend support to Mr. Richardson at caucuses where Mr. Obama turns out more backers than he needs to win any additional delegates. Mr. Richardson drew 6 percent of the vote in the most recent Des Moines Register Poll, trailing Mr. Obama’s 32 percent, Hillary Clinton’s 25 percent and John Edwards’ 24 percent.

However, in a later update, they reported on a clarification from the Obama campaign:

David Plouffe, Obama campaign manager, responding to the report that Mr. Obama had reached an agreement for reciprocal support with Bill Richardson’s campaign, insisted the campaign had reached “no formal arrangements” with any of his rivals. But he said that “there are certainly places where our precinct captains want to work with Richardson” supporters — to gain second-choice support in cases where Mr. Richardson doesn’t reach the threshold to compete, or to lend Mr. Richardson surplus backers in instances where they can’t yield any additional Obama delegates.

The Iowa Independent had this to say:

Gov. Bill Richardson's campaign is expected to direct its supporters to caucus for Sen. Barack Obama in the second round of voting at Thursday's caucuses in precincts where he is not viable.  Two sources familiar with the plan told Iowa Independent that the New Mexico governor's organizers have been instructed to direct supporters to Obama in the places where they have not reached the 15 percent threshold for viability.

Richardson, whose poll numbers in Iowa have hovered near 10 percent since June, may need a solid fourth-place finish in the caucuses to continue his campaign.  And he is best served by directing support away from former Sen. John Edwards, who consistently polls between him and the two national front-runners, Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, in national and early state polls.

The Independent later added this update:

Joaquin Guerra, Richardson's national Online Director, denies that any plans are in place to direct supporters to Obama on the second round of voting.  Still, our sources remain sure of what they told us, and we are confident that they do not carry ulterior motives that would cause them to lie.

Edwards has bet the farm on a win in Iowa and, if he doesn't win there, he'll face an uphill battle for New Hampshire votes, as well as more campaign cash. Even if Clinton finishes second to Obama, she has the clout and funds to carry on strongly in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, if Edwards falters badly or withdraws, Richardson may have a chance to move up into the top three heading into the New Hampshire primary on January 8th.

If the reports are true, it's ironic, isn't it, that both ultra-progressive Dennis Kucinich and moderate Bill Richardson will be trying to help Obama in their nonviable precincts? Strategy trumps ideology.

Meanwhile, several leaders on the left are lining up behind Edwards. First came Ralph Nader, then Michael Moore, then Norman Solomon, a longtime writer, media critic, and antiwar activist. Rather late in the process though, in this election cycle anyway. Round and round we go. Anything can happen in the caucus rooms tonight, but the Richardson strategy that's being leaked makes a lot of sense to me. Tonight, we should know for sure.

Also see Heath Haussamen's take on the rumored horse trading for votes at tonight's Iowa caucuses, as well as analysis at .

(Updated) 1/7/08: Public Hearing on Santa Fe County Oil & Gas Drilling Ordinance

UPDATE Noon, 1/7/08: The meeting has been cancelled due to an approaching winter storm.
***********
From Santa Fe NOT Oil: 1st PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED OIL & GAS DRILLING ORDINANCE ON JAN. 7TH: Santa Fe – January 2, 2008 – The Santa Fe Board of County Commissioners will be holding the first of two public hearings on the proposed new oil and gas drilling ordinance on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 3:00 PM at the Santa Fe Community College Gymnasium, 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87508-4887. For more information contact: Stephen Ulibarri, Santa Fe County Public Information Officer (505) 986-6353/795-0828.

