Questions about New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's behavior with women continue to swirl, as his campaign offers dodgy answers. Ben Smith of The Politico has the story:
The lieutenant governor of New Mexico, Diane Denish was quoted in the Albuquerque Journal saying she avoids standing or sitting near Richardson because of his physical manner, which she said was not improper but was "annoying." The governor, she said, "pinches my neck. He touches my hip, my thigh, sort of the side of my leg."
On repeated occasions, Richardson has been pressed by reporters or Democratic activists on whether his personal conduct can withstand public scrutiny.Richardson, in an interview with The Politico, denied behaving inappropriately, calling the talk "mean-spirited." Still, the concerns have become enough of a headwind for Richardson's campaign that the candidate has a more substantive response -- that his personal conduct was vetted, and effectively given a seal of approval, when he was considered for the vice presidential nomination by John F. Kerry in 2004.
Read the rest at the link above. While Richardson was on the "long list" of potential Veeps for Kerry in '04, he withdrew from consideration before the in-depth financial and personal vetting those on the "short list" typically receive. After his campaign couldn't avoid the issue, they did manage to get Lanny Davis - who helped "vet" Richardson for the Clinton Administration in 1992 - to vouch for him.
Of course, that's a 15 year old vetting, and it's Lanny Davis, who never seemed to see anything wrong in the Clinton Administration as their Apologist-in-Chief.
Too bad. Richardson is far and away the best qualified candidate on the Democratic side, and the one who could attract the most independent voters, and probably peel off more marginal Republicans than any of the others, too.
Hat tip to the vacationing Hugh Hewitt, who popped back online long enough to point to this story.
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race, Richardson
Tags: allegation, campaign, Richardson, women
