odds and endings

C: Sad news as Governor Bill Richardson is bailing. Upcoming debates are going to be packed with watch-the-paint-dry excitement. If he's not a VP selection, he dam well better be Sec. of State. He's probably to only person out there can who muck out our foreign policy stall.

Kerry endorses Obama. Is Barack sure this is a good idea? Talk about painting a swiftboat bullseye on your back... Might be good for fundraising though. And Edwards must have cartoon steam coming out his ears. Announcing this endorsement in South Carolina, Edwards' home state. Zing. Snap.

And what hell is Bloomberg doing with an exploratory committee? Is it a law that all billionaires run for president? I'd suggest Mayor Mike give Steve Forbes a call and ask him what it feels like rolling down the window and throwing money into the wind. weeeee!!! hoohoo!!!

J: Well, I can't say I'm surprised to see him out of the race. I'm shocked at how little support he garnered in the early primaries, though. I thought his message would have resonated more. Still, if there's a Democrat win in November, I'm fairly confident that Mr. Richardson will have a job in the new administration. He's still New Mexico's governor until 2010, when term limit laws will end his run there.

And maybe that's why he left now. If your message is not resonating, one of your few other options is to go negative. If he does that, he probably attacks himself out of a cabinet position. I think State would be a very good fit for Gov. Richardson.

And I have no idea why Bloomberg wants to throw a ton of money at a doomed quest. Other than ego, of course.