You can forget about that announced April 25 summit featuring Big Bill and NM Dem Party Chairman Brian Colon where they were supposed to discuss the fiasco that was the NM February 5 presidential caucus. The meeting is off. Insiders say the Guv is of no mind to put more attention on the blunder, but officially party executive director Josh Geise says the "meeting was canceled for scheduling reasons."

So will the state ever learn just exactly what the computer problems and voting list issues were and who shoulders the responsibility? Geise says "no silver bullet" has been found, and that the party is now concentrating on the June 3rd primary. He says the problems are still being examined but "we don't have someone over here working on it 24 hours a day."

Insiders say the major problem appears to be a fouling-up of the voter and precinct lists compiled by the party, but no one is saying for sure. When the now canceled summit was announced, Colon said he was forming a committee with Light Guv Diane Denish to look into what exactly went wrong. It appears we are going to have wait a while to find out.

The caucus was a black eye for the party. Problems included long lines because of the lack of voting locations and the difficulty of getting the votes counted because of the many provisional ballots that had to be cast. The summit was to address whether Dems here still wanted to have a caucus, instead of the June primary, to vote on their presidential preference. That discussion is going to continue, says Geise, but it won't happen April 25 with TV news rolling video of the caucus debacle then panning to Big Bill and party chairman Colon for an explanation. Right now, Geise says, there is no deadline for finding out exactly what went wrong. Eventually, he says, there should be a written report.

BRIAN AND BARACK

Besides being chair of the Dems, Colon is one of the oft discussed superdelegates to the Dem national convention. He briefly greeted Hillary upon her ABQ arrival Sunday for her fund-raiser with longtime Dem Ed Romero. She asked for his support, but he told her he was still uncommitted. But it would be surprising to see Colon go for Clinton. His main benefactor is Big Bill who has backed Obama and Colon is expected at some point to follow suit. If Obama can put Hillary away in the coming months, it will make it a lot easier for all the supers.

IS THAT BROOKS BROTHERS?

Commenting on blog coverage of Hillary's ABQ Sunday afternoon fund-raising visit, Linda Siegle jabs:

Joe, Please tell us what the boys are wearing at any of their fundraisers. I am so interested! And it is Senator Clinton not former first lady.

Lighten up, Linda. There's still room for us old school types. Besides, you know and I know the fashionistas want to know. However, the next time Obama sets down here, you'll be the first to know whether it's Brooks Brothers or Hickey Freeman. As for Hill, she holds both heavyweight titles, so why not use both?

MAKE IT A HUNDRED GRAND
Sen. Lopez
ABQ Dem State Senate candidate Michael Padilla e-mails in to say his revised budget to oust ABQ Dem State Senator Linda Lopez in the June primary is half of the original $200,000 he said he might spend.

We’re willing to use about half of what you mentioned to make sure we get our message to every voter. Our number one goal is to visit every registered Democrat in State Senate District 11 as many times as possible between now and June 3."

Of course, the Valley Alligators are pouncing on Padilla's largess. Writes one:

Padilla does not understand the marginal utility of a campaign dollar. It hits zero awfully quickly in a state senate race and may in fact go negative as people get fed up with a candidate's clear waste of money. Money does not matter unless a candidate has a winning message. What is his?

As for Padilla's message to Distrcit 10 voters, he says: "Our area of the state has been forgotten; it's turning into roof top city, severely lacks basic services like roads, sidewalks, drainage, drinkable water, sewer systems, etc.

As for Lopez, she was first elected to the seat in '96 and is chair of the Senate Rules Committee. She has never been known for high-profile campaigning, but it hasn't hurt her. Don't look for her to spend a hundred grand.

YES, IT'S THE SAME GUY

A reader asks about the fella kicked off the ballot over the residency requirement in the Senator James Taylor-Eric Griego ABQ Dem primary face-off.

Is this Al Armijo the same guy who ran against Linda Lopez last time? How many make believe houses does he have anyway? Didn't he get kicked off the ballot last time too? As a South Valley voter (not an Alligator) I am tired of these corrupto tactics. The voters see right through it. Like James Taylor and his boys had nothing to do with it? Yea right!!

Yes, it is the same Al Armijo. But who told you Alligators don't vote? They do. Early and often.

LOVE AND POLITICS

Big Bill and ABQ Mayor Marty often profess to loving their jobs, but this correspondent wonders:

Isn't it interesting how Bill and Marty both LOVE their jobs while spending a lot of time trying to get new ones? Oh well...

Remember, love is a many splendored thing.

Your E-mail is welcome.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2008
Not for reproduction without permission of the author