I do not mean to pick on the Albuquerque Journal. Nor do I have any desire to single out Michael Coleman of the paper’s Washington bureau. But his column Thursday was impressive for its naivete.
According to Coleman, who talked with Jim Johnson, a Kerry pal who helped pick a candidate for VP, Bill Richardson was not jockeying to be Sen. Kerry’s running mate, nor was he working to be considered.
Kerry was considering him seriously, though, because others recommended him.
Further, Johnson explained, Kerry thought very highly of Richardson. And never rejected him. No, it was just that Edwards was "too good" a choice.
Coleman tells us that Johnson called him to make these points.
Amazing.
How much real world experience do you need to understand that Bill Richardson wanted to run for Vice President. Why else would he make so many denials of that ambition, none of them of the "I will not run" type?
How can you fail to see that Johnson’s call was good politics - praise Richardson, bless his story that he never wanted the VP nomination and thereby guarantee that neither Bill nor his Hispanic supporters will abandon Kerry, who needs them.
More skepticism, please.