See our other recent posts on this issue:

• Tecton Says 'Frack You': Denies Request to Withdraw Drilling Applications in Santa Fe County
• Latest on Galisteo Basin Oil & Gas Drilling
• Next Santa Fe County Public Meeting on Oil & Gas Drilling Set for 12.6.07
• NM State Rep. Wirth Requests Galisteo Basin Drilling Moratorium (contains links to previous posts)

Another excellent source of info about proposed drilling in the Galisteo Basin can be found at the DrillingSantaFe.com. A coalition has formed to protect the resources of Santa Fe County from the possibility of oil and gas extraction and will offer positive alternative solutions:

• Commonweal Conservancy
• Drilling Santa Fe
• Earthworks Institute
• IATSE Local 480
• New Mexico Environmental Law Center
• Oil & Gas Accountability Project (OGAP)
• Santa Fe Conservation Trust
• Wildlife Federation

NM-03: Wiviott Files Suit Challenging Ballot Access Law; Asks Dem Field to Join Him

The Don Wiviott for Congress campaign issued the following statement today:

Santa Fe, NM – With speculation mounting that a new ballot access law will prevent New Mexico from having full and fair elections this November, Don Wiviott Thursday called on the entire field of Democratic candidates to join him in fighting for a more open political process this primary season.  Home builder Wiviott is a Democratic candidate for CD-03, the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Udall.

Wiviott specifically took aim at House Bill 1156, which was signed into law last year. The bill severely limits the number of candidates that political parties can place on their primary ballots. Under the new law, parties can only place on their ballots those candidates that receive at least 20 percent of delegates at a pre-primary convention.  Under prior law, candidates were able to obtain access to the ballot by submitting additional nominating petitions from registered voters.

“This law runs contrary to the values of New Mexico and the Democratic party,” said Wiviott.  “Instead of giving primary voters the opportunity to hear and select from the full chorus of voices in the Democratic party, it seeks to limit access to the ballot to a well-connected few. There is no reason for such severe limits. Elections ought to be a contest of ideas, and open and fair to everyone.  We shouldn’t seek to restrict debate or cut some out of the process.”

As Wiviott noted, the new 20 percent threshold may have unintended consequences for the Democratic Party this Fall.  In races like the 3rd Congressional district where multiple candidates have announced their intention to run, a 20 percent threshold may be impossible for anyone to meet.  With so many candidates in the race, Democrats face the very real possibility that the delegate vote will be split so many ways that no candidate receives 20 percent.  Should that happen, the law has no provisions for review or appeal. Democrats would simply be left without a candidate on the primary and general election ballots in November.

“Without serious revisions in the law, we might see a scenario where Congressman Udall’s seat is simply handed to Republicans in November,” said Wiviott.  “We need a member of Congress who will fight for affordable health care and to end the War in Iraq , but under that scenario, New Mexico would lose its progressive voice in Washington.”

Wiviott continued, “This is really a civil rights issue.  Minorities -- especially Native Americans -- will find it tougher to get on the ballot throughout New Mexico under this new system.  That’s unacceptable.  New Mexico is about fostering diversity and this new ballot system will limit diversity and make it harder for some minorities to get on the ballot.  That doesn’t reflect our values.”

Wiviott added, “As I’ve met with the Democrats who will decide who gets on the ballot under this new system, I’ve been getting a very positive reaction so I expect to get on the ballot if this lawsuit fails.  But I got involved in this race to promote certain ideals, such as diversity and civil rights.  I’m filing this lawsuit because this new voting system fails those ideals.”

In order to open up the political process to everyone and ensure New Mexico voters have a choice this November, Wiviott said Thursday he has filed a suit in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe to challenge HB 1156 and the restrictions it places on ballot access and on voter choice.  Wiviott said he hoped the entire field of Democratic candidates would join him in fighting the law.

“If there is one thing all Democratic candidates can agree on, it is that the Democratic primary should be open and fair,” said Wiviott. “Anyone who wants to participate should be able to compete.”

Wiviott said Thursday he has retained an attorney to oversee the suit and is awaiting word from other candidates about whether or not they will join his effort.

To see our previous coverage of the 2008 NM-03 Congressional race, visit our archive.

Guest Blog: Reminiscence on the Passing of Senate President Ben Altamirano

This is a guest blog by Stephen Fox, founder of New Millennium Fine Art in Santa Fe. He is working towards a ban on aspartame and the establishment of a New Mexico Nutrition Council, with powers to question and even challenge the FDA. He is presently the Managing Editor of the weekly Santa Fe Sun News.

