ABQ mayoral candidate Richard Berry's TV ad "Turn the Page"

In his latest TV ad, Albuquerque mayoral candidate Richard Berry labels himself “impeccably honest,” but a photographic sleight of hand in the ad appears to exaggerate the length of time Chavez has spent as mayor.

In the ad, a book is opened to a page with a photo of a much younger Mayor Martin Chavez, next to  “12 years as mayor” plus the year ”1993” in bold letters. But the photo is actually from the 1980s.

At one point in the ad, a suit-and-tie Berry looks every bit the savvy businessman as he sits at a conference table ticking off points on his fingers as employees dutifully take notes.

Narrator: “Richard Berry for mayor. Husband, father, successful business man, called impeccably honest.”

Chavez, circa his days as a state senator in the late 1980s

Visual on the screen: “IMPECCABLY HONEST.”

But rewind a few seconds and there’s a sequence that would appear to contradict the candidate’s self-description.

The ad opens with a book labeled “Albuquerque” appearing on the screen and the narrator saying ominously:

“Twelve years. Some good, some bad. Just time to turn the page.”

And the visual on the screen is the book opened to a page with a photo of a much younger Mayor Martin Chavez on one side – dark hair and a lot of it. And on the other, “12 years as mayor” plus the year ”1993” in bold letters.

Chavez, circa the present day

The problem here is that the Berry camp decided to use Chavez’s official New Mexico Senate photo dating back to the late 1980s, instead of his official 1993 mayoral portrait in which Chavez is already a grey-haired mayor.

In the ad, the book’s pages quickly turn through several more years and photos of Chavez. The last one stops at 2009 and features a much grayer, balding Chavez.

This photographic slight of hand would appear to exaggerate the length of time Chavez has spent as mayor.

Berry faces Chavez and Richard Romero in the Oct. 6 election

Or maybe the ad’s creative director would defend it as merely underscoring the too-many-years-as-mayor meme with fetching visuals?

There’s one more related, interesting detail from the ad for Berry, the race’s newly minted front-runner according to the Albuquerque Journal poll results released yesterday.

Underneath “IMPECCABLY HONEST” in the ad, the citation for it in much smaller letters reads: “Radio host impression of Berry, 6/7/09.”

Does that pass for impeccably vague?

Photo by David Alire Garcia

Gov. Bill Richardson admitted early on in his free-wheeling lecture to students at the University of New Mexico that it was his idea to talk to them about U.S.-Cuba relations.

“I actually organized this talk,” the ex-United Nations ambassador fessed up.

But did that admission mean that Richardson is eager to resume a leading role in international affairs — specifically, Latin American affairs?

If it did, Richardson only helped the cause.

During the course of the Tuesday afternoon lecture, the nation’s only Latino governor outlined a “sequential” diplomatic push to eventually normalize relations between the United States and the socialist Caribbean country. Part of  the Richardson push — as reported by NMI’s Marjorie Childress earlier today — included making a strong case that all Americans should be allowed to travel to Cuba and that the trade embargo should be lifted.

Back in April, it was first reported that the Obama administration would allow Cuban Americans unlimited visits and remittances to family on the island. Richardson noted that the new policy took effect only last week.

And like a good professor, the term-limited two-term governor told students he wanted to outline the “pros and cons” of the current U.S.-Cuba policy debate. Then he added, “I want to provoke a little discussion. I want some of you to get a little pissed off at me.”

The classroom erupted in laughter.

While Richardson didn’t get that particular wish, he did make his views clear, beginning with U.S. interests.

From our side, what we want is release of Cuban political prisoners, some kind of democratization process, (and) freedom of travel of Cubans coming to the United States.

Later, as he shifted to ticking off a list of what he thinks the U.S. government should do, Richardson appeared to be negotiating with himself.

America should “take Cuba off the list of state sponsors of terror,” he mused. After a brief pause, he added, “I’d like something in return for that, so maybe we put that one aside.”

Above all, the Richardson lecture regaled students with stories to make the lesson sharper.

“We want Cuba to be more democratic. I mean, it is not democratic. You know, Cuban officials win by 98 percent. That’s not democratic. And I remember arguing with Fidel Castro, saying ‘You know, you did pretty well in that last election. What happened to the 2 percent? Were they still around?’ He didn’t think that was funny,” Richardson deadpanned, referring to his successful 1996 effort to release three political prisoners in Cuba.

