New Mexico in Focus; 525; CD1 Candidate Hopeful Janice Arnold Jones / Top 10-6 Stories of 2011

>> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS - JANICE ARNOLD JONES ON HER RUN FOR THE CRITICAL FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT. >> WHEN YOU'RE UP, TELL THEM HONESTLY, TELL THEM WHERE YOU STAND, AND DON'T, DON'T JUST GIVE IN JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUR LEADER. >> PLUS, THE TOP TEN STORIES OF THE YEAR. OUR COUNTDOWN STARTS NOW - AND SO DOES NEW MEXICO INFOCUS. >> THE OPENING OF THE SPACEPORT, THE FATE OF CHIMPANZEES KEPT FOR TESTING IN ALAMOGORDO, THE NEAR-UPSET OF A LONGTIME SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, ALL ARE STORIES FROM 2011 THAT DID NOT MAKE OUR LIST OF THE YEAR'S TOP TEN BIGGEST HEADLINES. BUT OVER THE NEXT TWO SHOWS, WE'LL RUN DOWN THE MOST NOTEWORTHY NEWS OF 2011. ALSO THIS WEEK, JANICE ARNOLD JONES. AFTER A SPIN IN THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SHE'S MAKING A RUN AT THE CONGRESS. WE'LL TALK TO HER ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN BATTLE TO RETAKE NEW MEXICO'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THERE'S A LOT TO GET TO THIS WEEK, SO OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE BIGGEST STORIES OF 2011

STARTS NOW. >> WE'LL START WITH INTRODUCTIONS THIS WEEK. OUR REGULAR PANELISTS ARE JOINED BY TWO GUESTS. FREELANCE JOURNALIST LAURA PASKUS IS BACK WITH US. SHE'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN SHE'S HERE. AS IS ROB NIKOLEWSKI OF NEW MEXICO WATCHDOG -- HE DOES GREAT WORK -- AN ONLINE PROJECT FUNDED BY THE RIO GRANDE FOUNDATION. AS ALWAYS, ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY LAURA SANCHEZ, IS HERE, ALONG WITH SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT SOPHIE MARTIN. DESPITE HIS FIRST YEAR OUT OF THE ROUNDHOUSE, FORMER GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON CRACKED OUR TOP 10 - BUT NOT THE WAY HE PROBABLY WANTED TO. WALLSTREET JOURNAL JUMPED ON A STORY THAT FIRST RAN IN THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL: A GRAND JURY IS ASKING QUESTIONS THAT MAY INVOLVE A PAYOFF TO A WOMAN THREATENING A SEXUAL HARRASSMENT LAWSUIT, USING CAMPAIGN DOLLARS. ROB, IT JUST SEEMS THAT THE GOVERNOR -- THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THIS TETHER TO NEW MEXICO, THE CAUGHT-BY-THE-ANKLE HERE. WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DETAILS, BUT THE SMELL TEST IS PRETTY -- >> YEAH, IT IS. BILL RICHARDSON IS THE GIFT THAT JUST KEEPS ON GIVING.

HE'S ALWAYS GOTTEN A LOT OF RESISTANCE FROM REPUBLICANS. EVEN NOW THAT HE'S OUT OF OFFICE, HIS NAME IS STILL POPPING UP THERE. SINCE THIS IS A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION, WE'RE KIND OF SPECULATING ABOUT SPECULATION. BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. I WILL SAY THIS, THOUGH. I THINK THAT THE GENERAL FEELING AMONG THE POPULATION, EVEN THOUGH BILL RICHARDSON'S APPROVAL NUMBERS AREN'T VERY HIGH, I THINK THERE'S A GENERAL FEELING OUT THERE THAT THIS IS ONE LAST BITE AT THE APPLE FOR PROSECUTORS. I THINK IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COME BACK WITH INDICTMENTS THIS TIME, I THINK MOST PEOPLE, EVEN PEOPLE THAT MAYBE AREN'T THAT CRAZY ABOUT BILL RICHARDSON, ARE GOING TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON. >> SURE. YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD ROB MENTIONED THAT WORD, LAURA, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT THAT. WHEN YOU TAKE ANOTHER CUT OR ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE, AND YOU HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND DETERMINE IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO WITH THIS OR NOT, DOES IT BECOME MORE DIFFICULT WITH EACH INDICTMENT THAT DOESN'T TURN UP ANYTHING? SAY, OKAY, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH CHANCES HERE?

>> THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS THAT IT BECOMES THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. BUT I THINK IT STILL HAS TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION. IT'S WHATEVER EVIDENCE, AND THE STANDARD IS PRETTY LOW. IT'S PROBABLE CAUSE. SO IT ISN'T THE SAME AS A NORMAL TRIAL. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE THAT GETS BROUGHT. THE AVERAGE PERSON OUT THERE DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLUE WHAT KIND OF EVIDENCE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE COME UP FROM THE CAMPAIGN, OR ANY OTHER ISSUES OR DEALS THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE ON. SO, FOR NOW, AS ROB SAID, ALL IT IS IS SPECULATION ON OUR PART. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY DISAPPOINTING, AND I THINK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S LIKE, WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO COME UP WITH? OR, WHO ELSE IS GOING TO BE DRAGGED INTO IT? IT'S CERTAINLY, I DON'T THINK, ANYTHING NEAR THE LEGACY HE THAT HE WANTED. >> SURE. WE'VE ALSO GOT A SITUATION WHERE IT SEEMS -- WE'VE GOT ONE KEY PART OF THIS, A WOMAN ALLEGING SOMETHING, BUT THE OTHER PART OF IT IS THE MOVEMENT OF MONEY ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDERS. AGAIN, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT THIS FEELS LIKE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. AND I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THIS INFORMATION GOT OUT THERE, BY THE WAY, IF THERE WAS, IN FACT, A LEAK OF SOME SORT. IN THE LEGAL STANDING, WHAT HAPPENS THERE, IF YOU TALK WHEN MOVING MONEY ACROSS BORDERS? >> WELL, I THINK YOU'RE THEN TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT

KINDS OF SCENARIOS. THE MINUTE YOU START TALKING ABOUT MOVING DIFFERENT POTS OF MONEY, THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT MONEY LAUNDERING, RICO RELATED TYPE ISSUES. THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT ELECTION LAWS. OBVIOUSLY CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT. BUT TO ME, WHEN I SAW THE MEXICO PART -- I MEAN, HIS MOTHER WAS MEXICAN. HIS MOTHER STILL LIVED IN MEXICO. HIS FATHER WAS A BANKER IN MEXICO. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW THEY MET. SO WHEN I SAW THE PART ABOUT MEXICO, IT DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY RAISE RED FLAGS FOR ME, BECAUSE HE HAD VERY STRONG MEXICAN CONNECTIONS, CURRENT CONNECTIONS. HIS MOTHER JUST DIED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. SO THAT WASN'T IMMEDIATELY A PROBLEM. BUT IT COULD RAISE OTHER ISSUES THAT COULD LEAD TO A LOT OF BIGGER ISSUES THAN MAYBE JUST THE EDWARDS TYPE SCENARIO. >> INTERESTING. LEGACIES ARE A TOUGH DEAL. >> THEY ARE. AND IT IS SUCH A FUNNY TIME RIGHT NOW. LAURA JUST BROUGHT UP THE JOHN EDWARDS SITUATION, WHICH THAT STORY WAS BROKEN BY THE NATIONAL INQUIRER. SENSATIONAL. AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL FIELD IN WHICH WE HAVE NEWT GINGRICH, WHO IS ON HIS THIRD WIFE, AND I THINK THAT

THERE IS SORT OF A NATIONAL -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN OUT LOUD CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING, OR IF IT'S SORT OF INTROSPECTION, OVER WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN YOU AGREE WITH A LEADER AND DON'T AGREE WITH HOW HE OR SHE CONDUCTS THEIR PERSONAL LIFE. AT LEAST SOME OF THE POLLING SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO BE FORGIVING ABOUT THE PERSONAL LIFE, AS LONG AS THEY AGREE WITH THE POLICIES AND THEY AGREE WITH THE POLITICS. >> INTERESTING. LAURA, YOU'RE HERE, BUT I'VE GOT TO HOLD YOU OFF ON THIS ONE JUST A LITTLE BIT. SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE GOT GOING THERE. AT NO. 9: THE TRIALS, TRAVAILS AND TROUBLES OF FORMER PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSIONER JEROME BLOCK, JR. AFTER A STATE-ISSUED GAS CARD SCAM WAS UNCOVERED, BLOCK ADMITTED AN ADDICTION TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. HE'S SINCE RESIGNED HIS SEAT, ENTERED INTO A PLEA DEAL, AND BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM. TO START, LAURA, THERE WERE SIGNS DURING THE CAMPAIGN THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN OPERATING ON THE UP-AND-UP, AS THEY SAY. IS IT FULLY THE BLAME OF JEROME BLOCK, JR., OR SHOULD THE PRC HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE ON TOP OF THIS THING,

ESPECIALLY WITH THE GAS CARD SITUATION? >> RIGHT. I ACTUALLY PUT A PEOPLE WHO ELECTED JEROME BLOCK, JR. THE PRC IS A HUGELY IMPORTANT COMMISSION. I MEAN, THEY REGULATE EVERYTHING FROM THE UTILITIES TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS. AND I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO, WE DON'T ALWAYS REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, HOW IMPORTANT THOSE ELECTIONS ARE, AND HOW CRITICAL IT IS THAT THE PERSON YOU'RE VOTING FOR IN THE PRC BE SOMEBODY WHO CAN ACT WITH INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY. AND SO THESE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSER ATTENTION. THE PRC SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON IT SOONER. BUT THE PRC IS HUGELY IMPORTANT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET REALLY STRONG CANDIDATES. >> IT MAY EVEN TURN OUT, IN SOME ODD WAY, TO BE A BENEFIT TO THE PRC, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, THAT THERE WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE VETTING AFTER THIS SITUATION WITH JEROME BLOCK, JR. WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? >> THAT WOULD BE GREAT, AND I THINK WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT WITH THE GAS OUTAGES LAST YEAR, MAYBE PEOPLE WILL REALIZE THAT THE PRC EFFECTS OUR

