RICHARDSON IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
June 3, 2007

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Gov. Bill Richardson spent Saturday morning with Democratic activists at a political convention, but he spent part of the afternoon personally seeking Hispanic voters in an urban neighborhood.

Richardson and his entourage — followed by a gaggle of reporters and photographers — stopped in at several local Latino-owned businesses on Union Street, speaking to supporters, potential supporters and curious neighborhood kids in English and Spanish.

“I’m running for president as an American who is Hispanic,” he told a crowd jammed into the Don Quijote restaurant. “I want to be president of the whole country.”

But one man who talked to the crowd a few minutes later said Hispanos should vote for Richardson because “he’ll take care of us.”

Hispanics are a small but growing minority in the Granite State, making up an estimated 14 percent of the population. According to some reports, the Hispanic population has grown 80 percent in the past decade.

The New Hampshire primary, scheduled for late January 2008, is the first primary in the presidential campaign.

On his walk down Union Street, Richardson was accompanied by several local politicians and political activists, including state Rep. Lily Mesa and Manchester Alderman Mike Lopez.

Although he initially said he wanted to eat some tacos at Don Quijote and shouted out an order to owner Sandra Sepulveda, his handlers hustled him out of the cafe for his short trip down the street.

He stopped at the home of a family named Zapata, knocking on the door ostensibly to ask if he could put a “Richardson for President” sign in the front yard. Apparently the family already had agreed to let him to do this. However, a next-door neighbor came out and asked the Richardson team if she could have a sign as well. The governor happily obliged.

Even before Richardson’s appearance, several of his signs dotted the street.

Richardson stopped into the Tropical Food Market, where he joked with a clerk. He also made the rounds at the Latin Style Men’s Hair Salon, talking to customers as well as the barbers.

“How much you charge for a haircut?” he asked owner Tomas Barrera, who replied, $15.
“How much for bad hair like mine?” Richardson asked. “$50?”

Barrera said he’d cut it for free if Richardson promised to have his first haircut “after you’re elected president” at Latin Style.

Richardson promised that if elected, he’d do that.

Earlier in the day, Richardson was one of several presidential candidates to speak at the New Hampshire state Democratic convention, which was held in the gymnasium of a middle school in Concord, the state capital. Several delegates and other attendees noted there was no air conditioning in the hot gym.

“I cut my speech short because I saw people were sweating,” Richardson joked with reporters following his appearance.

Apparently only “second-tier” candidates showed up for Saturday’s event. Richardson’s speech followed talks by Sens. Joe Biden and Chris Dodd and Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Each got a resounding reception from the delegates, who were generous with their standing ovations.

A couple dozen Richardson volunteers stood at the side of the stage and cheered as Richardson spoke. They were enthusiastic, but not as loud as Dodd’s supporters, who used inflatable plastic “thunder sticks” to increase the decibels when they applauded their candidate.

Among Richardson’s supporters at the convention were Walter “Butch” Maki and his wife, Patty Maki, who parked their sleek bus — decorated with Richardson banners — across the street from Rundlett Middle School.

Butch Maki — a former Richardson congressional staff member who now lives in his native New Hampshire — is a former Santa Fe resident who still owns a large lobbying firm in New Mexico. As he held a Richardson sign to greet people walking up the driveway to the school, he said he’s mainly been working on Richardson’s campaign in recent months.

TERRELL'S TUNEUP: REUNION RIOTS

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
June 1, 2007


Am I just becoming a sentimental old coot or are “reunion” albums not as crass and cheesy as they used to be? Specifically, I’m talking about amazingly enjoyable, hard-rocking new efforts by The Stooges and Dinosaur Jr.

Back in the old days, reunions by groups like The Byrds, The Animals, and Jefferson Airplane ranged between pathetic and disappointing.

The early 1990s Velvet Underground reunion had its moments, but, like your average casino-circuit oldies act, the group stuck with its old material, not attempting to come up with new songs.

The Band, minus Robbie Robertson, did three albums in the ’90s. The first one, Jericho, had a few good songs (including some old recordings by Richard Manuel, who killed himself in 1986). The next one, High on the Hog, was surprisingly weak. I seem to recall a friend sending me a tape of the last one, Jubilation, but I don’t even remember any of the songs.