A Truly Great Statesman
For two years, he endorsed and volunteered to sponsor the bill to create a powerful new Nutrition Council for New Mexico, of which I was the author, and he saw the need to have express powers to challenge the FDA when it was wrong. He spoke of the need to have viejos and comadres serving on the council, if it was really going to help the people improve their health, not just industry apparatchiks. He told me many times that although he didn’t have a lot of confidence in the accuracy of newspapers, he had never gotten such good press nor such positive feedback from constituents in his entire legislative career than he had gotten from taking on the Nutrition Council legislation and its related issues.

Then the corporate lobbyists who had nothing to gain and everything to lose if the Nutrition Council ever were passed by the Legislature, turned on him and forced the bill's evisceration in a couple of Senate Committees.

He always had time to talk and always saw deeply into matters of ordinary people and the problems deriving from poverty, stemming from his own experiences growing up somewhat poor in Grant County. He was no "hack" like some of the very powerful in the Roundhouse; I think the main reason he rose to power was his even handedness as Senate Finance Chairman for 18 years, disbursing the state's money even handedly, fairly, judiciously, and without the faintest hint of scandal or dishonesty!

Michael Sanchez noted in his personal eulogy that Ben got the Pro Tem job after he asked the Democrat Caucus after Richard Romero resigned to run for Congress if anyone objected to his being Pro Tem, because he wanted it to be unanimous, and of course, no one objected and he got the job. I was in his office a day or two later and he was beaming with happiness and saying “By golly, President Pro Tem of the New Mexico Senate: it sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”

All of New Mexico will miss him profoundly. House Speaker Luján noted that legislation sponsored this year by Altamirano took effect on New Year's Day, to increase minimum wage benefiting the lowest-paid workers in New Mexico. "He was a gentleman in a place that does not always treat gentlemen kindly. He was a statesman in a place that too frequently rewards those with more narrow concerns," said Luján. "He brought a calm, reasonable voice to a place that needs more calm and more reason."

What Killed Benny Altamirano?
At the Memorial Service in the Rotunda, his son Paul briefly touched on the “negative” aspects of what 36 years of public service in the New Mexico Senate really means: the 4:00 A.M. calls asking him to come to Santa Fe, the very long trip starting with the tortuous winding road over the Black Range, the 1 and 2:00 A.M. sessions in Senate Finance, the stress, the cumulative fatigue (all of which led his doctors to recommend that he “cut back and slow down.” Not Benny . . . no one was as driven as he was by a love of public service and legislating.

After visiting him in his office, I noticed several perpetual cans of diet Coke in his office refrigerator. I was horrified for his health: the sweetener Aspartame is metabolized as methanol and formaldehyde, obviously two horrible effects on anyone, particularly someone recovering from cardiac surgery and on a later occasion, from a severe bout with bronchial pneumonia. I gave him dozens of bottles of Organic Apricot Nectar from the Italian firm, BioNaturae, but he kept drinking the Diet beverages. His physicians were right to be alarmed. Anyone would suffer from the grinding schedule of New Mexico’s Senate President.

In retrospect, maybe he shouldn’t have gone to Santa Fe in the later years, and shouldn’t have carried on those 100 hour weeks. Someone suffering from cardiac impairments and later a total knee replacement, the last of his surgeries, should have retired and told stories of his accomplishments to his eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. But not Ben Altamirano ...

It was almost as if he believed his personal powers of civility and persuasion would allow him to prevail over the Grim Reaper himself. After all, he had conquered a divisive and even embittered Legislature and six different Governors with his civility, decency, and wit. Alas, that was not to be. My own theory is that a disproportionately large number of aged and ill people die after our gluttonous holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, much as Halloween is bad for all of the children goring on sugar, candy, and junk food and much as hundreds die in auto wrecks after imbibing on New Year’s Eve.