DAILY LIVES, AND WE NEED TO BE PAYING REALLY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE CANDIDATES. >> INTERESTING. PLUS, IT WENT ON FOR SO LONG. IT JUST DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAN ENDING. >> AND THE FACT THAT IT'S STILL GOING ON IS SORT OF STUNNING. JUST TO SORT OF PICK UP ON SOMETHING THAT LAURA HAS SEEMED TO BE THE CAMPAIGN WHERE, LIKE, YEAH, I GUESS THAT GUY'S IT, LET'S PUT HIM IN AGAIN, AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY NOT PAYING ATTENTION. AND THE REPORT THAT CAME OUT THIS YEAR -- WAS IT THINK NEW MEXICO WHO BROUGHT OUT THAT GREAT REPORT SAYING, LISTEN, WE THINK THERE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE PRC, TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY AWAY FROM THEM, AND CHANGE THE WAY THAT THEY DO BUSINESS. THE FACT THAT THOSE TWO THINGS HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME PROBABLY BROUGHT MORE ATTENTION TO THE PROPOSALS THAT THINK NEW MEXICO WAS BRINGING TO THE TABLE, PROPOSALS THAT I HOPE ARE STILL BEING DISCUSSED. >> INTERESTING. AND SOME OF THOSE WERE REALLY COMMONSENSE THINGS YOU'D WANT FROM YOUR ELECTED PEOPLE. >> RIGHT, AND ONE BEING MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION, OR AT LEAST HAVE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. JUST KEPT GOING AND GOING,

AND THE SUSPENSION, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT STILL KEEPS GOING. HE'S LIKE THE LINDSAY LOHAN OF NEW MEXICO POLITICS. HE KEEPS GOING BACK TO JAIL, AND HE KEEPS GETTING -- >> LINDSAY IS GOING TO BE UPSET ABOUT THAT. >> RIGHT. BUT HE KEEPS GETTING CHANCE AFTER CHANCE, AND KEEPS SCREWING IT UP. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE -- ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, YOU CAN HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS GOT AN ADDICTION PROBLEM. BUT A LOT OF THIS, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, THIS GOES BACK TO 2008 WITH THE ELECTION VIOLATIONS, WITH HIM. HE STOLE MONEY FROM TAXPAYERS THIS SUMMER, AND HE STOLE MONEY FROM TAXPAYERS BACK IN 2008, AND THE FEC CAUGHT HIM, BECAUSE HE SAID WE HAD AN ELECTION EVENT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. HE POCKETED THE MONEY. THERE ARE MILLIONS MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO ARE DESERVING OF SYMPATHY RATHER THAN JEROME BLOCK, JR. >> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. USUALLY BANDS DON'T GET

PAID, BUT THERE WASN'T EVEN A BAND TO GET PAID ON THAT ONE. WHAT'S THE UPSHOT, AND I WANT TO BE VERY SPECIFIC HERE FOR DEMOCRATS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CORRUPTION IN THE STATE? HAS THIS BEEN DAMAGING? ARE PEOPLE PAST IT, ABLE TO KIND OF -- IT'S JUST HIM, IT'S A GUY WITH SOME TROUBLES, IT DOESN'T SPREAD ANY FURTHER THAN THAT. OR DOES IT, IN FACT? WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT'S JUST HIM, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS A CULTURE OF PEOPLE REALLY NOT TAKING LAW SERIOUSLY, OR PLEADING IGNORANCE TO THE LAWS THAT REALLY CONTROL ETHICAL BEHAVIOR IN SANTA FE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE OBVIOUSLY HAS SOME PERSONAL DEMONS TO DEAL WITH, WITH THE DRUG PROBLEMS AND SO FORTH, BUT I THINK WE'VE SEEN A PATTERN OF THIS BEHAVIOR UP THERE, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE CONTAINED TO HIM, BUT I THINK EVERY DEMOCRAT SHOULD TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY WHAT THEIR ROLE IS, AND WHAT THEIR OBLIGATION IS TO TAXPAYERS, AND ASSUME THAT THEY NEED TO DO EVERYTHING -- YOU KNOW, DOT ALL THE I'S, CROSS ALL THE T'S, AND DO EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.

I THINK THE UPSHOT IS, NOW, ON THAT SEAT, THAT WE FIND -- ACTUALLY, PROPS TO THE GOVERNOR FOR APPOINTING SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, VERY WELL EDUCATED, VERY GOOD FOR THAT POSITION RIGHT NOW, AND WILL BE ABLE TO JUST SORT OF PLUG AND PLAY IN TERMS OF THE POLICY ISSUES GOING ON ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ON RENEWABLE ENERGY. SO I'M ACTUALLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WHO WAS APPOINTED AND THE JOB HE'LL DO. >> LAURA PASKUS, VERSUS LAURA SANCHEZ, ARE THERE THINGS THAT GIVE YOU HOPE IN THIS SITUATION FOR THE PRC ON THE ISSUES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT, ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT SPECIFICALLY? ARE YOU SENSING SOME CHANGE POSSIBLY HERE? >> WELL, I THINK WHAT YOU HAD SAID EARLIER ABOUT RAISING THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PRC DOES, AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE, I THINK THAT'S KEY, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, EH, WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT IS, OR WHAT THEY DO. AND REALLY, I THINK MORE PEOPLE KNOW NOW. >> TRADITIONALLY, SOPHIE, JUST TO WRAP THIS SUBJECT UP, THIS NO. 9, AT NINETY GRAND A THROW, IT'S A PRETTY ENTICING GIG FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND WHAT ROB BOUGHT

OUT EARLIER, FOLKS ARE HUNGRY FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF POLITICIAN RUNNING FOR THAT SEAT. >> I HOPE SO. THERE WAS SOME DEBATE AT THIS TABLE AS TO WHETHER THE ADDITIONAL EDUCATION OR EXPERIENCE WAS APPROPRIATE, TO ADD THAT TO THOSE POSITIONS, AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD BE HANDLED STATUTORILY, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE, AS VOTERS, NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, THOSE POSITIONS, AND SAY, LISTEN, IT'S A REAL RESPONSIBILITY, IT'S A REAL JOB, IT HAS A REAL SALARY ATTACHED TO IT, LET'S NOT JUST HIRE WHOEVER. >> THAT'S RIGHT. AND HOPEFULLY WITH THAT, THAT A DIFFERENT KIND OF CANDIDATE WILL HEAR THE CALL, AS WELL, AND DECIDE THEY WANT TO DO IT. BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T A PLACE FOR THEM BEFORE IN A VERY TECHNICAL FIELD. >> I AGREE. I THINK EVERYONE -- LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER -- WOULD AGREE THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH OF A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT THAT SOME PEOPLE WHO GET ELECTED TO OFFICE IN THIS STATE HAVE, AND THEY FEEL THAT A LITTLE BIT OF GRAFT HERE AND THERE ISN'T SO BAD. WELL, I THINK MAYBE IT'S TIME TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN. >> THERE YOU GO.

GOOD FINAL WORD THERE. UP NEXT, JANICE ARNOLD JONES AND WHAT'S SURE TO BE A BIG STORY NEXT YEAR: THE RACE FOR NEW MEXICO'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. >> WE HAVEN'T HAD A SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO WHO'S HISPANIC WAY BACK. YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO SENATOR MONTOYA. >> SURE. >> AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT PLAY A FACTOR IN THE BALDERAS RACE. >> BEFORE TAKING A RUN AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE LAST YEAR, JANICE ARNOLD JONES SERVED FOUR TERMS IN THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SERVING AS ONE OF THE LOUDEST VOICES OF OPPOSITION ON THE MINORITY REPUBLICAN SIDE. NOW SHE'S LOOKING FOR A SPOT IN THE MAJORITY - AS A REPUBLICAN FROM NEW MEXICO'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. HERE'S NMIF PRODUCER MATT GRUBS >> WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FUNDRAISING, JUST IN THE LAST FEW MOMENTS. LET'S START THERE. AS YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL NUMBERS IN CD-1, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS HAVE QUITE A SIZABLE LEAD. DO YOU FEEL LIKE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, SOME OF THE

MONEY HASN'T COME OUT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST SORT OF WAITING FOR A JON BARELA TO COME IN FROM LAST TIME? >> I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME WAITING. JON IS A GOOD FRIEND, AND HE HAS A CRITERIA FOR GETTING INTO THE RACE. BUT REPUBLICANS LIKE TO MAKE SURE THEY INVEST THEIR MONEY WELL, AND SO UNTIL THE FIELD, THEY FEEL, HAS BEEN SET, THEY WILL PROBABLY STAY ON THE SIDELINES. >> DO YOU IMAGINE THAT THAT DISCREPANCY, THAT MONEY DISCREPANCY, WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE COMING MONTHS, OR IS IT GOING TO TIGHTEN UP? >> I THINK IT WILL TIGHTEN UP. THERE IS ONE THING THAT THE REPUBLICANS WILL DO. WE WANT TO TAKE THE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT BACK. WE INTEND TO SEND A REPUBLICAN TO CONGRESS. AND SO ONCE THE FIELD IS SETTLED, YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF SUPPORT TO TAKE THAT ACTION. >> YOU MENTIONED JON BARELA, A FRIEND. IF HE'S IN, ARE YOU OUT? >> YOU KNOW, WHEN MARTIN HEINRICH DECIDED TO VACATE HIS SEAT, MY FIRST CALL WENT TO JON BARELA, AND JON AND I

