ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDHOUSE: ANOTHER MAVERICK REPUBLICAN

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican

There’s a tradition in New Mexico of maverick Republicans. Think of Gov. Gary Johnson driving about half his party crazy with his advocacy of drug-law reform. Think of Gov. “Lonesome Dave” Cargo driving his party crazy with just about everything he said and did.

The latest to join the state’s maverick Republican ranks is Al Lopez, who is running against incumbent Democrat Sen. Phil Griego for the District 39 Senate seat. Lopez is calling for Northern New Mexican Republican candidates to hold press conferences “outlining that our candidacies are not promoting the re-election of President Bush.”

Lopez said this week that Bush has a “terrible credibility gap” with voters in his district — which includes parts of Santa Fe, San Miguel, Mora, Los Alamos and Taos counties. “When I go out and talk to voters, the two main things they want to talk about are George Bush and Bill Richardson,” he said.

“I am doing very well in establishing good relations with Hispanic Democrats, but the cross I have to bear in carrying the Republican banner is justifying being a Republican and answering questions regarding the Iraq war,” Lopez said.

Lopez pointed out that District 39 is not only heavily Democratic (65 percent), it voted significantly in favor of Al Gore in 2000.

But Lopez hasn’t completely jumped ship. He hasn’t endorsed John Kerry. At least not yet, he said.

“When (voters) ask me about Bush,” Lopez said, “I just tell them to think, listen, evaluate and decide for yourself. I’d rather be talking about issues related to District 39 — why Mora and San Miguel are ranked so low (in per capita income), how we can help Hispanic kids in trouble.”

More ship-jumping

Last week the local Republican Party welcomed Santa Fe City Councilor David Pfeffer, a Democrat who endorsed Bush. However, up in Los Alamos, the GOP has lost a city councilor.
Mike Wismer, according to the online Majure Report, has announced he switched his party affiliation from Republican to independent last month.

Wismer, a Desert Storm veteran, said Thursday that the Iraq War was the main reason for his switch.

“I am troubled by the political passion of those on the extreme right who seem to claim divine wisdom on political as well as spiritual matters,” he said in the Majure Report. “On the other side of the spectrum, I am put off by patronizing liberals who claim to know what is best for society but devote little thought as to who will pay the bills.”

Battling chairmen

They’re not quite as much fun as John Dendahl and Jamie Koch were a couple of years ago when Dendahl was state GOP chairman and Koch was his Democratic counterpart. But the new guys in those jobs — Republican Allen Weh and Democrat John Wertheim — are showing some promise in terms of political entertainment.

Last week, Weh was milking the national story about an anti-Bush group called America Coming Together hiring some felons to do door-to-door canvassing in other states.
“ACT has admitted to sending felons convicted of sex crimes and assault to conduct voter registration efforts in as many as 17 states,” Weh wrote to Wertheim, a missive that was provided to the press, of course.

“Despite initial willingness to clarify their hiring process they now refuse to say whether they sent a murderer and a rapist door to door.”

Pointing out that New Mexico was “the last state in the country to pass a real Megan’s Law,” which he said has made the state “a haven for violent sexual predators,” Weh said to Wertheim: “I hope you will make clear that the Democratic Party of this state, under your direction, is not using similar tactics to register voters.”

This week, Wertheim shot back a letter to Weh — also sent to the press, of course — arguing that ACT isn’t part of the Democratic Party.

Wertheim also twisted the knife.

“Your objections to the employment of felons are belied by the candidacy of convicted felon John Ryan in New Mexico’s tenth Senate District,” he said.

“As you recall, Mr. Ryan pleaded guilty and was convicted for his participation in a burglary and extortion scheme in 1980.”

When Johnson was governor, he pardoned Ryan.

Finally Wertheim told Weh: “I know yours is a stressful job, and that sometimes we all need to get away for a little while and clear our heads. Movies can be helpful in this regard.

“For your enjoyment, I have enclosed two tickets for you and a friend to Fahrenheit 911. Enjoy.”

GOP Executive Director Greg Graves said Wednesday that Weh hasn’t received Wertheim’s letter — or the tickets.

“We weren’t asking (Wertheim) to be cute,” Graves said. “This is a very serious thing.”
He said Weh has no interest in seeing Michael Moore’s movie.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAY LIST

Sunday, June 27, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
What a Wonderful World by Joey Ramone
Wall of Death by Richard & Linda Thompson
If New Orleans is Beat by The Tragically Hip
World Leader Pretend by R.E.M.
Country at War by X
Together We're Heavy by The Polyphonic Spree
Runaway Child by The Funk Brothers

Drink to Me, Babe, Then by A.C. Newman
Jazzman by Eric Burdon
In the Garden by Van Morrison
That's So Amazing by Michelle Shocked
It's All in the Game by Tommy Edwards
Little Miss Strange by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
When Doves Cry by Patti Smith

PRINCE SET
All Songs by Prince except where noted

Life O The Party
Let's Go Crazy
U Got the Look (with Sheena Easton)
The Future
Little Red Corvette by The Gear Daddies
One of Us
Cinnamon Girl
Superfunkycalifragicsexy
Dirty Mind
Raspberry Beret by Hindu Love Gods
I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
The Cross by The Blind Boys of Alabama
Dear Mr. Man
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

Somehow my story about last week's threat to Gov. Richardson didn't make it to The New Mexican's web site. I'll post it here.

