The XX Factor: Slate women blog about politics, etc...

At Least We Know Who's the Unsafe Candidate

You might be right, Melinda, that experience doesn't make Hillary Clinton or John McCain the "safe" candidate in light of the Bhutto assassination. (I'll admit I've found myself warming to McCain while he survived the greatly exaggerated reports of his death, and as the other GOP candidates I thought I might support have begun flailing.) But (via the excellent Ed Morrissey) I hope that we can agree that Bill Richardson is a wildly dangerous candidate in comparison.

Here's what Gov. Richardson had to say:

President Bush should press Musharraf to step aside, and a broad-based coalition government, consisting of all the democratic parties, should be formed immediately. Until this happens, we should suspend military aid to the Pakistani government. Free and fair elections must also be held as soon as possible. It is in the interests of the U.S. that there be a democratic Pakistan that relentlessly hunts down terrorists. Musharraf has failed, and his attempts to cling to power are destabilizing his country. He must go.

Really? He wants President Bush to overthrow the government of another country? This does lend credence, though, to your theory, Melinda, that "experience" might not be what we're looking for. Richardson's own Web site touts his experience and brags that "Governor Richardson knows the Middle East, and he knows diplomacy can work there," and this is the best he can come up with?