TALKED AND TALKED. AND IN JUNE, JON WAS, FOR MANY REASONS, UNABLE TO MAKE A DECISION, AND I PUT MY HAT IN THE RING AT THAT TIME. I'M IN TO WIN THIS SEAT. >> AS YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING -- HE'S UP IN SANTA FE. AND AS YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING OUT OF SANTA FE, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO JOBS, ARE YOU SEEING ENOUGH OF A JOBS PLAN FROM GOVERNOR MARTINEZ >> YOU KNOW, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THE GOVERNOR ISN'T GOING TO MAKE ANY JOBS. SHE ISN'T. BUT SHE IS DOING TERRIFIC WORK IN TAKING CARE OF THE OBSTACLES TO MAKING JOBS. SHE IS PULLING BACK ON SOME OF THE REGULATIONS. I HAVE ALREADY WITNESSED SOME OF THE PULLBACK ON SOME OF THE COMPLIANCE ISSUES. AND WHEN I SAY COMPLIANCE, I MEAN PAPERWORK. WE HAVE RULES THAT LITERALLY CHOKE OFF RISK-TAKING, AND IN ORDER TO START A BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO TAKE A RISK. BUT IF 20% OF YOUR POTENTIAL REVENUE IS CONSUMED BY COMPLIANCE AND PAPERWORK, IT'S HARD TO TAKE THAT STEP. SHE IS DOING A VERY GOOD JOB

IN THAT ARENA. >> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TAKING RISKS, IS THAT PEOPLE STARTING UP BUSINESSES, PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO GROW, OR JUST BIG MONEY FROM BIG BUSINESS? >> NO, TAKING -- YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THAT PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT JOBS? WELL, THE TRUTH IS, AS A CONGRESSWOMAN, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT JOBS. BUT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T ADD ADDITIONAL BURDEN TO PEOPLE, EVEN LIKE YOURSELF, WHO MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN APPLY YOUR RESOURCES AND MAKE A PROFIT. AND TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT TO CREATE JOBS THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE MISERABLE IS SILLY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE TO PULL BACK THE REGULATIONS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERY REGULATION, EVERY PIECE OF PAPER THAT WE REQUEST TRULY HAS A PURPOSE, AND ITS PURPOSE CANNOT JUST BE TO MAKE ANOTHER GOVERNMENT JOB. >> IS THERE A POINT AT WHICH YOU HAVE TO BECOME CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T PULL THOSE REGULATIONS BACK TOO MUCH?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. AND THERE IS A -- I ACTUALLY HAVE SORT OF A FORMULA OF THE COST OF COMPLIANCE VERSUS THE BENEFIT OF POLICY. AND THERE IS ALWAYS A -- THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A BENEFIT FOR THAT POLICY, AND IT SHOULD BE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE ACT OF COMPLIANCE. AND NEITHER ONE SHOULD BE OUT OF BALANCE. TO SAY THAT WE DON'T BENEFITS BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CLEAN WATER IN OUR COUNTRY, OH, OF COURSE NOT. THOSE ARE GOOD REGULATIONS. BUT WHEN YOU FORCE ON A BUSINESS, AND LET'S USE OUR TAX CODE, THEY WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SPEND ONLY EIGHT HOURS OF THEIR YEAR FILING THEIR TAXES. I DON'T KNOW ANY BUSINESS THAT CAN DO THAT. SO, DIFFERENT MEASURES. >> OKAY. ONE OF THE PRIME EXAMPLES OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SAN JUAN GENERATING STATION. OBVIOUSLY THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, BUT IT REALLY DOES SORT OF LAY OUT THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN WHAT IS GOOD REGULATION AND WHAT IS TOO MUCH REGULATION, AND WHAT SHOULD BE THROWN OUT

ALL TOGETHER. WHAT'S YOUR READ ON THAT? >> WELL, I THINK YOU NAILED IT. AND THERE'S ONE OTHER PIECE. WHAT IS TOO MUCH TESTING. OVER THE YEARS, FOR THE CLEAN AIR REGULATIONS, OUR ABILITY TO TEST HAS IMPROVED EXPONENTIALLY, BUT THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE HEALTH OUTCOMES. THERE SHOULD BE A ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP. BUT I ALSO FEEL FOR PNM, THAT OWNS THIS COMPANY. THE PRC HAS SAID THEY CAN SPEND $86 MILLION TO IMPROVE THIS PLANT, BUT THE EPA HAS COME BACK IN AND SAID, YOU SHALL INVEST ANOTHER $345 MILLION TO $700 MILLION ON A PLANT WITH NO HOPE OF RECOVERY. HOW DO THEY MAKE IT WORK? HOW DO THEY MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK? >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT NEW MEXICO'S RELATIONSHIP, OVERALL, TO WASHINGTON, WE'VE CERTAINLY BENEFITED FROM HAVING THE DOMENICIS AND THE BINGAMANS, AND EVEN WITH OUR LAST GO-ROUND OF CONGRESS PEOPLE, THAT SENIORITY. AND WE'VE GAINED A LOT OF MONEY FROM WASHINGTON. IT'S CERTAINLY HARD TO SAY, WE'RE GETTING TOO MUCH MONEY

FROM WASHINGTON. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP? HOW IS NEW MEXICO DOING? >> NEW MEXICO IS IN A VERY START BY REMINDING YOU, OUR STATE SACRIFICED FOR THIS NATION'S SECURITY WAY BACK IN THE 1940S, AND AS A RESULT, WE GAVE UP MUCH OF OUR ECONOMY. SO WE HAVE, BY ALL MEASURE, A FEDERAL ECONOMY. AND YOU KNOW VERY WELL THERE'S A 3-1 MATCH. FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SEND TO WASHINGTON, THREE COME BACK. IT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW THAT WHOEVER REPRESENTS NEW MEXICO STANDS UP AND MAKES THE CASE FOR WHAT WE DO. IT IS OFTEN UNSEEN. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE AIR SPACE. WE ARE ABLE TO TEST THINGS THAT NO OTHER STATE CAN TEST. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHOEVER REPRESENTS THIS DISTRICT -- AND I WOULD BE HONORED TO DO THAT -- CAN TELL THAT STORY AND EXPLAIN WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE SERVICE NEW MEXICO PROVIDES TO OUR NATION FOR NATIONAL DEFENSE, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND MANY OTHER THINGS, IS

SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN DO RIGHT NOW. AND IS THAT TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE AN ECONOMIC HIT WHEN THE BUDGET CUTS COME? WE ARE. >> IT'S PROBABLY SAFE TO SAY THAT EVERYONE WILL. >> YES, BUT WE'RE SMALL. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THE 3-1 RATIO, THAT MAKES US A REMARKABLE TARGET. SO IT WILL TAKE THE ENTIRE DELEGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REST OF THE NATION UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE CONTRIBUTE. >> NEW MEXICO'S DELEGATION HAS DONE PRETTY WELL, BY MANY MEASURES, IN COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER. IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU SEE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE'VE HAD, REACH ACROSS THE AISLE TOWARD EACH OTHER. THAT'S A KEY COMPONENT. HOW DO YOU WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS, LIKE A SENATOR UDALL? >> WELL, LIKE ANYTHING, JUST LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, MATT, FIRST YOU TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW SOMEONE, AND YOU DEVELOP TRUST, YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP. SENATOR UDALL NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT I KNOW, BUT HE ALSO NEEDS TO KNOW THAT I CARE

ABOUT HIS ISSUES, AND IN THAT, WHEN I BRING SOMETHING TO HIM, OR I ASK HIM TO SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT I'M DOING, HE WILL DO SO BECAUSE HE TRUSTS MY WORD. THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ELECTED. >> SO THERE YOU ARE, TALKING TO SENATOR UDALL, AND YOU GET A PHONE CALL FROM JOHN BOEHNER WHO SAYS, WE NEED YOU IN LINE, REPRESENTATIVE ARNOLD JONES. WHAT DO YOU DO? HOW DO YOU DRAW THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE NEW MEXICO DELEGATION, AND SORT OF TOWING THE LINE ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOU AND GIVE YOU THOSE SEATS ON COMMITTEES THAT YOU WANT? >> YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE TOUGHEST PLACE TO BE. SO, THERE ARE TWO JOBS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ONE, AND ONE IS TO ALWAYS REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT, ALWAYS REPRESENT YOUR STATE. BUT THE JOB OF GOING TO CONGRESS IS TO ALSO LOOK OUT FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND HAVING BEEN IN A CAUCUS, SOMETIMES YOU ARE AT ODDS WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS, WHEN YOU'RE AT ODDS, TELL THEM HONESTLY. TELL THEM WHERE YOU STAND. AND DON'T, DON'T JUST GIVE IN JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUR LEADER, BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE LEGITIMATE REASONS NOT TO. OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE IN A CAUCUS, IT REALLY HELPS IF YOU CAN ALWAYS BE PART OF THE TEAM. BUT YOU CAN'T ALWAYS. AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO THAT. >> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE POWER THAT ONE CONGRESSPERSON CAN HAVE, IS IT A CONCERN TO YOU THAT YOU WOULD GO THERE WITH, BY DEFINITION, ZERO SENIORITY? WHAT COMMITTEES WOULD YOU BE LOOKING TO GET ON, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO THERE? >> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE ARMED FORCES COMMITTEE, AND PARTLY BECAUSE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT I'M A NAVY WIFE. >> YES. >> SO MY DAD WAS IN THE AIR FORCE, AND I HAVE A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MILITARY. I HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF THAT MISSION. BUT I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE A DOE CONTRACTOR FOR 12 YEARS, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THOSE

TWO ENTITIES PLAY IN OUR STATE, AND WHAT THEIR ROLE IS INTERNATIONALLY, I THINK I WOULD BE AN ASSET FOR THE REPUBLICANS ON THAT COMMITTEE. NATURAL RESOURCES, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ON, BECAUSE NEW MEXICO IS NOW, AND WILL BE THE LEADER IN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NATION, AND I WOULD LOVE TO TELL PEOPLE HOW AND WHY WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES. WE HAVE 13% OF THE WORLD'S RARE EARTH ELEMENTS RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WE OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE DEPENDENT ON CHINA FOR THOSE ELEMENTS. SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE TWO COMMITTEES. BUT LIKE ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS, WHEREVER I AM ASSIGNED, I WILL SERVE, AND I PROMISE YOU, I WILL ASK QUESTIONS. >> PLACES LIKE KIRTLAND, PLACES LIKE SANDIA, YOU KIND OF REFERENCED THOSE, AT LEAST IN PASSING. THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT ASSETS HERE. BUT YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THE KIRTLAND FUEL SPILL AND WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP. LAY SOME BLAME HERE. WHOSE FAULT IS IT THAT IT HASN'T BEEN CLEANED UP?