As published in the Santa Fe New Mexican

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

But when there’s a security threat going against the state Homeland Security Office, Homeland Security goes home.

At least that’s what happened this week when a woman called the Homeland Security Office threatening to shoot Gov. Bill Richardson, politicians in general and unnamed “Mexicans.”

According to Peter Olson, spokesman for the state Public Safety Department, a woman walked into the state Transportation Department and asked to use the phone Thursday afternoon shortly before 4 p.m.

She then called Homeland Security. Referring to “politicians,” the woman threatened to “line them up, Bill (Richardson) first, and get rid of them one by one.”

According to Olson’s press release, “The woman said approximately ten times in the conversation that she would ‘get a gun to shoot Mexicans.’ She stated that the next time a Mexican violated her rights; she would ‘shoot them.’

“The woman kept referring to immigration policies and used racial slurs against Mexicans throughout the course of the conversation,” Olson said.

Richardson was in Boston Thursday, attending meetings for the upcoming Democratic National Convention, of which he is chairman.

The woman’s image was captured on a security camera. However, she left the office before police arrived.

Homeland Security employees were sent home Thursday afternoon, Olson said. The office reopened Friday morning.

Annette Sobel, director of the Homeland Security Office, couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.

A spokeswoman for the governor’s office declined to comment referring questions to Public Safety Secretary John Denko.

Denko was quoted in the press release saying, “This represents another example of the increasing number of threats made against Governor Richardson since he assumed office in January of 2003. All security precautions will be taken to insure his safety.”

In the past year Denko and other administration officials have given security as a reason for Richardson’s state police drivers driving at 100 mph speeds and for not disclosing some details of Richardson’s travels.

But Olson said Friday couldn’t quantify how much the threats had been increasing because he didn’t know how many threats have been made against Richardson.

“We haven’t been keeping track,” he said.

State police have investigated threats against the governor that have included phone calls as well as “people yelling things from crowds,” Olson said.

Few of the threats have been publicized. In January, state police evacuated most of the Capitol — although reporters in the press room were not told to leave — for a police bomb squad to investigate a “suspicious package” in Richardson’s parking space in the underground parking garage. The governor wasn’t in the building.

Police haven’t disclosed details about the package. No arrests were ever made.

KELL ROBERTSON IN NO DEPRESSION

I just got the latest issue of No Depression in the mail today and it includes my piece on Santa Fe poet/singer/madman/drunk/angel-headed hipster/goodtime guy Kell Robertson.

The story's not available online, which means you'll have to go to the store and buy it. (Quaint little notion, no?) In Santa Fe you can find it at Borders and Hastings. It's the issue with Dave Alvin on the cover. (If it's not in the stores quite yet, have patience. It will be soon.)

It also includes this snapshot I took of Kell at Cafe Oasis a couple of months ago.

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAY LIST

The Santa Fe Opry
Friday, June 25, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Host: Steve Terrell
Guest Co-Host: Laurell Reynolds

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
From a Jack to a King by Cornell Hurd
Honey Babe by Vassar Clements with Maria Muldaur
Believe by Robbie Fulks
Midnight Shift by Los Lobos
Oh Lonesome Me by Johnny Cash
I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl Again by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Sink Hole by Drive-By Truckers
Matty Groves by ThaMuseMeant

Mental Revenge/I'm It All Up To You by Linda Rondstadt
My One Desire by Freakwater
Crawling From the Wreckage by Graham Parker
Bring It On Home To Me by The Flatlanders
Everybody's Talkin' At Me by Emmylou Harris
Ashgrove by Dave Alvin
Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell

Cool and Dark Inside by Kell Robertson
St. Mary of the Woods by James McMurtry
Paper in my Shoe by Michelle Shocked
Never Let the Devil Get the Upper Hand on You by Marty Stuart
Lonesome Valley by Jon Dee Graham
Walking After Midnight by Patsy Cline
The Bottle Let Me Down by Emmylou Harris
Don't Gossip in the Sauna by Emily Kaitz

Kind Woman by Buffalo Springfield
Hesitating Beauty by Billy Bragg & Wilco
She's a Mystery to Me by Roy Orbison
I Guess I've Come to Live Here In Your Eyes by Willie Nelson
Woman Walk the Line by Emmylou Harris
Young and Beautiful by Elvis Presley
Dreaming My Dreams by Waylon Jennings
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list.