Ben and his family no doubt welcomed the lighter load as Pro Tem, compared to the 18 years of physical draining as Senate Finance Chairman. Having grown up in the Depression in New Mexico made him glad to accept the travel and perks offered the Pro Tem, like a trip to the Netherlands to examine nuclear fuel reprocessing, and international legislative conferences in China and in California. I even warned him several times about the impact of such travel on his health.

Altamirano’s Service to New Mexico
His service to New Mexico was profound and ongoing. I won’t baste his memory with any more honorifics than those already accorded to him by his sincere and grief-stricken colleagues speaking in the Rotunda, except to say that his enduring gift of Collegial Civility will almost be everlasting, and I hope Governor Richardson will find some buildings in both Santa Fe and Silver City to name after him. Richardson prefers to bestow such honorifics on the living, when the person is still alive, and we all know that Ben Altamirano deserves this as much or more than some of those already deemed to be so worthy. He touched every single area of state government. There is housing named after him at New Mexico universities, and there is the Altamirano Leadership Conference at Luna Community College, which might be developed at all of the New Mexico state universities, in the Political Science Department or at UNM Law School. Ben would have liked that ...

Corporate Lobbyists’ Stranglehold on Legislation
I am still angry about the way that the corporations involved and their lobbyists robbed New Mexico of the powerful new Nutrition Council sponsored by Ben in 2005 and in 2006. Actually, on the strength of his great personality and power, the bill made it all the way through in 2005 passing resoundingly in both Houses, but died on the last day as a result of a long and destructive filibuster by Roswell Republican Dan Foley which in fact killed about six bills and five memorials. Throughout both years, the lobbyists leaned on Ben about this bill: he even shared with me in 2006 that particularly Coca Cola was upset with him for sponsoring such pro- consumer legislation, reminding him that they had donated many thousands of dollars to his slate of Senators for reelection, in golf tournaments and in outright direct contributions.

Like many parents with large families, he wanted all in his Legislative family to be happy, even the lobbyists, although I told him many times that if you are going to do real consumer protection to benefit the families, the poor, and the minorities of New Mexico, you are going to make some corporation angry, perhaps even several.

Ultimately, he caved into the demands of these unscrupulous lobbyists, because they too were his long time friends. The same corporations hired “friends” of Bill Richardson to be their lobbyists one year, which resulted in a 15-day delay in putting the bill on the Governor’s “call,” and in a 30-day session, a fifteen-day delay is a death knell for even the most profoundly needed legislation.

It is a bathetic and a pathetic ghastly situation in which corporate lobbyists from Ajinomoto, a Japanese company making aspartame and monosodium glutamate, can purchase their stranglehold on government, as they do in Santa Fe, in Washington, and in every international capitol, a condition that will go on and on, even as human bodies pile up from Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer, Sudden Cardiac Death from Aspartame in Diet Cokes (please take the time to read Neurosurgeon Blaylock’s alarming article on this), mesoepithelioma cancers from asbestos, brain damage from lead paint, autism from mercury in flu shots and infants’ vaccines–the list goes on and on. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Genius of Finance and Civility That He Was ...
Altamirano couldn’t remedy all of the above, but for two years, at least he tried to establish a Nutrition Council, to advise the schools, and even occasionally challenge the FDA when it was obviously dead wrong. Ben once told me he how he passed a bill in 30 minutes for the Secretary of State on the last day of one session to pay for some voting machines the legislature had previously voted to require, but had forgot to secure funding for. He personally walked the bill through the Senate Committees then over to the House, which voted on it and passed it with three minutes to spare before noon.

Altamirano’s Last Joke
His son Paul at the Memorial Service told a joke that Benny would have liked to share with his fellow legislators: a fellow was extolling the virtues of his new hearing aid to his neighbor. “I can even hear a bird chirping across the street.” “Well, that is some hearing aid.” “Yes, I can even hear a butterfly flapping its wings on the next block.” “Great! What an amazing hearing aid. What kind is it?” The fellow looked at his watch and said: “2:15.”