>> WELL, I THINK, RIGHT SITUATION, IT MAY BE OUR OWN NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS A MOVEMENT, AS THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATIONS HAPPENED, THERE WAS A PLAN TO GO FORWARD, AND AS THE ADMINISTRATIONS CHANGED, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT KIND OF GOT STUCK. THERE IS A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW THAT THE FOLKS AT THE BASE WOULD LIKE TO START MITIGATING; THAT IS, LITERALLY PUMPING OUT THE FUEL SPILL SO THAT IT DOESN'T SPREAD ANY FURTHER. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TEST WELLS THAT HAVE BEEN DRILLED ARE SHOWING THAT IT IS NOT SPREADING PARTICULARLY FAST. BUT REMEMBER, THIS SPILL STARTED IN 1990, AND IT STARTED -- I WISH WE WERE ALWAYS PERFECT. WE'RE NOT. BUT THEY PUT SOME PIPE IN THE GROUND ON A GRAVEL BED, AND IT KIND OF ERODED HOLES IN THE PIPE, AND THERE YOU ARE, AND NOBODY KNEW IT. NOW WHAT'S EXCITING, AND I LOOK AT THE PIPELINE THAT'S PROPOSED TO COME DOWN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE UNITED STATES, OUR ABILITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TO

IDENTIFY A LEAK IS ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS. SO WE CAN DO BETTER. >> SOME MORE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ONE ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY, PASEO AND I-25. SHOULD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BE HELPING OUT THERE AND MATCHING SOME OF THE DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN SET ASIDE BY ALBUQUERQUE? >> OH, SURE. YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER REPRESENTATIVE TERESA ZANETTI HAD CARRIED THE BILL TO PULL THE CAPITAL OUTLAY TO ACTUALLY REWORK PADEO DEL NORTE -- AND, GOSH, WAS THAT IN 2003 OR 2004? >> A LONG TIME AGO. >> IT WAS. AND THERE WERE BILLS BEFORE THAT. MONEY WAS SET ASIDE FROM THE CAPITAL OUTLAY FUND, AND IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAPITAL OUTLAY FUND. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT OUR MAJOR BOTTLENECK IS PASEO DEL NORTE AND I-25. I WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN IN MY POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY. >> ANOTHER ISSUE, THE DOWNS AT ALBUQUERQUE. THAT'S STILL PLAYING OUT. ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THE WAY THAT THAT DEAL WENT DOWN? WAS THAT CONTRACT LET FAIRLY?

>> I WASN'T PLEASED, BUT I WASN'T PLEASED WHEN WE DID 30-YEAR BONDS FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN GAMING CASINOS, AND HERE IS MY STANDARD. ONE, I DO NOT THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO LET A CONTRACT FOR 25 YEARS WITHOUT REVIEW WHEN IT IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVOLVED, AND THAT'S THE FIRST PART THAT I DO NOT PARTICULARLY LIKE ABOUT THIS CONTRACT. DO I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DID GO OUT TO A BID PROCESS? I THOUGHT IT WAS EXCESSIVELY SHORT. MY EXPERIENCE IN THE DOE COMMUNITY IS, WHEN OUR RFP'S ARE LET, 30 DAYS IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY SHORT TURNAROUND FOR SUCH A LARGE CONTRACT. SO THOSE THINGS ARE MARKERS THAT MAKE ME NERVOUS. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEYOND THAT, BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE ME LOOK. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO GET TO HERE, DAN LEWIS IS A PASTOR, AND CERTAINLY GOD IS A PART OF HIS POLITICS, JUST SORT OF ALMOST BY DEFAULT, OR BY DEFINITION. WHERE DO YOU STAND? WHERE DOES YOUR FAITH PLAY A

ROLE IN YOUR POLITICS? >> OH, MY GOODNESS, IT'S EVERY DAY. I AM A CHRIST FOLLOWER. I AM A CHRISTIAN. AND I EVERY DAY WAKE UP TO A LITTLE SAYING THAT SAYS: WHAT DO MY ACTIONS AND REACTIONS SAY THAT I BELIEVE ABOUT JESUS CHRIST? AND THAT'S MY STANDARD OF BEHAVIOR. BUT IF YOU ARE A CHRIST FOLLOWER, THEN ALL OF YOUR BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE MODERATED BY THOSE GOALS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. SO IF I DISAGREE WITH YOU, MY FIRST CHOICE IS NOT TO YELL AT YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S CONTRARY TO MY BELIEF. MY FIRST CHOICE IS TO GO TO YOU, AND THE BIBLE SAYS, IN LOVE, IN KINDNESS, TO TELL YOU, I DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU, BECAUSE YELLING IS NEVER THE FIRST CHOICE. SO IT'S EVERY DAY. >> IN WASHINGTON, IT'S A PARTICULARLY CONTENTIOUS ENVIRONMENT. CAN YOU GO THERE AND KEEP THAT VIEW? IT MUST BE TRICKY TO SORT OF NOT PUSH THAT BACK. >> MATT, THE REASON THAT I THINK I WOULD BE SUCH AN NEW MEXICO IN WASHINGTON IS THAT I WORK TO AGREEMENT,

AND IN ORDER TO GET AGREEMENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE'RE CHOOSING UP TEAMS AND PUSHING THEM AGAINST THE WALL, AND SIMPLY THROWING STUFF INTO THE MIDDLE, WELL, CHANCES ARE I'M IN THE MIDDLE, IT'S LANDING ON MY HEAD, AND I DON'T LIKE IT. SO I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BRING THOSE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER. AND IT COMES FROM TRUST, IT COMES FROM RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, AND IT COMES FROM HELPING PEOPLE BE ABLE TO COUNT ON WHAT I SAY. AND I THINK WE NEED A LOT MORE BRIDGE BUILDERS. >> JANICE ARNOLD JONES, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. >> THANK YOU. >> TURNED OFF THE HEAT, BASICALLY, TO SOME OF THE MORE REMOTE AND VULNERABLE TOWNS, COMMUNITIES IN OUR STATE. YOU KNOW, IF PORTIONS OF ALBUQUERQUE GO WITHOUT HEAT, THERE ARE PLACES WE CAN GO. >> THE YEAR'S 8TH MOST NOTEWORTHY STORY IS ONE THAT STARTED 29 YEARS AGO, LIKELY TO ECHO INTO NEXT YEAR, AND LIKELY FAR BEYOND.

FOR MOST OF HIS TENURE IN THE U.S. SENATE, JEFF BINGAMAN WAS NEW MEXICO'S JUNIOR SENATOR. BUT FIVE TERMS IN THE SENATE EARNED THE MAN SOME SERIOUS SENIORITY AMONG DEMOCRATS. JUST AS PETE DOMENICI'S DEPARTURE SHOOK THE NEW MEXICO POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, SO TOO WILL THE RETIREMENT OF JEFF BINGAMAN. LAURA SANCHEZ, THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IS ABOUT TO BE A WHOLE LOT LESS EXPERIENCED REGARDLESS OF WHO REPLACES HIM. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? ARE WE JUST GOING TO BE IN FOR A LITTLE FALLOW PERIOD, NOT GETTING ALL THE JUICY FEDERAL MONEY AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING, OR IS IT A GOOD THING IN THE LONG HAUL? WHO KNOWS. >> IT'S OBVIOUS HE HAD QUITE THE REPUTATION. HE HAD AMASSED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. HE YIELDED TREMENDOUS POWER IN TERMS OF ENERGY. HE WAS A LEADER, WELL RESPECTED IN THE SENATE. I THINK THAT'S A HUGE LOSS FOR NEW MEXICO. BUT IT'S A SIGN OF CHANGING TIMES. I THINK WE'LL SEE OTHER CANDIDATES. WE ALREADY HAVE SEEN OTHER CANDIDATES. YOU KNOW, THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE DOMINO EFFECT OF PEOPLE LEAVING THEIR POST AND RUNNING FOR THE HIGHER OFFICES, AND IN TURN, OTHER PEOPLE JUMPING INTO THOSE

RACES. SO WE'RE SEEING THAT SORT OF DOMINO EFFECT, LIKE YOU SAW AFTER DOMENICI LEFT. AND I THINK WITH THAT BRINGS CHANGE, AND CERTAINLY YOU'VE GOT TO WORK YOUR WAY BACK UP THE LADDER. BUT I THINK WE SEE SOME NEW FACES, AND IT'S CHANGING FACES, MINORITIES, WOMEN THAT ARE JUMPING INTO RACES, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING, IN THE LONG RUN. >> ROB, I WAS JOKING WITH OUR PRODUCER, MATT GRUBS, HOW WE ARE SUDDENLY LIKE EVERY OTHER STATE. WE DON'T HAVE THE BIG SENORITY TO JUST LAY BACK ON. WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW BLOOD. IS THIS A GOOD THING? NEW ENERGY, NEW IDEAS? >> GOOD THING FOR REPORTERS LIKE ME, BECAUSE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE RACE THAT THIS IS HECTOR BALDERAS AGAINST MARTIN HEINRICH ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY INTRIGUING RACE, AND ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, HEATHER WILSON AGAINST LT. GOVERNOR JON SANCHEZ AND GREG SOWARDS, WHO IS A BUSINESSMAN DOWN IN LAS CRUCES. LIKE I SAID, I THINK THE DEMOCRATIC RACE IS REALLY, REALLY INTRIGUING, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED, LAURA, THE SUBJECT OF ETHNICITY. WE HAVEN'T HAD A SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO WHO IS HISPANIC, WAY BACK.

YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO SENATOR MONTOYA. AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT PLAY A FACTOR IN THE BALDERAS RACE AGAINST MARTIN HEINRICH, ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW, AT THIS POINT, HEINRICH HAS GOT A PRETTY BIG LEAD AS FAR AS MONEY GOES. >> SURE. LAURA PASKUS, WHAT LAURA MENTIONED TO ME PREVIOUSLY IS INTERESTING, THAT IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAD ON THE SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY, WE WERE SWAPPING OUR SENATORS BACK AND FORTH DEPENDING ON WHO WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, CLEARLY THE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE. WE WERE COVERED EITHER WAY. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL POSITION FOR ENERGY, SPECIFICALLY. WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US WITH THE LOSS OF MR. BINGAMAN ON THAT COMMITTEE AND HEAD OF THAT? >> YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. INDUSTRY SUPPORTED SENATOR BINGAMAN AND SENATOR DOMENICI FOR A LONG TIME, SO ALTHOUGH SENATOR BINGAMAN HAS DONE SOME GOOD THINGS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, AND I'M SURE THAT WITH THE RACE

OPENING UP, THAT OIL AND GAS MONEY WILL CONTINUE TO POUR INTO THE NEW CANDIDATE'S COFFERS, BUT WHO KNOWS. MAYBE SOME NEW ENERGY AND NEW BLOOD WILL PUSH ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES A LITTLE BIT MORE. >> SOME OF THOSE ISSUES ARE SO SPECIFIC TO NEW MEXICO. WE HAD VERY GOOD LUCK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, AS YOU SAID, OIL AND GAS. ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH ENERGY, AT ALL, WE WERE REALLY, REALLY IN GOOD SHAPE. >> IT'S TRUE. AND I THINK THAT, AS WE LOOK IT'S WORTH NOTING HOW LONG SENATOR DOMENICI WAS IN THERE, HOW LONG SENATOR BINGAMAN WAS IN PLACE, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE PERSON WHO WINS THIS RACE COULD -- THIS COULD BE A LIFETIME CAREER. AND IN SOME WAYS, THAT'S WHAT NEW MEXICO WANTS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANT TO CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THAT SENIOR HEAP. WE WANT TO HAVE THE POWER THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPRESENTED THERE IN THE SENATE. SO AS WE MAKE THIS DECISION, I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE BALANCING THINGS, LIKE, HOW LONG DO I THINK THIS PERSON

CAN STAY IN THIS JOB? AND WHAT SORT OF REPRESENTATIVE ARE THEY? DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, AND ALL OF THAT KIND OF THING. >> WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT, ROB, THAT THE NEXT PERSON THAT GETS IN -- THAT AN INCUMBENT IN THAT SEAT, IN THIS STATE, IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE? >> I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING ON THAT ONE, AND I AGREE. LOOK AT THE CONTENDERS. HEINRICH IS A YOUNG MAN. IF HE GETS IN THERE, THEN HE COULD VERY WELL BE THERE FOR A LONG TIME. BALDERAS IS A YOUNG MAN. HEATHER WILSON HAS LOTS AND LOTS OF YEARS IN FRONT OF HER. JON SANCHEZ. OF ALL THESE PEOPLE, I THINK WHOEVER GETS THIS POSITION HAS GOT THE INSIDE TRACK TO BE THERE JUST AS LONG AS SENATOR BINGAMAN WAS. >> ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO ADD, THOUGH, IN TERMS OF WHAT JEFF BINGAMAN REPRESENTED AND BROUGHT TO THE TABLE, HE'S FROM THE SILVER CITY AREA. SO HE KNEW VERY WELL THAT SOUTHERN DISTRICT, AND THAT WAS HIS HOME BASE, WAS THAT SOUTHERN DISTRICT. AND THE ISSUES THERE, I THINK, BEING ALSO FROM THAT AREA, IN DEMING, I THINK THERE'S A CONTRAST THERE BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN ISSUES AND THE NORTHERN ISSUES, AND THEN ALSO THE URBAN AREAS OF SORT OF ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE.

IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE FRONTRUNNERS, EXCEPT FOR GREG SOWARDS, ALL THE REST OF THEM HAVE ALBUQUERQUE TIES, OR NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. HECTOR BALDERAS IS FROM WAGON MOUND ORIGINALLY, BUT ALSO HAS A STRONG BASE IN ALBUQUERQUE. I WONDER HOW MUCH OF THAT WILL INFLUENCE HOW MUCH ATTENTION THEY PAY TO THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE, WHERE I THINK A LOT OF THE FEDERAL ISSUES COME UP IN IMMIGRATION, BUT ALSO IN OIL AND GAS. >> IT'S INTERESTING YOU MENTIONED THE DOMINO EFFECT. IT'S PROBABLY REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT THE LAST DOMINO HAS NOT FALLEN FROM THIS BINGAMAN ANNOUNCEMENT. SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IT'S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR TO WEAR A BADGE IN ALBUQUERQUE. THE CITY'S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT SUIT, DARREN WHITE, RESIGNED AFTER ESCORTING HIS WIFE AWAY FROM AN ACTIVE CRASH INVESTIGATION. AND ALBUQUERQUE'S TOP COP, RAY SCHULTZ, IS WATCHING AS A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BEGINS TO ASK WHY HIS OFFICERS SHOT 20 PEOPLE IN 20 MONTHS. SOPHIE, APD'S PUBLIC IMAGE HAD A TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH YEAR. IT SEEMS LIKE RAY SCHULTZ WANTS TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD. ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FIRST REPORT THAT CAME THROUGH, HE'S IMPLEMENTING A LOT OF THOSE. FORECASTING INTO 2012,

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT? POSSIBLE THAT IT'S TOO LATE, TOO LATE FOR CHIEF SCHULTZ, THAT THIS MAY END UP BEING, YOU KNOW, HIS LAST ROUND HERE AT APD. AND THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH SHAKEUP IN THE COPS, AND THERE IS SO MUCH MISTRUST AMONGST MANY PEOPLE HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, THAT IT SEEMS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT HE CAN KEEP GOING MUCH LONGER. >> HE CAN'T GO SIXTY DAYS WITHOUT A PROBLEM ON HIS FORCE, IT SEEMS, AT THIS POINT. TO REMEMBER CHIEFS OF POLICE BEING FIRED, THERE'S ALWAYS THESE CASCADING EVENTS THAT HAPPEN JUST BEFORE THE WORST HAPPENS. SO IT'S NOT JUST ON HIM, IT'S ON THE ENTIRE FORCE TO SAVE HIM, SO TO SPEAK. >> YOU KNOW, MY FATHER IS A RETIRED CHIEF OF POLICE, SO I DON'T WANT TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ISN'T A REALLY

DIFFICULT PROFESSION, BECAUSE I KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT IT IS. BUT I FEEL LIKE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN ALBUQUERQUE IS DISTRESSING, AND IT'S NOT JUST DISTRESSING FOR THE FAMILIES WHO THEIR SONS HAVE BEEN THE VICTIMS OF THESE CRIMES, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT SORT OF ATMOSPHERE IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IN AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY, MAKES PEOPLE FEARFUL. MAKES PEOPLE FEARFUL TO EVEN SAY, YES, I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, NOT AN INVESTIGATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HIRED SOMEBODY TO DO IT, BUT AN INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. >> HOW CAN THE CHIEF GET IN FRONT OF THIS SITUATION, ROB? >> I THINK PROBABLY THE ONLY WAY, WHENEVER YOU'RE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, IS TO GO OUT AND DO YOUR JOB AS BEST YOU CAN, AND TO BE ARE IN FRONT OF HIM, THAT APD IS FACING, TO BE HONEST WITH THE PEOPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS NECESSARILY A LIBERAL OR A CONSERVATIVE ISSUE. IT'S A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. AND CIVIL RIGHTS EFFECTS EVERYONE, WHEN YOU'RE LEFT OR RIGHT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY TO GET THIS RIGHT. >> ROB, WHAT DID YOU MAKE

OF THE CHIEF'S POSITION, I'D SAY ABOUT A MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF AGO, THAT HE'S POTENTIALLY THINKING ABOUT LITERALLY A DIFFERENT CUT OF COP, MEANING WE DROPPED THE COLLEGE REQUIREMENT BACK SOMETIME AGO IN OUR QUEST TO GET A THOUSAND OFFICERS ON THE STREET, DURING MARTY CHAVEZ AND ALL THAT. IN YOUR SENSE, IS THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM, THAT WE'VE GOT SOMETHING GOING ON? >> IT MIGHT BE. I'M CERTAINLY NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS. AND NOT JUST FOR ALBUQUERQUE, OR SANTA FE, OR EVEN NEW MEXICO, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I THINK -- IT'S SOMETHING THAT I CALL THE ANDY TAYLOR/BARNEY FIFE EFFECT. ANDY TAYLOR, FROM THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, WAS A GUY THAT USED COMMONSENSE, AND IF HE HAD TO USE A GUN, HE DID. AND THEN BARNEY FIFE CAME FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE'VE GOT SOME POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE WHO ARE TOO QUICK ON THE TRIGGER. AND SOME, NOT ALL, CERTAINLY NOT ALL, BUT THERE ARE SOME POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE A CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER, AND I THINK IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HURT TO GET A BETTER CUT OF COP.

