Politicos hoping to curry favor with Governor in waiting Diane Denish may want to avoid blowing all their spare cash on this year's turkey dinner. The Lt. Gov is scheduled to throw her first major fundraiser since it became evident Big Bill would move out of the Guv's chair and into the Obama cabinet. The early evening reception will be held at Yanni's restaurant in ABQ December 9 and is going for $1000 a head. The money also makes you a member of the "Denish Cabinet." And what are the major benefits of being a member of that group? Why, you get to give more money to Diane during the year. And you thought all the holiday bargains were at Wal-Mart.

Denish has already raised about $1.4 million for her 2010 run for a four year term for governor. When Bill goes East, she will fill out the remaining two years on his second term. She is hoping all her money won't be needed for an expensive and contentious primary battle with fellow Democrats, but you never know. With Denish slated to lead state government within two months, the hangers-on, the favor-seekers and the professional sycophants could make Di's December date one of the most popular, albeit, expensive Christmas parties in town.

A SLOW DEATH

Eclipse Aviation continued its slow death march with a bankruptcy filing Tuesday. Various government officials (in the spirit of Thanksgiving we won't name names) were actually trying to spin that the bankruptcy was good news and that Eclipse will recover. But did you notice that when Eclipse announced recently that it could not meet its payroll on time, it was reported there were 1,100 employees at the ABQ Westside company. Well, that number shrunk to 945 in the reports announcing the bankruptcy filing. Insiders with knowledge of the situation tell us Eclipse employees have been bailing out, knowing the end is very likely near. The company received millions of dollars of direct cash as well as major tax breaks from the state and ABQ governments. The bankruptcy will keep it on life-support for a while longer but seeing what is left of Eclipse moved over to Europe will not surprise anyone.

ANOTHER GUV GOING

We're not the only southwest state apparently set to lose a governor to the Obama administration. Dems in Arizona have a political mess on their hands now that Governor Janet Napolitano, an ABQ native, has emerged as the top pick to lead the Homeland Security Department. Arizona has no lieutenant governor so the Republican Secretary of State, Jan Brewer, would fill out Napolitano's term. While having a woman governor would be a first-time deal in New Mexico, it's not that way in neighboring Arizona. Brewer would be that state's third consecutive female chief executive.

US ATTORNEY

Do we have room on the ever-expanding list for those who would like Obama and Jeff Bingaman to know that they would like to be NM's new US Attorney? Why not? Add the name of John Bigelow of Santa Fe, chairman of the NM Sentencing Commission and former NM Chief Public Defender. He says he is interested. Hear that Senator Jeff?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We'll take a break with you and be back here Monday, unless something politically crazy happens in New Mexico, which probably will. Happy Thanksgiving, and please accept our thanks for your continued interest in our corner of the world.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2008
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