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It probably goes without saying that I avidly support appointing Latinos to key positions within the Obama administration, but I've always been hesitant about Bill Richardson. Not only is it well known behind the Democratic scenes that he has certain horndoggy vulnerabilities in his personal life, but he's always carried a certain air of corruptibility peculiar to Western politicians. I know that scent well and it always made me leery.

So I can't say I'm sorry to see him bow out, because my gut instinct was that he spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E for Democrats generally and the Obama Administration in particular.

His press conference today did nothing to alter that impression, especially when he flatly refused to discuss the investigation into the influence-peddling matter and wouldn't even say whether or not he had lawyered up. It all smells very fishy to me.

Note that Richardson wants us to think he had been perfectly forthcoming with the Obama transition team about the case. Turns out that's not true either.

I'm just glad all this happened before confirmation hearings arrived.

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Where better to get reasonable analysis of the Veep sweepstakes than the GOP Propaganda office...er, FOXNews? As far as FOXNews is concerned (okay, to be fair, pretty much everyone else too), the race is over and now it is time for Obama to pick his running mate. Of course, the FOX punditocracy would love for it to be Hillary Clinton, because they can just recycle the same smears she's been vetted, and doubly beneficial it gives them a continued outlet to get their Bubba-hate on. Even the token "voice of reason," Juan Williams, says that the biggest negative of picking Hillary is not the strained relationship between the two rivals, but the out-of-control Bill.

Kristol: I think Bill Clinton-I've thought about this-I assume is intrigued by a Obama/Clinton ticket about a week ago. I think Bill Clinton is probably the showstopper there though. It's just too complicated. She can't even control him when she's running for President, how could she...how could Obama control him if she's on the ticket as the VP nominee? It think it's just too...the addition of him to her and all that baggage is just too much.

Williams: So I think it would unify the party, I think these are two candidates that are very popular with Democrats across the board and the downside is what Bill said, that Bill Clinton would be in the mix and Barack Obama would have to be watching his back all the time, because you don't know what these people are up to-they're trying to overshadow you, that will be a problem.

For added fun, the Washingtonian expands the guessing game to suggest who might be on an Obama Cabinet.