The other day we recognized Tom Tancredo for having the (fleeting) common sense to recognize that the term “war on terror” was foolish. Now he goes right back to proving that he is “reprehensible” and “absolutely crazy,” to quote the US State Department:

“If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina,” Tancredo said. “That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong, fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent, or you will find an attack.”Tom Casey, a deputy spokesman for the State Department, told CNN’s Elise Labott that the congressman’s comments were “reprehensible” and “absolutely crazy.” Tancredo was widely criticized in 2005 for making a similar suggestion.
CNN.com – CNN Political Ticker

The Associated Press is reporting that Alan Keyes, the man who lost to Barack Obama by more than 40% in the 2004 Senate race, will try one more time to win the Whitehouse:

Alan Keyes, a Republican whose two previous runs for president ended in failure, is making a third try for the White House.
The Maryland conservative announced on his Web site that he filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Friday to make his candidacy official. He joins a crowded Republican field of nine candidates and is scheduled to participate Monday night at a debate involving lesser-known candidates in Florida.
The Associated Press: Keyes Makes 3rd Bid for Presidency

Oh Goody! Ron Paul and Mike Gravel haven’t been getting enough press to keep things entertaining in this race, but with Keyes in it, there should be at least a couple hours of excitement.

Yesterday Gov. Bill Richardson appeared on ABC News This Week and was asked by George Stephanopolis whether Sen. Chuck Schumer, the head of the Democratic Senate campaign committee had asked him to run for retiring Senator Pete Dominici’s seat, relinquishing his run for President:

Richardson replied “Well, yes, [and] a lot of other people. But I’m running for president. And I’m going to be the nominee. I’m not running for Senate.” New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici announced his retirement earlier in the week.
Political Radar: Gov Bill Richardson To Pass on New Mexico Senate Seat

Now I like Bill Richardson. He was a good congressman, served very well as our UN ambassador during the Clinton years, as well as Energy Secretary. He understands international issues as well as anyone running, and would make a great Secretary of State. He is faltering as a presidential contender, however, and would be doing us all a favor if he took Schumer up on that request.

Especially after he ventured into the debate on water policy:

The idea of piping Great Lakes water to faraway places seems to many like a pie-in-the-sky plan, but apparently not to Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson.In a sign of how fragile the Great Lakes could one day become as the nation’s population – and political clout – drifts west, the New Mexico governor told the Las Vegas Sun this week that he is interested in looking east to solve his region’s water shortages.

“I believe that Western states and Eastern states have not been talking to each other when it comes to proper use of our water resources,” Richardson told the Las Vegas Sun for a story published Thursday. “I want a national water policy. We need a dialogue between states to deal with issues like water conservation, water reuse technology, water delivery and water production. States like Wisconsin are awash in water.”

JS Online: A water query from out West

How about we just leave the water where it is and let the people move to where the resources will support them.

Hillary Clinton came out swinging, calling into doubt the International credentials of opponent Barack Obama, as recounted over at The Note, at Mickey Mouse dot com:

This cold-cock Tuesday from the smiling frontrunner, the eschewer of mudslinging, the rise-above-it-all leader: “Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face. I think we need a president with more experience than that,” said Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.
THE NOTE: Hillary Starts Playground Fight

This from the same woman who just a week ago was complaining to her fellow Democrats, “But when somebody starts throwing mud, at least we can hope that it’s both accurate and not right out of the Republican playbook.” Well, let’s look at that Republican playbook.

OBAMA’S TOP 5 FOREIGN POLICY CREDENTIALS Foreign Policy Credential #1: “Life Of Living Overseas” For 4 Years…In Elementary School: Obama Lived Overseas From Ages 6 To 10.
GOP.com | Republican National Committee :: Obama’s Foreign Policy Credentials

I’m not the only one to notice this overlap. Here is TPMElectionCentral‘s take on the same point.

The Note then goes on to mock Clinton mocking Obama:

But does mocking Sen. Barack Obama’s, D-Ill., international upbringing get Clinton traction? Surely by now Obama’s supporters (including those who see him as their second choice) know that his resume is light. They favor him because he represents a new direction, the change half of the magical “change and experience” formula.

Would Clinton supporters care if they were reminded that — around the time Obama was living in Indonesia — their candidate was a “Goldwater Girl”? And does she want to be reminded about those incredibly important trips she took as first lady like the one (as recounted in Carl Bernstein’s book) where she and Chelsea joined Sinbad and Sheryl Crowd in post-war Bosnia?

Tom Villsack, though, assures us that Hillary “assumed tremendous responsibility” on foreign affairs while her husband was president, as per Anne Kornblut of The Washington Post

The former Iowa governor, interviewed on MSNBC, said Clinton “There is no question she was the face of the administration in foreign affairs,” Vilsack said.Really? Hillary Clinton was the face of the Clinton administration in foreign affairs? More than, say, the secretary of state? Or his vice president? Or his, um, ambassador to the United Nations?

Au contraire, said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in the last of those jobs – -and is now seeking the presidency himself.

“Gov. Vilsack’s enthusiasm for his candidate has clouded his judgment,” Richardson spokesman Tom Reynolds said on Tuesday night. “Considering that Gov. Bill Richardson served as a Special Envoy and US Ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton, we take some exception to this opinion. I also think Madeline Albright might disagree too.”
Vilsack: Hillary Was ‘the Face of the Administration on Foreign Affairs’ | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

Oh yes, the gloves are off!