Dark Horse

First the press dropped the ball on Bush's absolute unsuitability for the White House while trashing Gore, who is now enjoying the fruits of a well-managed comeback.

Then they bollixed the Iraq War by not asking the questions they should have simply because they didn't want to upset the American public still reeling from the 9/11 fearmongering of Bush and his chickenhawks.

Now we get play by play of the Obama and Hillary slugfest for the next two years!!! Oy vey. Enough already. I don't fancy either one of them and John Edwards isn't much better although he's at least put forward a health care plan.

What the devil? How about Bill Richardson? Great resume, including a second term as the governor of New Mexico, arguably one of the most challenging states in the union to govern. When you really think about it, Obama and Hillary seem like antiques, each representing old factions of the Civil Rights Era. Hispanics are the new and powerful minority in America. But Richardson refuses to blatantly play that facile card.

Bill Richardson is perfect for the White House - reasonable, experienced and above all, competent. He's all the things the current resident is not.

I sincerely hope that Richardson hangs on as the bench dwindles. Eventually there will only be three or four left. If there's any justice, Richardson will be in the thick of it come February of next year and the American public will get a good look at a good man who could be a great president.