Bill Richardson: God Wants Iowa to Vote First

Does there come a point when you cease to realize that you're licking somone's shoes?

...Bill Richardson says there's divine support for Iowa's status in the nominating process:

"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."

What exactly does he mean by 'for reasons related to the Lord?'

And a broader point: can the Florida state Democratic party promise to assist the campaign of whoever 'loses' Iowa? It's about time someone establish a counter-incentive to a victory in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Richardson Responds to Obama

I commented on Obama's speech over at the Standard. I'm posting Richardson's reaction to it because it gave me a chuckle:

"I consistently have said that we need to focus on Al Qaeda and the Taliban, including in a major policy address I delivered last week on this very subject. I am glad that Senator Obama agrees with me, although I disagree with his plan to leave troops in Iraq indefinitely. We still would be militarily overextended.

"The problem here is that the Bush-Cheney Administration has acceded to General Musharraf's deal that has given Al Qaeda and the Taliban a safe haven in Pakistan. We need to reverse the Bush-Cheney policy of appeasement and make sure Musharraf knows his deal with the terrorists is completely unacceptable to the U.S.

"My international experience tells me that we should address this problem with tough diplomacy with General Musharraf first, leaving the military as a last resort. It is important to reach out to moderate Muslim states and allies to ensure we do not unnecessarily inflame the Muslim world."

Sure, it's funny to hear a Democrat accuse Bush and Cheney of pursuing a policy of appeasement toward terrorists. But that's not what makes me laugh. I like the subtle way Richardson worked in his dig on foreign policy experience. It was so subtle, maybe you need to go and read it again to pick it out. I like how he makes his 'international experience' sound like his Spider Sense, or the little angel and devil that pop up on your shoulder in old Road Runner & Coyote cartoons.

I suspect that Richardson might next turn to things like 'when I served as student body President,' and 'when I attended the Harvard early-decision weekend...' That would be a subtle way to get across that he's smart.

And after all, how can you vote against experience? I mean, trusting experience worked with Richard Nixon, right? Plus, Richardson wasn't part of just any foreign policy team; he was part of the Clinton foreign policy team! And when you think 'Albright, Berger, Richardson, Christopher, Woolsey,' you think 'crack anti-terror team,' right?