Even Richardson’s secretary of the state Department of Cultural Affairs, Stuart Ashman, got into the story-telling act as the governor’s teaching assistant for the day. Ashman, born and raised in Cuba, was invited to the podium by Richardson. He promptly put last week’s newly-implemented policy on travel and remittances in plain language — and tipped his hat to his boss’s most recent trip to Cuba last month where Richardson announced his willingness to facilitate a new dialogue between Cuban Americans and Cuban officials.

“It’s interesting that the governor mentioned that the Obama administration’s mandates were implemented just a few days ago. Maybe there’s no coincidence,” he said smiling. “(Let’s say,) just for example, if you’re a Cuban American… you’re a U.S. citizen, you came here 35-years-ago, you worked, you have a U.S. passport, and you went to visit your mother who’s in Cuba. And you come back, and a week later found out she had a stroke. You can’t go back to see her for three years. That’s how it was until last week.”

While Richardson voiced his support for the new travel policy, he made it equally clear that he believes the ball is now in the Cuban government’s court.

He repeated the blunt, bilingual message he delivered to Cuban officials during his trip late last month: “I said to the Cubans, ‘¡Hagan algo! You guys have done nothing!’”

One Cuban American member of the audience — retired UNM professor Nelson Valdes –  praised Richardson for having the courage to be what he called a diálogero.

“For some Cuban Americans in south Florida,” Valdes explained, “the term diálogo is a pejorative. It has a negative connotation. The worst thing you can be called in Miami is diálogero. That’s worse than hijo de puta,” he said colorfully.

Valdes later suggested that Richardson host a dialogue among Cuban Americans — of all idealogical stripes — in New Mexico to discuss greater engagement. “To see what we come up with,” he said.

As the lecture winded down with a few more student questions, it wasn’t too hard to picture Richardson leading such a dialogue, despite the harsh criticims expressed from more conservative elements of the Cuban exile community when he first mentioned the proposal last month.

But Richardson clearly has his fans, beyond the students who squeezed into the lecture hall at UNM’s Dane Smith Hall Tuesday afternoon.

In fact, Washington Note blogger Steve Clemons gave President Obama some free advise last month that I imagine went over fairly well at Santa Fe’s One Mansion Drive.

Obama should ask Bill Richardson to be his envoy, sherpa and nudge to drive US-Cuba relations beyond the anachronistic Cold War trap they have been in towards new terms of engagement fit for the 21st century and Obama’s eventual foreign policy legacy.

As Richardson serves out his final year as governor, it’s a possibility that probably won’t shock too many people if it happens.

President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress Wednesday night on health care reform.

Shortly after President Obama finished his major health care reform address to a rare joint session of Congress, U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich sounded an optimistic note in an interview with the Independent.

Heinrich, a first-term Albuquerque Democrat, underscored Obama’s call for more choice and competition among insurance options – including a public option – but also described his own approach as more pragmatic than idealogical.

What follows are Heinrich’s answers to NMI’s questions:

NMI: What was your overall reaction to President Obama’s speech?

MH: I thought he was phenomenally articulate. In years to come, if we get this done, people are going to look back to tonight as a tipping point in health care reform… One of the most important things he said is that this is not going to be easy.

At the onset of the speech, President Obama cast his plan as a middle-ground approach, not left or right. Do you agree with that approach?

I think so. The way he laid it out tonight stays true to one of my fundamental principles on this, and that’s choice… If you don’t have health care or you want a public option, you should also have that choice.

U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich

Right now, do you think there’s enough choice and competition among insurers in the Albuquerque metro area?

My guess is that if you look at the Albuquerque area, that you wouldn’t have an enormous number of providers… I can think of most of them off the top of my head… In some ways, the health care exchange and the public option, really serve to nationalize competition in a way that will create savings in markets where relatively few people take advantage of the public option.

Did you ever favor what’s often considered the more progressive approach – a single-payer plan?

I think I’ve always been fairly pragmatic. I can certainly understand the logic of the people who say a single payer plan can bring about a lot of administrative savings… [But] it’s too hard to do that and make real progress. I think that’s a recipe for not getting the real reform that we need.

Are you open to medical malpractice reform as part of health care reform legislation?

I think what [the president] said about defensive medicine is something we can fix in this legislation. I just think we need to do it in a way that’s consistent with the 6th amendment to the constitution. I think you can avoid frivolous lawsuits without unfairly hurting those people who’ve had a real incident of malpractice…  I also do think that consumers have the right under the constitution to have some redress… I think that the Republican approach to malpractice reform tends to be more driven by ideology.

What did you make of the outburst by U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., who shouted ‘You lie!” after the president said firmly that health care reform would not extend coverage to illegal immigrants?

I was utterly surprised by that outburst. I don’t think it has any place in the chamber. It was really an anomaly of the evening which was really characterized by both sides of the aisle behaving very well.

