20 December 2005

Noticed a story about the "touchy feely-ness" of New Mexico Governor (and potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate) Bill Richardson in the Albuquerque Journal. This quote jumped out at me: "Governor Bill Richardson likes to touch people. He hugs, pokes, jabs and tickles. If he sees a man with a bald pate, he rubs it. Looking to start a conversation, he might lean forward and head-butt someone— male or female."

That quote stuck out for me because I've been the target of one of Richardson's head-butts. I was at another cable news show at the time. During this particular show I asked the host (through his earpiece) to ask the Governor if he was running for president. The host then posed the question and said -- on the air -- that "his producer" (me) was the one who wanted to know. (Richardson -- like most smart politicians -- coyly and demurely avoided answering: ("Oh, I'm not focused on that right now. I LOVE being the governor of New Mexico, blah, blah, blah.") After the show I went out on the set and after finding out that I was the producer in question, the Governor proceeded to give me a head-butt. I rememeber it being quite disarming -- and endearing.