By STEVE TERRELL | The New Mexican

Wed Nov 7, 2007 11:51 pm

Bill backs the writers

Like some of his Democratic presidential rivals, Gov. Bill Richardson released a statement this week supporting the striking Writers Guild of America.

"While I hope for a quick resolution to this strike in order to avoid any long-term impact on both the production community and the general public, I also recognize that the issue here is complex: how to distribute equitably the revenues generated from emerging distribution sources such as DVDs and the Internet. I am confident that all of the parties involved will see that it is in their mutual interest to come to a fair resolution sooner rather than later,” Richardson’s statement said. “The pot certainly is big enough for everyone.”

But the end of the news release seemed like the Richardson campaign might have hired a striking writer for freelance work.

“Plus, I do not want Stephen Colbert to have any second thoughts about getting out of the race," the governor’s statement said.

While the host and namesake of the satirical Colbert Report was saying he was running in the South Carolina primary, one poll of South Carolina Democrats showed him to be slightly ahead of Richardson.

More vision, less platform

Jonathan Stein of Mother Jones recently followed Gov. Bill Richardson in Iowa. He basically liked what he heard.

“On the whole, Richardson was articulate and passionate, presenting an orthodox but strong progressive message. Richardson also has an impressive resume working in his favor ...”

But Stein said that’s not enough to get nominated in this year’s field of Democrats

“So why can't Richardson catch fire? It's likely a combination of factors. First of all, Richardson articulates a platform, not a vision. After his event at Grinnell, an attendee named Norm told me that Richardson ‘had a good solid opinion on every question he was asked. There wasn't anything I disagreed with.’ A positive response, but not exactly the upswell of fervor a campaign wants to evoke in someone who has listened to its candidate for over an hour.”

STAR*PAC

Gov. Bill Richardson picked up the support of a prominent Iowa peace group Wednesday.

According to the Des Moines Register, STAR*PAC (Stop the Arms Race Political Action Committee).

The paper quoted group chairman Harold Wells saying, "His message is the same wherever he speaks — to a military audience in Georgetown, a New Hampshire town meeting, in a rural Iowa community or at STAR*PAC's candidate forum with the governor in August.”