What a legacy Altamirano leaves. As Lt. Gov. Denish said: "Of all the people that I thought made the Senate kind of balanced, warm and welcoming, it was Ben. He was such an even-handed, upbeat, optimistic person. Someone will be appointed, but no one will ever replace him.”

What comes next in the New Mexico Senate?
Insiders as well several un-named members of the Senate speculate that what is likely to happen next is that an Interim (or "caretaker") Pro Tem President will be chosen, and later a formal election will be conducted next November. Many speculate that if the decision were based entirely on Seniority, as occurs in Senates all over the world, John Pinto (Navajo of Tohatchi) will get the job, and it would be the first time for any Native American in the state legislatures of our nation. Others wonder if Roswell's Tim Jennings, Finance Co-Chair, will press hardest for the job, yet might not because of the time it would require away from his wife, Patty, who is being treated for cancer.

Majority Leader Michael Sanchez might also be interested, although he is quite happy with the power inherent in the Majority Leader's position. Appropriately, Sanchez declined to speak of such questions of ambition after the New Year's Eve Altamirano Memorial Service in the Rotunda concluded. Still others surmise that Deming's John Arthur Smith, Finance Co-Chair, would be a likely candidate who would be acceptable to Conservative Democrats and to the Republicans, and that more might actually get accomplished with a strong conserative in the position.

We encourage all of them, particularly one of our favorite Senators, Cisco Mc Sorley of Albuquerque, Judiciary Chairman; Linda Lopez, Rules Chair; and Dede Feldman, Public Affairs Chair, all of whom are liberals and would do the job very commendably. In due course, may the best person win, and above all, may the entire 2008 Legislature refresh the unforgettable civility of Ben Altamirano!

This is a guest blog by Stephen Fox of Santa Fe. Guest blogs provide readers with an opportunity to express their views on issues relevant to DFNM and may or many not reflect our views. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Friday: Special NM In Focus on Healthcare in NM

Public television station KNME will air a special on healthcare in New Mexico this Friday, January 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM with a repeat on Sunday at 6:30 AM. "By the People: A New Mexico In Focus Special" hosted by Gene Grant will include an interview with Lt. Gov. Diane Denish outlining the administration's healthcare agenda for the 30-day 2008 New Mexico Legislative Session that begins on January 15, 2008.

Photo of the Day: Rose Bowl Parade Protests

Protesters advocating impeachment of U.S. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney carry a giant copy of the Constitution as they follow at the end of the 119th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, California January 1, 2008. REUTERS/Mark Avery (UNITED STATES)

Also see these photos of the Rose Bowl protests on Flickr.

Finally: Hawkeye State Caucuses Set for Tomorrow

Gov. Richardson in snowy Iowa*

Has the campaigning leading to tomorrow night's Iowa caucuses been going on for years? Feels like it to me. I imagine it feels even longer to those who've been working the state for so long. If I hear the phrase "latest polling shows" one more time, I may start screeching. Polling, schmolling -- the truth is that nobody really knows what will happen when Iowa Dems (and many Independents) gather in 1,781 precinct meetings across the state to choose a favorite among Democratic presidential candidates. In the last analysis, it's a roll of the dice in many ways.

An optimistic projection of how many will show up to participate in the Dem meetings would equate to about 25% of those eligible, or about 150,000 people. In my view, this relative handful of folks has managed to accumulate way too much clout in designating the front-runners in the race. Iowans obviously don't think so. It must be nice to be courted so carefully by all the candidates, and the state's hotels, restaurants, TV stations and other businesses benefit mightily from the months of campaigning. Unfortunately, as Markos lays out in this post on Daily Kos, the Dem caucus process in Iowa is also very undemocratic and elitist. Not a good way to pick a nominee while the rest of us sit here on our hands.