>> I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF POLICE OVER THE PAST THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS ABOUT THIS. IT'S A TOUGH TOWN TO BE A COP IN. A VERY, VERY, VERY TOUGH TOWN. THEY TELL ME ALL THE TIME THAT THE THINGS THAT MAKE THE PAPER IS JUST THE MERE TIP OF A HUGE ICEBERG THAT GOES ON AROUND HERE EVERY SIXTY DAYS. AND THAT'S NOT BAD ON US, IT'S JUST THINGS HAPPEN. MY QUESTION IS: IS IT A QUESTION, AGAIN, OF SOMEONE WITH A DIFFERENT MORAL BEARING, OR IS IT, THIS IS JUST A TOUGH JOB AND STUFF'S GOING TO HAPPEN? >> I THINK THERE'S NO DOUBT JOB, AND I THINK YOUR QUESTION TO ROB ABOUT, WHAT DOES THE CHIEF DO, I WOULD SAY, FOR ANY ORGANIZATION, NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT, ANY ORGANIZATION, IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO TURN THINGS AROUND WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY FACING THAT KIND OF CRITICISM. TO JUST HAVE THE SAME PERSON WHO HAS BEEN IN CHARGE SUDDENLY TURN AND GAIN RESPECT FROM THE PUBLIC IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO. I THINK POLITICALLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE REMOVE THAT PERSON, BRING SOMEONE IN, AND THEN YOU CAN START TO SORT OF CHANGE THE TYPE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE CONTEMPLATING, BUT JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT, IT'S NOT LIKE APD IS THE ONLY ONE

THIS PAST YEAR THAT'S BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, WE SAW UP IN SANTA FE THAT THE SHERIFF WAS SELLING THINGS, GREG SOLANO, ON EBAY. HIS OWN STUFF, SELLING IT ON EBAY. WE SAW STATE POLICE OFFICERS STOPPING PEOPLE. THE CAMARA GUY, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF'S GUY, POLICE OFFICER, WHOEVER IT WAS THAT GOT CAUGHT HAVING SEX ON HIS POLICE CAR. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENING. I'M SORRY TO REMIND US ALL, DRAG US ALL THREW THE MUD, BUT JUST TO GET SOME PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO DON'T TAKE THEIR JOB SERIOUSLY, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, I THINK, STATEWIDE, NOT JUST IN ALBUQUERQUE. >> WE'VE ONLY GOT A FEW SECONDS LEFT ON THIS SUBJECT, AND I'LL STAY WITH YOU. WHEN THE REPORT THAT SOPHIE REFERENCED COMES OUT, CLEARLY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, LOOK, EVERYTHING'S GOOD HERE, THE CHIEF'S DOING A GREAT JOB, WE'RE GOING BACK TO WASHINGTON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR THE CHIEF TO EXPLAIN A LOT OF THINGS. CAN HE GET PAST THAT, HONESTLY? BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE -- THINK ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO AND THE FEDERAL SITUATION THERE, THAT CALLED HIM OUT ON HIS ACTIONS, AS WELL.

CAN A CHIEF GET THROUGH THAT? >> AND HE DID A LOT OF OVERREACHING. >> VERY MUCH. >> I THINK TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE JOE ARPAIO -- I'M FAMILIAR SOMEWHAT WITH SOME OF JOE ARPAIO DEALINGS, AND HE REALLY WAS SORT OF EXTRA ILLEGAL IN A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE DID. I THINK THE PROBLEM WITH CHIEF SCHULTZ IS THAT I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK HE STEPPED OUTSIDE OF HIS BOUNDS, BUT I THINK SOME OF HIS POLICE OFFICERS HAVE JUST BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'VE TAKEN MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS, WHERE THEY'VE SPOKEN OUT OF TURN, OR THEY'RE OVERZEALOUS IN SOME OF THEIR ACTIONS. >> SPOKEN OUT OF TURN ON FACEBOOK. >> ABSOLUTELY, WHICH I THINK CAN CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF PUBLIC PERCEPTION. >> INTERESTING. IN A MOMENT, WHAT DIDN'T MAKE THE LIST THIS YEAR. >> ONE THING THAT'S WORTH POINTING OUT, THOUGH, IS THAT SANTA CLARA PUEBLO, WHICH IS NEARBY, THEY LOST 70% OF THEIR FORESTED LANDS, AND THEIR WATERSHED WAS NOT DESTROYED, BUT HARMED. >> NEXT THURSDAY, AS WE BUNDLE UP FOR THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER, PUBLIC SQUARE IS BACK WITH AN IN-DEPTH LOOK

AT CHILDHOOD OBESITY. MANY OF US ARE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT AWARE THAT THERE'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH SERIOUSLY OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN, BUT IN NEW MEXICO, THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING. >> 13% OF INCOMING ACROSS THE STATE. 25% OF KINDERGARTENERS WHO ARE FROM TRIBAL COMMUNITIES WHO ARE AMERICAN INDIAN ARE OBESE. THEY'RE KINDERGARTEN. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE REVERSES. I MEAN, WE ALL KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO LOSE FIVE OR TEN POUNDS. WELL, IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE A KINDERGARTENER WHO IS OBESE. WHAT ARE THEIR CHANCES OF REVERSING THAT? AND THEN WHAT'S INCREDIBLY SCARY IS AT 3RD GRADE, THEY ALMOST DOUBLE IT. WE'RE SEEING 22% OF 3RD GRADERS WHO ARE OBESE. THAT SUGGESTS TO ME AT THE STATE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, AND WE NEED TO TARGET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGED KIDS. BUT IT'S A CULTURE SHIFT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> THAT'S PUBLIC SQUARE,

NEXT THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22ND. THE SHOW AIRS AT 7:00 P.M. ON KNME, NEW MEXICO PBS. >> NORTHERN NEW MEXICO HAS A NEW BLANKET OF SNOW THIS WEEK; PARTS HAVE ALREADY FELT TEMPERATURES DIP BELOW ZERO. AND WHILE THAT'S A REGULAR OCCURRENCE IN WINTER, CERTAINLY, LAST FEBRUARY'S BITTER COLD BRINGS BITTER MEMORIES OF DAYS WITHOUT HEAT. THAT COLD SNAP AND WHAT IT REVEALED ABOUT THE UTILITIES NEW MEXICO COUNTS ON TO KEEP US WARM IS OUR 6TH BIGGEST STORY OF THIS YEAR. LAURA PASKUS, AGAIN, ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES YOU COVER A LOT OF THIS. ONE OF THE BIG SURPRISES, I THINK, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS DURING THAT COLD SNAP WAS QUITE SIMPLY HOW WE RECEIVE OUR NATURAL GAS HERE. NOBODY THINKS ABOUT THESE THINGS. YOU TURN ON YOUR GAS HEATER, THE THING COMES ON, NOBODY THINKS ABOUT HOW IT COMES. BUT WE WERE IN A VERY VULNERABLE POSITION. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRC EARLIER, TOO, SO THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

BUT FROM YOUR SENSE OF IT, ANY CHANGES YOU CAN PREDICT ON THE HORIZON OF HOW WE APPROACH THESE THINGS FROM THIS POINT ON? >> I THINK IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING. IT MADE ME THINK A LOT MORE ABOUT WHO I RELY ON FOR MY SORT OF DAY-TO-DAY TURNING ON THE GAS, TURNING ON THE HEAT. AND I THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD REMINDER THAT WE'RE REALLY DEPENDENT ON THESE HUGE COMPANIES THAT ARE PROFIT DRIVEN, THAT HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS THAT ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN OTHERS. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT BECOMING MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR ENERGY USE; SOLAR, WIND. JUST THINKING ABOUT PRODUCING AND USING YOUR OWN ENERGY. >> SURE, ABSOLUTELY. YOU THINK BACK ON IT, SOPHIE, REMEMBER THE MAPS WITH THE ROUTES THAT CAME THROUGH SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT CAME FROM THE FOUR CORNERS, AND THE GAS JUST TAKES THIS INCREDIBLY LONG ROUTE TO GET TO NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. >> ONE THING THAT I THINK WAS REALLY SHOCKING FOR ME WAS THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE TO CUT OFF THE HEAT, BASICALLY, TO SOME OF THE MORE REMOTE AND VULNERABLE TOWNS, COMMUNITIES IN OUR STATE. YOU KNOW, IF PORTIONS OF ALBUQUERQUE GO WITHOUT HEAT, THERE ARE PLACES WE CAN GO. THE UNIVERSITY DID SOME OF THIS.

YOU CAN HEAT THE UNIVERSITY. YOU CAN GO TO LIBRARIES. YOU CAN GO TO PUBLIC PLACES. BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN FAR OFF LOCATIONS, THERE ARE FEWER OF THOSE RESOURCES. IN RED RIVER, TAOS, EAGLE NEST, ETC., THAT'S A REAL CHALLENGE. SO MAKING THE DECISION TO CUT OFF THE POWER THERE, ALTHOUGH THEY DID EXPLAIN WHY THAT WAS, THAT IT WAS THE END OF THE TRAIL KIND OF THING, IT SEEMED LIKE A DANGEROUS CHOICE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. >> ANOTHER PART OF THE STORY, ROB, WAS WHEN YOU THINK BACK ON THE REACTION FROM OUR VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, MEANING PNM, THE GAS COMPANIES OUT IN TEXAS WERE IN THE CONVERSATION, THE GOVERNOR, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF HOW BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS SORT OF MAKING IT UP AS IT WENT ALONG, BECAUSE WE'D NEVER BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE. >> EXACTLY. FROM THE POLITICAL STANDPOINT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STRUCK ME ABOUT THIS WAS, THIS WAS, I THINK, LATE JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY, SO IT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST TESTS FOR GOVERNOR MARTINEZ. AND ALONG THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF

