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He thinks he can, he thinks he can

Columnist Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times is writing a weekly piece on how each of the candidates could, maybe, possibly, win. This Sunday, it was Bill Richardson's turn.

"If resumes decided elections, Richardson would already be a lock," Smith wrote. "Unfortunately for Democrats, they don't. . . .

"Richardson, 59, is paunchy, rumpled and sometimes too gregariously impish for his own good.

"My first encounter with him came at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, when he was in the midst of a network TV interview. Spotting me looking impatient while waiting to ask him a few questions near midnight, he caught my eye, beamed and stuck out his pink tongue to taunt me.

"A presidential candidate who looks like normal Americans, is substantive, unscripted and spontaneous? It's about time."

But, Smith contends, Richardson's best hope is in front-running candidates stumbling badly. Tough one to plan for.

Money, money, money

The unnamed author of the "Presidential Politics for America" blog has an interesting if not terribly insightful entry about the role money will play as candidates begin to disclose their fund-raising amounts. He (or she, who knows) predicts half the candidates will be gone once the totals are revealed, and says this about Richardson:

"Perhaps the campaign where publication of money is most important. Trying to squeeze his way into contention, Richardson will need a strong showing, and/or a clear underperformance from the Big Three, in order to become a major candidate."

Har-dee-har-har

The Aero-News Network has a satirical piece reporting Richardson is giving up his controversial Cessna Citation Bravo in favor of five Eclipse jets that will ferry not only him but his staff - the "Richardson Air Force, please call it that, would you," a supposed spokesman says - to wherever the mission requires.

More fun with Bill

The Web site "Underneath Politics" writes (again, satirically) about a Richardson fund-raiser in Hollywood in which Gary Coleman and Lorenzo Lamas help him gather a decidedly unimpressive $4,000.

"`I could not be more pleased with my staff and volunteers,' Governor Richardson said. `The $4,000 will go a long way in helping us reach our goal of strategically placing hundreds of small classified advertisements in newspapers around the country.' "

Coleman, who purportedly served as master of ceremonies and bartender, had this to "say":

"I will drop whatever I'm doing to be by Bill Richardson's side anytime he thinks he can get $50 from people who have a desire to hear me say, `Whatchoo talkin' 'bout (insert name here).' "