Richardson's refusal to debate his Republican gubernatorial opponent is a cowardly, disgraceful move.

When someone snorts up a big loogie and spits it in your face in a show of contempt for you and your ideals, you should?

A. Spit back and crush their face with a vicious, anger-driven fist to the head.

B. Walk away.

C. Act like you deserved it and desire it again, stand there sheepishly while your antagonist repeatedly spits in your face and laughs at you, and give the spitter your unwavering support, money and affection.

D. Vow to never have anything to do with the creep again and to never again support the sleazeball for having such blatant and massive disrespect for you.

If you're a normal human being, you'd answer A and D. Anyone with even a shred of self-respect shouldn't and wouldn't put up with such abusive, disrespectful treatment.

If you're a typical, sheepish New Mexico voter, you'd answer C.

Governor Bill Richardson has just hurled a massive loogie in the faces of New Mexican voters by refusing to participate in any kind of live, televised debate with his Republican opponent John Dendahl. And the response by most voters in the state to that show of contempt will most likely be more affection, support, money and votes for Richardson come November.

It's sick, disgracraceful and pathetic behavior by Richardson and by the voters of this state.

Channel 4, KOB-TV has been trying for weeks to line up a televised debate between Richardson and Dendahl. Dendahl eagerly accepted. In fact, Dendahl has been trying to get a number of debates with our Spend All The Money governor.

But mighty Bill, the man who jets all over the world to free hostages, the man who wants to be president and lead us in the war against terrorism, the man who wants to be king, won't debate Dendahl--anywhere or anytime.

President Wannabe didn't want Dendahl to be allowed to take notes during the debate, and he wanted to be able to bring to the podium a long list of his own accomplishments as governor. It seems that Bill can't cite his own acomplishments without a written list.

Richardson's camp has tried to put one of the most insulting spins on the episode. They're saying that Dendahl is too negative and that they don't want him to tear down the state. And yesterday, they said it was Dendahl who backed out of the debate by refusing to participate in something that would not be televised live so all state votes could see the two in action.

The spin is a lie on Richardson's part. Channel 4 says that it was Richardson who killed the debate by steadfastly refusing to participate in a live, televised debate, or in one that would be broadcast later.

And by refusing to debate Dendahl, either live on TV or anywhere else, Richardson has spit in our faces.

We, the voters, the taxpayers of this state are the ones who are supposed to be in charge. It's supposed to be government of the people, by the people and for the people, not government of the politicians, by the politicians and for the politicians. The way we make our decisions on who to vote for is by seeing these people live, answering (hopefully) tough questions and responding to challenges from their opponents.

But big, ever popular, I Want to be President Bill Richardson, doesn't want to be subjected to questions that might make him look bad or that might make his opponent look smart and sharp. Your governor doesn't think you have the right to know more about him, to see how he answers questions on the fly and to see where he stands on issues that his whimpy, little, yipping, lapdog handlers haven't yet told him what he thinks about.

Bill Richardson is treating you with contempt. He's spitting in your faces, and most of you will probably just stand there and ask for more.

Richardson is doing this because he knows most voters will do nothing. They won't revolt. They won't storm the castle with pitchforks and torches while demanding to be treated with respect. They won't demand any more information about him than the propoganda that his highly-paid political consultants put in those 30-second TV and radio ads. He believes that he should control the flow of information and that voters are just there to scrounge for the crumbs he decides to throw them.

Richardson played organized baseball in his younger days. He was a pitcher. It's a good thing he never made it to the big leagues. If he did, he would have demanded that there be no batter in the box when he pitched. After all, it would be unfair to have a batter actually try to hit one of his pitches, wouldn't it? He would have been laughed out of the league for having such an insulting, cowardly attitude.

In refusing to debate Dendahl, Richardson is saying that he doesn't want an opponent in his political race. It's the same as a pitcher who's afraid of having a batter in the batter's box and fans in the stadium's seats.

And for that, New Mexico's voters should laugh Richardson out of politics.