In New Mexico, when someone stares at you in an angry, direct manner, it's known as "mad dogging." As in, 'That guy is mad dogging me after I insulted his green chile.')
The next time he visits New Mexico, Al White should expect to be seriously mad dogged.
White, the director of the Colorado Tourism Office, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal riffing on our neighbor to the south's rebranding campaign. The state recently pledged $2.5 million to the cause, to which White responded:
The [recent article about] New Mexico's rebranding says that the state is looking to Colorado, which "routinely gets praised in focus groups," as a model. So how about this for a theme: "New Mexico . . . just south of Paradise!" That would have saved New Mexico the $2.5 million it spent on the effort.
Reached for comment by New Mexico's KRQE, White clarified his statement was meant only as a joke. He also added the comment wasn't his to begin with -- someone in Wyoming had chided Colorado with the same expression a couple years ago. Still, White apologized for the wisecrack.
At a function Monday, White said he had yet to hear from the New Mexico Tourism Department, but according to Westword, some attendees did ask him about the matter.