Before New Mexico gets too carried away with the recent successful test flight of Virgin Galactia’s SpaceshipTwo, here's a brutal counterpoint:

Andy Thomas, Australia's pre-eminent NASA astronaut, condemned the Virgin Galactic mission, describing it as, "go nowhere, dead-end technology." 

Dr. Thomas said:  "It's true that he will fly to the edge of space but he can't stay there. He falls right back down. It's really just a high altitude aeroplane flight and a dangerous one at that."

He said the technology for the spacecraft had little room to grow, adding: "You can't grow it, you can't make it big enough." Yet despite slamming the Virgin Galactic plan, he still broadly supports the Virgin Galactic project, because of the technological by-products it creates. He said: ”What he is spinning-off is the capability to launch satellites, small satellites from under the wing of an aircraft on a small booster."

The NM Spaceport will be back before the legislature in January seeking another  subsidy to keep the place going as it waits for Branson's dream of launching paying tourists into space is realized. And waits.

BILLY AND BILL

John Garcia, a cabinet secretary under Governor Gary Johnson, got his licks in on Big Bill here when he said Johnson deserves credit for initially getting the concept of a NM Spaceport going, even though a tax for it and its construction was done while Gov. Richardson was in office. Reader Cheryl Haaker gets in on the fun:

John Garcia stated, per your excellent blog "I’m waiting for the report that it was Big Bill Richardson who finally tracked down Billy the Kid…legend has it!" Well,  it was Big Bill who pardoned The Kid, though.

A MORNING CHUCKLE

Conservative reader James McClure comments on our Tuesday blog in which we wondered if the state's two US Senators could prod the White House into filling two long vacant federal judgeships in the state:

Joe, you gave me my morning a chuckle when you suggested Senators Udall and Heinrich use their “influence" to get two federal judges nominated for New Mexico. What influence? Our two senators have voted against nearly every Trump appointee and have slandered many of them in their role as partisan attack dogs. Their actions probably have placed judges for New Mexico at the bottom of the President’s list. Unless they promise to vote for the border wall.

Well, Senators can and do work across the aisle to get things done with the opposing party. Having said that, it's hard to recall a time when the state's congressional delegation will be more out of position in DC. In 2019 not one of the five members of the delegation will be a member of the party controlling the White House and Senate.

HERRELL PUSHBACK

After our GOP insiders were quoted here that they do not expect Yvette Herrell to mount a legal challenge over her loss of the southern congressional district seat to Democrat Xochitl Torres Small, the Herrell campaign (or what's left if it) raced to shoot that notion down, repeating that she is still weighing "legal action" as her campaign examines the absentee ballots from Dona Ana County.

Maybe she will find something that she thinks could overturn her 3,000 vote loss and will make some kind of case, however doubtful that may be. Anyway, the Gators take note of her pushback.

One thing she is not commenting on is the GOP Alligator declaration that she is going to make a second try for the seat in 2020. What about that, Yvette? No pushback there?

WHO IS THIS?

Who is this beautiful lady who once was near the pinnacle of political power in New Mexico?

This ranks among our favorite historical pics because for someone so young and glamorous there are few media photos of her and few articles. An air of mystery.

Since this is the season of giving, we'll put a gift card for lunch under the Christmas tree of a reader who gets it right. To level the playing field the Senior Alligators (you know who you are) are automatically disqualified.

This woman's life was deeply woven into the fabric of the state. The answer may surprise you.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018