Perhaps the recent trend of decent reunions was started by Mission of Burma, the Boston-based post-punk band that re-formed earlier this decade and made two albums, Onoffon and The Obliterati, both of which stand up well beside the group’s 1980s work.

Let’s look at The Stooges and Dinosaur Jr.

The Weirdness is the first full album by The Stooges since a few years ago, when Iggy Pop and the brothers Asheton buried whatever hatchets had led to the destruction of the original band back in the mid-’70s. The Stooges have done at least one tour together and recorded a few songs that appeared on Iggy’s 2003 “solo” album, Skull Ring.

Bass stud Mike Watt (The Minutemen, Firehose) takes the place of Dave Alexander, who died in 1975. Original Stooge sax maniac Steve MacKay joins the band on some cuts here (though I wouldn’t have minded if he played on all of them).

I realize I’m swimming against the critical current in praising The Weirdness. Most of the reviews I’ve seen for this album have been scathing.

“An album that hideously disgraces the band’s original work,” Pitchfork proclaims.

“Pop’s lyrics about his penis and ATMs are beyond self-parody,” The Guardian sniffs.

“This is not the sound of a band with anything on the line,” The Austin Chronicle laments.

Give me a break. This is the dadgum Stooges we’re talking about. The band rose to glory on its intensified slop and clamor and dum-dum lyrics. The Stooges has always been proudly way beyond self-parody.

“Last year I was 21/I didn't have a lot of fun,” Iggy sang in “1969,” on the group’s self-titled first album. “And now I’m gonna be 22/I say oh my and a boo-hoo.”

Oh my. Boo hoo.

These are a bunch of guys on the far side of middle age. Iggy recently turned 60, and Ron Asheton and Scott Asheton are around that age. They aren’t hungry kids anymore. And they’re not breaking any new barriers like they did in their first incarnation. They’re old guys with massive chips on their shoulders; as Jerry Lee Lewis would say, they’re “middle-age crazy, trying to prove (they) still can.”

And the geezers are relentless. Nearly every song here rocks like the studio is about to explode. Ron Asheton strangles his guitar as if he’s trying to kill it.

Sure, you can imagine them all panting for breath and almost collapsing after every song. Maybe that’s part of the weird fun of The Weirdness.

Like Nick Cave on Grinderman, Iggy sounds more lecherous than lusty. But again, that’s part of the wicked charm of this record. He might not seem as dangerous as the Iggy of old (or as Grinderman, for that matter), but his disturbing combination of arrogance and creepiness is a marvel to behold.

The climax of The Weirdness is the last song, “I’m Fried.” It builds up to a bloody, musical punch-out between Ron Asheton and MacKay. I’ve heard very little stuff from youngsters and critical darlings that matches this inspired craziness.

As for Dinosaur Jr., with his long, graying hair, J. Mascis looks like he’s turning into Dinosaur Sr. This band’s history isn’t nearly as tumultuous, much less as essential, as that of The Stooges. But, going back to the mid-’80s, it was a vital group whose sound helped shape and inspire the great grunge groups. Mascis’ blaring guitar and mumbled vocals created a roaring but vulnerable persona that summed up much of the spirit of indie rock at the time.

Even without knowing the history of these musicians, Beyond is a dynamic and timeless rock ’n’ roll record. Beyond is not only the first new Dinosaur Jr. album in a decade, it also marks the reunion of Mascis and original member Lou Barlow, who left the band in the late ’80s to form another fine band called Sebadoh. That band was either more grating and discordant than Dino Jr. or more melodic, depending on the song. (I still say Roy Orbison should return from the dead just to record “Soul and Fire,” my favorite Barlow/Sebadoh song.)

Barlow contributes a couple of songs (and lead vocals) on Beyond. Both “Back to Your Heart” and “Lightning Bulb” are strong tracks, but this is mainly Mascis’ show.