Viable or Nonviable
Besides turnout, one of the critical factors in determining whether a candidate will have a strong showing is to whom the supporters of "nonviable" candidates will turn as a second choice. If a candidate gets less than 15% or so of those attending a precinct caucus, they're deemed "nonviable" and the candidate won't earn any delegates from that precinct. The supporters of a nonviable candidate can either walk away without their votes counting for a particular candidate, or switch to another candidate who has passed the viability threshhold in that precinct. That's where all the wheeling and dealing comes in, and candidates who have strong organizations at the precinct level can sometimes work wonders in convincing caucus-goers on the spot to pick them for a second choice.

The nonviable candidates in a precinct can also have a powerful influence in the second choices of their supporters. For instance, last time out in Iowa in 2004, Dick Gephardt encouraged many of his supporters to switch to Kerry in precincts where he wasn't viable. Kucinich urged his supporters to go with Edwards. This year, Kucinich has announced that he'd like his voters to move their support to Obama as a second choice. This post on Wampum provides an excellent dissection of how the process works, written by someone who was a convenor at similarly structured caucuses in Portland, Maine in 2004.

Will Richardson Urge Supporters to Pick Hillary as Second Choice?
I'll be very interested to learn where Bill Richardson will point his supporters in precincts where he's not viable. If he urges them to move into the Clinton column, we can surmise that his strongly antiwar strategy may have been waged, at least in part, as a sort of stalking horse effort to gain supporters who might ultimately benefit Hillary. He'd be taking votes from Obama, Edwards and other antiwar candidates if he sends them to Clinton despite her unapologetic vote for an Iraq invasion.

Clinton can use all the second choice votes she can muster. According to a column by Charles Hurt in the New York Post:

Heading into the final day of campaigning before Iowa votes tomorrow, Hillary Rodham Clinton still faces one of her thorniest problems in her bid for the White House. Although she has a considerable base of devoted fans in Iowa, she is not well liked by those Democrats supporting other candidates.

Of the other Democrats who plan to caucus tomorrow and vote for other candidates, Clinton is the second choice of just 15 percent, according to a new poll. Barack Obama is the second choice of 22 percent and John Edwards is the second choice of 30 percent of Iowa Democrats, according to the Reuters poll.

If Richardson should decide to urge his supporters in his nonviable precincts to support Clinton -- and they follow his recommendation -- he could become a sort of kingmaker in terms of bolstering Clinton's numbers. We all know how close Richardson has been to the Clintons during the course of his career in Washington. Bartering at the precinct level might also help Richardson's chances for being selected as Hillary's VP candidate, or of earning a plum appointment should Hillary become our next President. Definitely something to watch for if the Richardson campaign's of a surprisingly strong showing for their candidate turn out to be just wishful thinking.

Small and Large Precincts Can Have Similar Clout
Another oddity in the Iowa Democratic caucuses is that it's beneficial to have support throughout the state's 99 counties and 1,781 precincts. Because of a complicated system used for apportioning delegates, a candidate gets no extra benefit from overwhelming support in a given precinct. In other words, caucus meetings with few participants in rural parts of the state can sometimes wield about as much clout in terms of delegates earned as larger urban caucuses with many more attendees.

Something to keep in mind: No candidate finishing worse than third in the Iowa caucuses has ever gone on to win their party's nomination. One thing is certain -- Gov. Bill Richardson and his supporters have worked their butts off in Iowa. We'll finally get to find out what all those hours of sweat equity will bring on what's forecast to be a bitterly cold winter's night in Iowa.

*Photo of Bill Richardson by David Negrete. Click on image for larger version.

Tonight on We The People: DPNM Chairman Brian Colon

Happy New Year from WE THE PEOPLE
Guest: Brian Colon, Chairman, Democratic Party of NM
Watch - Think - Call-in! (505) 346-1633
New Day & Time: Channel 27, Wednesday, January 2nd, 6 PM

Not a cable subscriber?  Watch simultaneously on your  high-speed computer: https://www.quote-unquote.org. Click for Channel 27s Media Stream ---> down the page on the Right. WE THE PEOPLE is an innovative call-in television show looking for TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY in local, state, and federal governments.

THANKS FOR WATCHING
Mickey Bock, Host; Judith Binder, Producer