Speaking at the annual conference of the National Hispanic Bar Association in Albuquerque, Iglesias made the case for reforming the appointment process for U.S. attorneys as a way of better insulating them from overt political pressures.

“I think one very practical thing to do would be to change the term because, right now, there is a four-year appointment. Maybe make it a six-year term so there’s an automatic overlap into the next administration,” Iglesias told the attendees, according to an Associated Press story.

Iglesias added the following:

“When you talk or think about prosecutors, there should be two adjectives that are attached: independent and integrity. If you don’t have those two, you don’t have a legitimate prosecutor,” he said.

Journal reporter Mike Hartranft’s opened the story this way:

Here’s some good economic news for a change.

And while consumers may be paying less this winter to heat their homes — that’s the good news — what Hartranft doesn’t mention is how lower natural gas prices could worsen the state’s ongoing budget woes. That’s the unmentioned bad news. The state of New Mexico is traditionally very dependent on taxes and royalties from oil and gas production for its operating revenue stream, a steam that will ebb lower courtesy of lower natural gas prices.

In other news, the Farmington Daily-Times reports on a former National Rifle Association leader’s visit to the San Juan Country Club on Thursday. Speaking to the Four Corners Federated Republican Women, Sandra Froman said that she expects more court battles over gun rights. Froman, the story notes, is one of only two female presidents of the NRA in its 138-year-history.

Las Cruces Sun-News has a story on the firing of undersheriff Art Vega in Grant County. Coming as a complete surprise to someone with 23 years with the department, there’s apparently much more to the situation.

Going further south, the El Paso Times writes on a recent attack considered to be Ciudad Juarez’s “worst multiple shooting yet.” Drug trafficking groups are predictably being blamed for a grisly massacre of 18 people at a Juarez drug rehab center.

And lastly, the Roswell Daily Record highlights local Roswell voices concerning the recent announcement by Gov. Richardson regarding the state’s budget gap. It’s safe to say that a large amount of skepticism surrounds the subject of proposed budget cutting.

NMI’s Danielle Bauer contributed to this post.

On the positive side, the cuts do not include furloughs, pay cuts or layoffs. Instead, the cuts focus on road work, park improvements, police and fire departments funding.

Similarly, KOB TV reports on Gov. Bill Richardson’s plan to address the $441 million state budget shortfall. The governor repeats his hope to balance the budget gap without raising taxes, making cuts to education or layoffs.

Meanwhile, New Mexico State University computer science student researchers are  focusing some of their energy…  on energy saving solutions for electronic devices. The researchers are using their data to compile a list of “energy saving solutions” that will help educate local residents of the ways they can become more energy efficient.

And lastly, the Albuquerque Journal reports that Hispanic and African-American students are at a higher risk of being hospitalized with H1N1 due to poverty, according to a recent Chicago study. Dr. Alfredo Vigil, the state Health Department secretary, tells the Journal that it would be “shocking” if that weren’t the case.

NMI’s Danielle Bauer contributed to this post.

Cribbed from footage inside the two Albuquerque health care town hall meetingss last week, but also outside the venues where protesters lined the sidewalks, it’s an interesting window into where New Mexicans are at on the summer’s hottest issue.

Some of the most interesting footage here came courtesy of independent videographer Chris Dudley, who captured some of the passion from opponents of President Obama’s push to reform the country’s current health care system. As you can see, Dudley’s camera came under attack from an extended pole hoisting a large banner. He also got cursed out by one particularly obnoxious protester.

“Right wing violence! Right wing violence!” was shouted out at one point, as another protester defended the attempt at Dudley’s camera by saying, “It’s not violence. It’s intelligence.”

From there, the video traces the differences between the two health care town hall meetings hosted by U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman and U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich, both New Mexico Democrats.

Bingaman’s town hall, organized by New Mexico First, was the epitome of reasoned, thoughtful citizen-participation. Heinrich’s, on the other hand, was much more raucous – especially outside the venue – as the freshman congressman moderated an often dispassionate policy seminar on health care reform. Even so, the sharply divided crowd cheered or booed depending on the comments coming from the panel.

Heinrich shared the stage with an opponent of any health care reform that contemplates a significant federal government role – Paul Gessing of the Rio Grande Foundation.

Gessing: “I would be much happier having this debate at the state level.”

Heinrich:  “I think, frankly, that horse has left the barn…”

Bingaman, the five-term senator, did make some news suggesting that he is open to passing health care reform through the so-called budget reconciliation process – a legislative process that only requires 51 votes for passage, versus the usual 60 votes needed to pass most major pieces of legislation.