Mascis is one of the only true guitar giants of indie rock. He makes the guitar solo an honorable thing in a genre that tends to turn its nose up at guitar solos. While his style owes little or nothing to the blues, like the best blues guitarists, Mascis infuses his solos with so much emotion that everything else seems almost superfluous. This is best illustrated by the last half of the six-minute “Pick Me Up,” which is one of Dinosaur Jr.’s finest moments of any decade.

Though Mascis is the main attraction, I believe that there’s real chemistry between him and Barlow. After all, when Barlow left, each Dino album became progressively less consequential.

Until now. I hope this reunion isn’t a one-shot deal.

NEW HAMPSHIRE BOUND

I'll be in Manchester and Concord, N.H. this weekend covering Gov. Bill Richardson's latest campaign trip there.

On Sunday night, starting about 5 p.m. Mountain Time, I'll be live blogging the debate, which is being shown on CNN. You can find that here on this very blog.

I've also promised to do a call-in with The New Mexican's Web site, which plans to run the audio.

I'll probably even snap a few photos up there. Check this site, The New Mexican, and my dynamic FLICKR page.

Here's a look at Richardson's schedule this weekend:

Saturday, June 2

New Hampshire- Eastern Time
WHEN: 9 am
WHAT: House Party at the Home of Jim Stevenson
WHERE: 468 Webster Street, Manchester, NH

WHEN: 10:30 am
WHAT: New Hampshire Democratic Convention
WHERE: 144 South Street, Rundlett Middle School, Concord, NH


WHEN: 1:45 pm
WHAT: The Governor will walk Union Street with Lily Mesa, Eva Castillo,
and Sonia Parra, ending at Don Quijote Restaurant
WHERE: Start at 362 Union Street, Manchester, NH

Iowa- Central Time
WHEN: 4:30 pm
WHAT: The Governor will participate in PrideFest 2007
WHERE: Greene Square Park, Cedar Rapids, IA

WHEN: 5:30 pm
WHAT: Iowa Hall of Fame Dinner
WHERE: Crowne Plaza, Five Seasons Hotel, 350 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA

Sunday, June 3

New Hampshire- Eastern Time
WHEN: 7:00 pm
WHAT: CNN, WMUR and the Union Leader 2008 Democratic Presidential Debate
WHERE: St. Anselm College, Manchester, NH

WHEN: Following the debate
WHAT: Debate Watch and post-debate party
WHERE: Richardson for President NH Headquarters, 545 Hookset Rd., Manchester, NH

I won't be going to Iowa with the campaign.

And I won't be doing my radio shows this weekend either. Laurell is sitting in for the Santa Fe Opry Friday, while Dan will be doing Terrell's Sound World Sunday night. Hear them on KSFR, 90.7 FM.

ROUNDHOUSE ROUNDUP: LITTLE JOY IN BLOGVILLE FOR BILL

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
May 31, 2007

The reviews are in, and there’s little joy in Blogville over Gov. Bill Richardson’s network-television performance Sunday on Meet the Press.

A quick survey of Google’s blog search shows overwhelming criticism about the presidential contender’s answers when asked about his initial support for the Iraq war, changing his opinion on the latest immigration bill, serving on oil-company boards, shifting positions on gun laws, his response to a dead Marine’s mother who says she’s been politically exploited and New Mexico’s embarrassing rankings in national statistics on poverty, crime and education.

Connecticut journalist Colin McEnrow, who blogs on the Hartford Courant’s Web site — and says he “kind of likes” Richardson — wrote, “I have to assume that, when they cut to a break, Richardson vomited into a waste basket. It was that bad.”

Comments on the liberal Daily Kos blog also largely were critical. One Kos commentator was “flabbergasted” by the interview, writing in all-lower-case: “he’s obviously a very bright and talented guy, but he was absolutely terrible in an hour long, one on one setting. he seemed to embody so many of the common stereotypes about dems, especially the ones about not taking firm positions. … get thee to a media trainer, bill.”

Mainstream Web media also was harsh. MSNBC’s First Read had this to say about the appearance: “If you missed Bill Richardson’s appearance on ‘Meet’ on Sunday, the campaign is probably pleased.”

Slate’s John Dickerson wrote perhaps the most blistering review, saying Richardson “self-destructed.”

