Ever get the feeling the Governor really doesn’t enjoy spending time in New Mexico. That whole visit-with-the-North-Koreans thing (subscription) didn’t go over too well in Washington, but Governor Richardson wasn’t about to let US foreign policy get in the way of some R & R in Asia, so he managed to come up with this:
Richardson is scheduled to meet in Tokyo with many of Japan’s top business and political leaders, his office said in a news release.
New Mexico is emerging as a leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cells, solar, wind and biomass energy. Japanese companies are looking to partner with companies in the U.S. to take advantage of the technologies, Richardson said.
So now the Governor is a business development officer for New Mexico tech start-ups. Too bad, he doesn’t feel the same way about advertising agencies.
A selection committee representing Gov. Bill Richardson’s office announced the nine finalists Tuesday.
But only one New Mexico candidate made the cut — Albuquerque-based Rick Johnson & Co. — and that has some observers wondering if the effort isn’t really aimed at helping Richardson become a viable presidential candidate.
The administration went out of their way to change the rules of the RFP so that companies with no intention of bringing jobs to New Mexico would compete.
Some national firms got into the act in May, when the state dumped a clause mandating that out-of-state agencies set up shop in New Mexico within 60 days of winning a contract.
I guess Governor Richardson is not a very big believer in New Mexico’s creative class.