TIMES A CONSERVATIVE GETS NAILED IF THE BIG GAS COMPANY DOESN'T DO ITS JOB. BUT SHE WAS PRETTY TOUGH ON THE GAS COMPANY. SHE WAS VERY TOUGH ON THE GAS COMPANY, AND SHE WAS WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK. SHE WAS THERE, AND GOT HIGH MARKS, I THINK, ACROSS THE BOARD FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE WITHOUT POWER. AND SHE PRETTY MUCH TOOK THE HARD LINE OF, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS THING FIXED, AND THE GAS COMPANY HAS GOT TO GET THIS THING DONE RIGHT AWAY. I THINK SHE DID VERY WELL IN THAT FIRST TEST THAT, THAT SHE HANDLED THAT SITUATION? >> NO. NO, I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. IT HAPPENED THE FIRST WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY, BECAUSE IT WAS THE WEEKEND OF THE SUPERBOWL. I MEAN, I REMEMBER THAT PART OF IT. AND I WAS TRAVELING UP TO SANTA FE ON THE REGULAR BASIS DEALING WITH THE LEGISLATURE. WE WERE IN SESSION. I REMEMBER A LOT OF CONCERN AMONG LEGISLATORS THAT WE WERE ALL STILL THERE, FULL BLAST HEAT, AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS WERE CALLING AND WERE FREEZING, AND I THINK WE STILL HADN'T HEARD A STATE OF EMERGENCY, WE STILL HADN'T HEARD ANY PLANS FOR FEMA. I THINK THE VERY FIRST THING THAT THE GOVERNOR SAID IS,

LET'S NOT BLAME THE GAS COMPANY, LET'S HOLD OFF A LITLE BIT. AND EVENTUALLY, SHE CAME AROUND AND REALIZED, OKAY, THERE WERE SOME EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED SOONER. I DON'T REMEMBER IT BEING THE WAY ROB REMEMBERS IT. I REMEMBER THERE BEING A LOT MORE CONCERN THAT WE HADN'T BEEN PROPERLY PREPARED, THAT STATE OFFICES HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE OKAY TO SHUT DOWN, SO THEY WERE STILL RUNNING FULL BLAST WITH FULL HEAT. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION DURING THAT TIME, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE VERY PANICKED IN SOME OF THOSE REMOTE AREAS THAT SOPHIE TALKED ABOUT. >> BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GETTING INFORMATION. >> RIGHT, THEY WEREN'T GETTING INFORMATION. IT WASN'T CLEAR WHY CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WERE CUT OFF WHEN OTHERS STILL HAD HEAT, AND SEEMED TO BE ON THE SAME SYSTEM. AND THERE WERE MANY OTHER PLACES, I THINK, THAT THEY STILL FROZE, AND IT WASN'T NECESSARILY A GAS SHORTAGE, BUT IT WAS THE FACT THAT THEY HAD REALLY OLD HOUSING, HAD VERY OLD HOUSING HERE IN NEW MEXICO. SO PIPES BURST IN ALL PARTS OF THE STATE. IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, MY MOM WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, ELDERLY, WHOSE PIPES BURST ALSO. AND SO WE HAD EMERGENCIES ALL OVER. PLUS, THE LACK OF TRAINED PLUMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO ACTUALLY FIX THIS. >> THEY WERE BRINGING IN PEOPLE FROM OUT OF STATE.

>> IT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM. THERE WERE SHORTAGES OF PEOPLE THAT KNEW WHAT TO DO EXACTLY. SO I THINK WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THEN, AND I THINK WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS LEARNED FROM THAT, IS THAT WE CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN, AND THOSE COMPANIES HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THEY HAVE THAT DEMAND, THAT SUPPLIERS ARE ABLE -- I MEAN, IT'S ALL A SUPPLY AND DEMAND PROBLEM. AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF CONTINGENCY PLANS IN THE WORKS AHEAD OF TIME AND ANTICIPATE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN. >> HAVE WE HEARD ABOUT ANY CONTINGENCY PLANS? ANYBODY? >> I THINK THEY'VE BEEN IN THE WORKS. ONE COMPANY YOU DIDN'T MENTION -- YOU MENTIONED PNM, BUT ACTUALLY IT WAS NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY. >> I'M SORRY, MY FAULT AGAIN. >> THEY HAVE DONE A LOT TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM, AND KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. >> INTERESTING. NOW, LIMITING OURSELVES TO JUST TEN BIG STORIES FOR 2011 WAS HARD. SOME IMPORTANT STUFF DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT. SO WE'RE PUTTING SOME OF THE YEAR'S NEWS "ON THE CLOCK." FIRST, UNM SPORTS. A MISERABLE SEASON MET WITH A GLIMMER OF HOPE AS UNM HIRED FORMER NOTRE DAME COACH BOB DAVIE. BUT THE CLOUD OF GLOOM THAT HUNG OVER THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM SEEMED TO AT TIMES OVERSHADOW SUCCESS IN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SOCCER, WHICH

WAS AWESOME. SKIING DID WELL. CROSS-COUNTRY DID WELL. LAURA SANCHEZ, I'LL STAY WITH YOU. THIS BEGS THE QUESTION: WE DOING WELL, KIDS ARE GETTING GOOD GRADES, DO WE MAKE TOO MUCH OF FOOTBALL? DOES THE SCHOOL SPORTS THING ALWAYS HAVE TO RISE AND FALL ON FOOTBALL? >> I DON'T THINK WE MAKE TOO MUCH OF FOOTBALL. I THINK FOOTBALL IS IMPORTANT. THIS IS PART OF THE COUNTRY WHERE FOOTBALL IS -- YOU KNOW, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS IS IMPORTANT HERE. IT'S NOT JUST A WEST TEXAS ISSUE. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TEAMS, A LOT OF SMALL COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE THAT CARE A LOT ABOUT FOOTBALL. AND I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS CARED ABOUT FOOTBALL IN THIS STATE. I THINK LOCKSLEY HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN HE CAME IN, AND HIS ISSUES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED MUCH SOONER. >> HE'S JUST BEEN HIRED, ACTUALLY, BY HIS OLD TEAM. HE'S NOW THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR, OR SOMETHING. >> IN ILLINOIS? >> NO, BEFORE THAT. SOMEWHERE BACK EAST. MARYLAND, OR SOMETHING. CLOCK IS RUNNING; SORRY. WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? >> MY TAKE IS, BOB DAVIE IS A GOOD CHOICE. YES, HE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACTIVE COACH FOR TEN YEARS, BUT I THINK, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, FOR A LOT OF COACHES, NEW MEXICO IS A STEPPING STONE JOB. FOR BOB DAVIE, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A STEPPING STONE JOB. HE IS GOING TO BE HERE, AND HE IS GOING TO TRY TO TURN THIS PROGRAM AROUND, AND IT NEEDS SOME TURNING AROUND BECAUSE THE ONE FOOTBALL STORY THAT WAS THE BIGGEST STORY WAS THE GUY WITH THE

BAGGY PANTS WHO GOT ARRESTED IN SAN FRANCISCO. THAT'S THE BIGGEST NEWS IN YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM. >> WE'LL TAKE ONE MORE. DO YOU HAVE A THOUGHT ON THIS, SOPHIE? >> WELL, I'M MAYBE LESS EXCITED ABOUT FOOTBALL THAN LAURA IS, BUT I WILL SAY THIS. I WILL SAY THIS. THE ISSUES WITH COACH LOCKSLEY, THE ISSUES WITH THE TEAM, SUCKED A LOT OF OXYGEN OUT OF THE ROOM FOR A LOT OF THOSE STORIES THAT WERE REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THERE ARE OTHER SPORTS AT UNM THAT DESERVE IT, THAN FOOTBALL. >> I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE THUMBS UP FOR THE SOCCER SQUADS. WHAT A YEAR. >> FOOTBALL, NOT SOCCER. >> THAT'S RIGHT NO. 2 ON OUR LIST OF TOP TEN "ON THE CLOCKS," CHIMPANZEES AT A GOVERNMENT RESEARCH FACILITY IN ALAMOGORDO WERE IN THE HEADLINES EARLY THIS YEAR, AND THEN AGAIN TODAY AS CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER WHETHER OR NOT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SHOULD BRING 200 SEMI-RETIRED CREATURES BACK INTO SERVICE AS MEDICAL TEST SUBJECTS. I HAVE A FULL DISCLOSURE. I HAVE A VERY CLOSE CONNECTION TO SOMEBODY IN

THE BUSINESS OF CHIMPANZEE ADVOCACY. MS. LAURA PASKUS, WE COVERED THIS BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHIMPS HAVE SOME REPRIEVE HERE UNTIL SOME THINGS GET FIGURED OUT. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ANGLES HERE. HOW WE PERCEIVE ANIMALS, OUR HUMAN SIDE, PAIN AND SUFFERING, HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT. A LOT OF STUFF THERE. >> IT'S SUCH AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE. I CAN JUST IMAGINE SOMEBODY SAYING, OH, THIS SORT OF RESEARCH HELPED SAVE MY FAMILY MEMBER. BUT, GOSH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I JUST THINK IT'S CRUEL TO BE HOLDING THESE ANIMALS AND DOING TESTING ON THEM. AND THE FACT THAT THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF TWO COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT STILL DOES CHIMPANZEE RESEARCH, IT DOESN'T SPEAK WELL OF US AS A NATION. >> THAT'S RIGHT. OUR SENATORS HAVE COME ON STRONG. OUR CONGRESSMAN HEINRICH, WANNA-BE SENATOR, HE'S COME ON STRONG WITH THIS, TOO. IT'S GOT A LOT OF SUPPORT. >> IT HAS. I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE ESPECIALLY FEEL KINSHIP TOWARDS ANIMALS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO US, AND THEN ALSO, OF COURSE, TO