“Richardson is a world-famous hostage negotiator, so it was poignant to watch him fail to rescue himself from his own hostage crisis,” he wrote. “By the end of the hour, he wasn’t answering questions so much as swatting at them. … Sometimes, he contradicted himself within just a few breaths. After explaining why he changed positions on the assault-weapons ban, he broadly asserted, ‘I don’t change my positions.’ ”

Missed opportunities: Some bloggers complained the show’s host, Tim Russert, was too rough on the governor. Some even charged the interviewer tends to go softer on Republicans.

But there were a couple of times that Russert let him slide.

For example, when he played the Richardson “interview” ad, he could have questioned why Richardson was bragging about getting a “cease-fire” in Darfur when that agreement he helped negotiate was being broken before the ink was even dry.

And when Richardson gave his standard “I had to make a living” answer when asked about serving on oil company boards, Russert could have said, “What? Henry Kissinger was paying minimum wage?” (During that period when he was on the oil company boards — between jobs as energy secretary and governor — Richardson was senior managing director of Kissinger McLarty Associates, an international consulting firm headed by the former secretary of state.)

For his part, Richardson missed a chance when he was explaining the different stories about a conversation he says took place at the funeral of a Marine killed in Iraq. (Richardson says Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin’s mother talked to him about death benefits are for those killed in action. The mom denies ever having that conversation.) The gov could have scored points with Democrats by saying, “At least I go to some of these funerals of our soldiers and Marines killed in this war — unlike a certain commander-in-chief.”


Stee-rike!: What seemed to get the most reaction, however, is the grave national issue of Richardson’s torn allegiance between the Boston Red Sox and The New York Yankees.

This not only upset fans of both teams, but those who said his statements make him look like a pandering politician.

A New Hampshire blog called No Looking Backwards railed against Richardson’s latest baseball dilemma in a post called “How to Be a Carnivore and a Vegetarian.”

But all the above is wrong: At least according to Richardson’s campaign Web site, which found some blogs that praised Richardson’s performance. One, called The Appletonian, boldly declares the governor “did pretty well.” (Bizarre! That post was up Wednesday afternoon. But by the time I posted this column on the Web it had disappeared from the site.)

Richardson spokesman Pahl Shipley blogs that “Gov. Richardson was candid and direct and handled the tough questions well. He looked very Presidential.”

But Shipley might have been on an intense caffeine and sugar high: “The coffee in the green room at NBC is great and the pastries are sinful — I had too many while watching the governor’s appearance.”

More Bill TV: Richardson will surely have an easier time on his next national television appearance. C-SPAN, cable television’s public-affairs network, plans to show the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame dinner Saturday, where Richardson and some of his rivals are scheduled to speak. That begins live at 5:30 p.m. MDT.

The next night, Richardson is to participate in a Democratic presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire on CNN, which shows here at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Adios Villaraigosa: Besides those reviews of his Meet the Press appearance, the Richardson campaign got some bad news this week when Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles, endorsed U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in the California primary.

Richardson supported the Hispanic mayor’s 2005 campaign, during which New Mexico’s Democratic Party sent six staffers to Los Angeles to help with the effort. Richardson launched his campaign in Los Angeles this month, though the mayor was conspicuously absent.

“I know Bill Richardson quite well, and I think I’ll say his strength is his experience and his record, not his ethnicity,” Villaraigosa told The New York Times.

But apparently that strength wasn’t strong enough to get the endorsement.

R.I.P. LAURA ELLEN

The music in Heaven just got better this week.

Laura Ellen Hopper of KPIG Radio in Watsonville, Calif. died Monday. You can read her obit HERE.

I didn't know her well. Never met her face-to-face. But I recall how nice to me she was when my CD came out back in 1996. She not only put it on the KPIG play list for awhile, but she wrote a letter of recommendation to another station for me. And she told me not to get discouraged by stations that weren't cool enough to play the type of stuff we like.

Most importantly, I admired her work. KPIG is one of the cooler commercial stations on the face of the planet. And before she created KPIG, she co-founded KFAT, which had to be the coolest station in the Universe.

Laura Ellen will be missed.