I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
It’s no surprise that news about Gov. Bill Richardson’s withdrawal of his name for consideration for the position of U.S. commerce secretary is the big news in New Mexico. Earlier today, Marjorie Childress took a look at the top stories, including a few links from the blogosphere.
Locally, the progressive blog Democracy for New Mexico asks a pertinent question: Why now? Barb Wold writes that it might not have so much to do with anything going on in the FBI investigation into the CDR contracts — but with Rod Blagojevich. “What definitely has changed since the Richardson pick is that the Blago-Burris-Reid thing has blown up in Obama’s face,” Wold writes. “Thanks in no small part to the wacky over-reaction of Sen. Harry Reid and other Dem Senators, as well as the Obama team itself.”
Jim Scarantino at the libertarian blog New Mexico Liberty basically says “I told you so.” Scarantino also takes a shot at fellow blogger Joe Monahan, whom Scarantino calls “the gossip columnist of the political class.”
Meanwhile Childress, on her own blog says, “Heaven forbid we let Illinois outshine us.”
Local conservative blogger Mario Burgos says this will reflect badly on Lt. Gov. Diane Denish because of the infamous comments she made in the past about Richardson being too touchy and… somehow conflates this with Patricia Madrid saying you pay for access in a 2006 debate with Heather Wilson.
Nationally, some blogs had more fun with the story. Gawker and Wonkette in particular took their usual no-holds-barred approach. Gawker snarks that Richardson can now restart his beard that he famously shaved before being nominated by Obama for the Commerce gig. Wonkette, meanwhile, laments that their favorite New Mexican has quit Obama’s cabinet, saying, “This is all Rod Blagojevich’s fault!”
The Field, a prominent progressive blog, says this is just Obama’s “No Drama” policy in action.
A blog at Mother Jones echoes Scarantino, saying that we should have all seen this coming. James Ridgeway writes, “The New Mexico governor has, over the last decade, left behind a wide trail of questionable business dealings, many of them involving the energy industry.”
A Forbes blog says that Richardson’s withdrawal hurts Denish the most.
