Richardson Meets the Press -- and Melts Down

Over Memorial Day weekend, I went to my hometown's parade, consisting mostly of fire trucks and Masons in antique cars, ate barbecue and witnessed Death by Talk Show.

No person of sound body and mind would be inside watching television on a holiday weekend, so you can discount my conclusion if you'd like. But while everyone else was out playing the sport of their choice, I saw Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson get rattled, come undone and finally condense into a puddle on the studio floor of Meet the Press.

It wasn't as if he had called himself a "hunter'' when he had only gone after "varmints,'' as Mitt Romney did, or sat for a $400 haircut after being memorialized primping on YouTube to the tune "I Feel Pretty,'' as did John Edwards. It was much, much worse.

Richardson's performance on Meet the Press was an hour of unrelieved ducking and running, revealing the immature temperament of a sticky-handed 6-year old who won't admit the cookie jar is empty even when confronted with the evidence.

The only person to benefit from his appearance is Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, who like sensible people everywhere was enjoying the holiday, it being his 63rd birthday that day. Here was an unexpected gift, a boost to first place in the second tier of candidates.

Read the whole column here.