DOMESTICATED ANIMALS; DOGS AND CATS, AND TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, RABBITS. IT'S HARD TO LOOK AT THAT SITUATION AND NOT FEEL REAL COMPASSION FOR THESE CHIMPS. >> AND THAT'S BEEN COMING OUT, ROB. A LOT OF THE PUBLIC HAS REALLY COME OUT ON THIS. >> SURE. AS A TOKEN CONSERVATIVE HERE, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY, YEAH, KILL ALL THE CHIMPS. I LIKED LANCELOT WHEN I WAS A KID, WATCHING THAT ON SATURDAY MORNING. I THINK THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, FROM WHAT I'VE READ ABOUT IT, THESE 200 CHIMPS HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH A WHOLE BATTERY OF TESTS. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR SIMIAN FRIENDS, WE SHOULD GIVE THESE GUYS A PASS. >> I'VE GOT TO HOLD YOU THERE, LAURA. SORRY ABOUT THAT. HERE'S ANOTHER STORY THAT, LIKE JEFF BINGAMAN'S RETIREMENT AND THE RICHARDSON INQUIRIES, COULD HAVE LEGS IN 2012. THE GAP BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE HOUSE IS NARROWED MARKEDLY. I HAVE TO IMAGINE REPUBLICANS ARE EXCITED AT PROSPECTS ABOUT TAKING AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THE LEGISLATURE THIS NEXT CYCLE. >> YEAH. IT'S BASICALLY THREE, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS REALLY

ONLY TWO, BECAUSE ANDY NUNEZ, WHO IS AN INDEPENDENT, SIDES WITH THE GOVERNOR A LOT OF TIMES. I THINK THAT DEFINITELY, THE REPUBLICANS FEEL THAT THEY CAN MAKE SOME MORE INROADS, AND POSSIBLY TAKE THE HOUSE. CERTAINLY MAKE SOME INROADS IN THE SENATE, AS WELL, BECAUSE THE SENATE LEAD FOR THE DEMOCRATS IS MUCH MORE LOPSIDED. >> WHAT HAPPENS, IN FACT, IF THE HOUSE DOES FLIP REPUBLICAN? WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THERE? >> I THINK A LOT OF GRIDLOCK WOULD HAPPEN. I THINK WE'D SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE SENATE PASSES AND WHAT THE HOUSE PASSES. AND THEN, IN TURN, TRYING TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR. IT'S NOT EASY. THERE'S ALREADY GRIDLOCK BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE. THERE KIND OF ALWAYS HAS BEEN. BUT I COULD SEE A LOT MORE GRIDLOCK IF THAT HAPPENS. BUT I THINK ALL SEATS ARE GOING TO BE UP FOR GRABS. I THINK EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE DOUBLING DOWN ON THIS, AND WORKING PRETTY HARD. SO I WOULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED THIS YEAR. >> SURE. LAURA, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS POLITICAL CHASM ON DECISION-MAKING, THE NARROWING ON DECISION-MAKING? >> I AGREE WITH LAURA ABOUT GRIDLOCK. I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE

HAPPENING THAT AREN'T, AND I JUST CAN SEE THAT THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE HAPPENING, AND IT'S WORRISOME. >> I'M GOLD TO HOLD YOU THERE, SOPH. DIXON APPLE ORCHARDS WAS WASHED OUT AS RUNOFF FROM THE LAS CONCHAS BURN AREA INUNDATED THE NEW MEXICO LANDMARK. IT WAS AWFUL, AWFUL. LAURA PASKUS, LET ME START WITH YOU. TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO MAKE RE-PLANTING VIABLE, OR WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? EVERYONE WANTS THE FAMILY TO SUCCEED. THEY'VE GIVEN SO MUCH TO THE STATE. >> I AGREE, IT'S AN AWFUL SITUATION. I THINK ONE THING THAT'S WORTH POINTING OUT, THOUGH, IS THAT THE SANTA CLARA PUEBLO, WHICH IS NEARBY, THEY LOST 70% OF THEIR FORESTED LANDS, AND THEIR WATERSHED WAS NOT DESTROYED, BUT HARMED. SO I THINK AS MUCH AS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION ON THE APPLE ORCHARDS, AND RIGHTFULLY SO -- IT WAS AWFUL -- I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT SANTA CLARA PUEBLO IS GOING THROUGH VERY DIFFICULT TIMES RIGHT NOW. >> I APPRECIATE THAT FOR SURE. SOPHIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ONE? >> I THINK THAT THE DIXON APPLE ORCHARD -- AND THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER ABOUT THE PUEBLO -- THE DIXON APPLE ORCHARD IS A REAL TREASURE, SUCH AN IMPORTANT

TOUCHSTONE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE FALL GOING OVER THERE TO PICK UP THEIR APPLES, AND IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS LOSS TO OUR STATE IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP IT GOING. IT IS ALSO A REMINDER, THOUGH, TO ALL OF US THAT NATURE HAPPENS. AND THAT JUST BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A STATE THAT IS OFTEN VERY STABLE, WE DON'T HAVE THE TORNADOES, WE DON'T HAVE SO MANY OF THE EARTHQUAKES, THAT WE STILL NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US. >> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE GOT TO HOLD YOU GUYS THERE. TWO PROMINENT TV SHOWS ANNOUNCED THE END OF THEIR RUN THIS YEAR. THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED, AND A PERSONAL FAVORITE, "BREAKING BAD" AND USA'S "IN PLAIN SIGHT" LAURA SANCHEZ LIKES THAT ONE. THEY HAVE ONE SEASON LEFT. ROB, THERE IS A SIMPLE THING HERE. MOVIES ARE IMPORTANT, CRITICAL FOR OUR INDUSTRY, BUT TELEVISION IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE YOU CAN WORK LONGER, IT HAS MORE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY. SO PERHAPS FOLKS NEED TO GET ON A PLANE AND GO BACK TO HOLLYWOOD AND START TALKING ABOUT TV SHOWS HERE. >> RIGHT. BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DOES THE STATE NEED TO SUPPORT THESE THINGS. AND THE BIG QUESTION THERE

FOR CONSERVATIVES IS THAT, IT'S OKAY, IT'S GREAT, IT'S FANTASTIC, WE WANT TO HAVE HOLLYWOOD HERE, BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S A SUBSIDY, WHICH A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE THE ARGUMENT THAT, OH, WHAT ABOUT THE OIL AND GAS -- OIL AND GAS IS NOT A SUBSIDY. THE STATE DOES NOT CUT THEM A CHECK. THEY GET A TAX BREAK, BUT NOT A SUBSIDY, AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. >> BIG DIFFERENCE. LAURA, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS, LOSING THESE GUYS? >> WELL, THEY DON'T GET CUT A CHECK, BUT THEY DO GET TAX BREAKS. IT'S STILL REVENUE THAT OTHERWISE WOULD COME TO THE STATE. SO WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT REVENUE AND SOME FORM OF PUBLIC INCENTIVES TO THESE INDUSTRIES. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND JOBS IN THE MATURE INDUSTRY OF OIL AND GAS THAT CAN FIND JOBS IN SHOWS, WHICH ARE LONG-TERM STABLE JOBS. >> ABSOLUTELY. LAURA, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS? ARE WE OKAY HERE FOR FILM AND TV? >> ALL I CAN SAY IS, I WILL MISS MARY. >> YEAH, THERE YOU GO. SHE'S A GREAT ACCESS. >> THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT

FRIENDS WHO -- I'VE BEEN INVITING THEM HERE FOR 12-13 YEARS; COME VISIT. SUDDENLY THEY'RE LIKE, I'M OBSESSED WITH "BREAKING BAD," I MIGHT NEED TO COME. AND THEY WANT TO VISIT NOT SANTA FE, THEY WANT TO VISIT ALBUQUERQUE AND SEE THE SIGHTS. IT'S REALLY AWESOME. >> THAT'S RIGHT. FINALLY, TIME'S PERSON OF THE YEAR WAS "THE PROTESTER," IF YOU'VE SEEN THE LEAK OF THAT COVER. THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE ARAB SPRING, CERTAINLY, BUT HERE IN THE STATES, WE SAW THE OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT TAKE OFF THIS YEAR. SOPHIE, I'LL STAY WITH YOU. IT CAUGHT AHOLD OF A STRONG SENTIMENT, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. DEPENDING ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW, IT'S EITHER WANING, OR JUST TAKING A LITTLE BREAK BEFORE THE NEXT PART HERE. BUT HOW BIG WAS OCCUPY FOR ALBUQUERQUE, CERTAINLY, BUT FOR THIS WHOLE CHANGING OF THE DIALOGUE? >> I THINK IT WAS A BIG DEAL. AND I KNOW THAT BOTH THE TEA PARTY ACTIVISTS AND OCCUPY, THEY DON'T LIKE BEING COMPARED TO EACH OTHER, BUT I THINK THEY BOTH SHOWED US THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THE ISSUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE POLITE. THAT IN ORDER TO GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT, AND THAT MEANS GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT IN

THE MEDIA, YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE SOME NOISE. AND WE SAW THAT WITH BOTH OF THOSE MOVEMENTS. AND I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO REFRAME SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL. >> INTERESTING. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS, SIR? >> I AGREE, STRANGELY, WITH SOME OF MY LIBERAL COLLEAGUES THAT I THINK THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT, AS LONG AS IT STAYS NONVIOLENT, IS A GOOD ONE. AND EVEN BEFORE THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT TOOK OFF, I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMON GROUND BETWEEN THE TWO. BOTH DON'T LIKE CRONY CAPITALISM. BOTH ARE SUSPICIOUS OF GOVERNMENT. >> MR. BERNANKE IS AN ENEMY. >> EXACTLY. BUT I DO THINK THAT CONSERVATIVES HAVE A VERY GOOD POINT WHEN THEY SAY THAT THE MEDIA TREATMENT FROM THE NATIONAL MEDIA WAS MUCH MORE SYMPATHETIC TO THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT THAN IT WAS TO THE TEA PARTY. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE FIRST OF OUR TOP TEN. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FOR THE TOP TOP TOP TEN. WHO IS GOING TO BE NUMBER ONE? WE'LL SEE NEXT WEEK. >> THE YEAR'S TOP FIVE STORIES WILL BE REVEALED NEXT WEEK. WE'LL RECAP OUR CHOICES ONLINE AT NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. YOU CAN DEBATE OUR PICKS ON

OUR FACEBOOK SITE, TOO. AS ALWAYS, WE'RE INTERESTED IN YOUR THOUGHTS. THANKS FOR WATCHING. I'M GENE GRANT, AND WE'LL