If we are unable to do it any other way, that is an option. It’s a very difficult option to get implemented. But clearly I would support that if that’s the only way we can enact reform.

A smattering of applause followed Bingaman’s statement. Later, national news reports cited a post by NMI’s Marjorie Childress noting that the senator was the first “Gang of Six” negotiator to make such a declaration.

While both New Mexico Democrats seemed awfully cautious, both also seemed to be pushing for reform.

And while both Bingaman and Heinrich repeated their support for a public option as a cost-saving element of comprehensive heath care reform, neither would say that the plan is essential to win their ultimate support.

The video runs about 15 minutes.

Many thanks to KNME’s Kevin McDonald, Antony Lostetter and Kathy Mille Wimmer for their help.

After Eclipse Aerospace bought up all of the assets and buildings of the bankrupt Eclipse Aviation, the South Carolina-based company is set to open its doors on Sept. 1, so reports the Albuquerque Journal. The new company will need to raise funds quickly and start production if they want to avoid a second eclipse of Eclipse.
A Deming Headlight headline reads, “Sen Bingaman grilled on health care front.” Meeting with Luna County Democrats, Bingaman laid out all of the issues and apparently helped extinguish anger and some concern with the Obama administration’s reform efforts.

Then the Las Cruces Bulletin reports on U.S. Rep. Harry Teague’s health care town hall meeting, in which he survived with out an “incidents.” Along with many a question and answer, Teague explained, “Democracy doesn’t cure colds or cancer. The question is, how can we take care of our folks?” And that’s where the billion dollar questions arise.

Sticking with southern New Mexico, the Silver City Sun-News tells of a $2M grant intended to renovate an old Wal-Mart building in Silver City. The idea is to convert it into a business and conference center.

And lastly, Four Corners air pollution is back in the news. The Associated Press reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is looking at a analysis for reducing air pollution from local power plants. The EPA is giving the public one month to voice their opinions on air pollution reduction at Navajo Station and Four Corners Power Plant.

NMI’s Danielle Bauer contributed to this post.

Sarah Welch, a 31-year-old ex-newspaper editor in northern New Mexico, was named as FOG’s new executive director earlier today. The release announcing her appointment noted, in brief, the big picture goals she’ll be focusing on:

Secrecy is the soil in which corruption sprouts, and it’s time we stood up and demanded full transparency. It’s also time for us to keep an extra close watch on government spending.

Welsh had worked as an assistant news editor for the Rio Grande Sun, a newspaper based out of Española. She also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, according to the release.

She succeeds Leonard DeLayo, the former president of the Albuquerque public school board. Welsh’s first day on the new job is Aug. 28.

And Griego, an Albuquerque Democrat, is adamant that the budget should not be balanced solely with cuts.

“We don’t want to get into brinkmanship,” he told me, “but I think it would be very easy for us to shut the session down. You can do that in the Senate.”

Greigo noted that state senators can fillibuster for three hours at a time. He added, “And I think there are several of us willing to do that.”

Griego is an unabashed progressive who also leads the Albuquerque-based nonprofit advocacy organization New Mexico Voices for Children.

“We cannot let the wealthiest three percent of New Mexico and big multi-state corporations determine our economic policy in this state,” Griego continued. “Working families need to have a voice too.”

Earlier today, Gov. Bill Richardson told NMI’s Trip Jennings that he’s not interested in repealing the state income tax cut he successfully pushed in 2003; the major element of that tax cut was to slash the state’s top marginal income tax rate from a little over eight percent to just below five percent today. The governor went on to say he is open to closing some tax credits or incentives, but wouldn’t go into detail.

Last week, New Mexico Voices for Children sent out a press release that outlined the group’s case for raising additional revenue. From the release:

“By not considering raising revenue, New Mexico is going to fall further behind the rest of the county economically,” said Gerry Bradley, Research Director for the child advocacy organization. “This unbalanced approach of strictly cutting spending will slow down New Mexico’s economic recovery and hurt people. We need to follow the lead of the 30 other states that have raised new revenue as part of their approach to covering their budget gaps.”

While the many factions in the New Mexico Legislature are well known, it seems unclear whether or not Richardson and the legislative leadership will be able to conclude closed-door negotations on a budget fix — and then pass it in a rare, one-day special session.

Griego lamented what he called “Republican coalition leadership in the Senate,” and then added, “There’s also a coalition of groups, from labor to small business, faith-based groups — obviously advocates of all kinds — that is going to try to make the responsible case for increasing revenues, balanced with making some cuts.”