New Mexico in Focus; 520; Congressional Hopeful Eric Griego

>> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO INFOCUS - >> WE HELPED BUILD THE AMERICAN DREAM. THE DEMOCRATS GOT SOCIAL SECURITY DONE. THE DEMOCRATS GOT MEDICAID AND MEDICARE DONE. >> ERIC GRIEGO, ON WHY HE THINKS HE CAN KEEP A CRITICAL SWING SEAT IN THE HANDS OF DEMOCRATS BY RUNNING FOR CONGRESS HIMSELF. AND SMALL BUSINESSES. LONG HELD HIGH AS JOB CREATORS, DO TARGETED TAX CUTS FOR THEM REALLY GENERATE EMPLOYMENT? NEW MEXICO INFOCUS STARTS NOW! >> THIS PAST TUESDAY WAS ELECTION DAY. LAS CRUCES RE-ELECTED MAYOR KEN MIYAGISHIMA AND SOME CITY COUNCILORS. BUT IT WOULDN'T BE A STRETCH TO SAY MANY VOTERS LOOKED RIGHT PAST A RELATIVELY QUIET ELECTION TO NEXT YEAR, 2012. THE NEXT PRESIDENT, AND FOR NEW MEXICO, A NEW SENATOR AND AT LEAST ONE NEW MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN THE HOUSE WILL BE ELECTED. WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES OF INTERVIEWS WITH THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR NEW MEXICO'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AS ERIC GRIEGO SITS DOWN ONE-ON-ONE WITH NMIF

CORRESPONDENT GWYNETH DOLAND. WE'LL ALSO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ'S PLANS TO EXPLORE TAX CUTS TARGETED AT SMALL BUSINESSES. NOW, MANY CAN USE EXTRA MONEY, BUT DO TAX CUTS AUTOMATICALLY CREATE JOBS? AND THE LINE TALKS VOTER FRAUD AMONGST THOSE WHO RECEIVED DRIVER'S LICENSES AS FOREIGN NATIONALS, NEW MEXICO'S SURPRISING IMAGE PROBLEM, AND THE REST OF THE WEEK'S NEWS "ON THE CLOCK." FIRST, THE BIG QUESTION ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS. >> GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ SAYS HER ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO SPEND MUCH OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION FINDING WAYS TO EASE THE TAX BURDEN FOR NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES. ONE OF THE PROPOSALS IS TO ELIMINATE GROSS RECEIPTS PAYMENTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES - SMALL - $200 A MONTH. THAT'S PRETTY SMALL. NOW, WE'LL GET INTO THAT, AND OUR QUESTION FOR THE LINE PARTICULARLY - WILL IT CREATE JOBS? JOINING US THIS WEEK FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, REPORTER RUSSELL CONTRERAS. RUSS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US, AND WELCOME. WE ARE ALSO ABLY JOINED BY

ATTORNEY LAURA SANCHEZ. ACROSS THE TABLE FROM LAURA IS SOPHIE MARTIN, SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTANT. AND REGULAR PANELIST, DANIEL FOLEY, FORMER NEW MEXICO HOUSE REPUBLICAN WHIP. HE'S BACK, AS ALWAYS. RUSS, THIS REPORT CAME FROM YOUR COLLEAGUE, BARRY MASSEY. WHO DOES GREAT WORK ALL THE TIME, CERTAINLY. ONE OF THE INTERESTING PARTS OF THIS IS THAT THE SECRETARY OF FINANCE, TOM CLIFFORD, SAID THIS COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE HALF OF THE 80,000 NEW MEXICO SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE BILLING LESS THAN 200 BUCKS A MONTH SOME SERIOUS DOUGH, AND THAT'S GOOD. HOWEVER, INSIDE THAT, IT BEGS AN OBVIOUS QUESTION: HOW MANY REVENUE DO WE ACTUALLY GET FROM SMALL BUSINESSES IN NEW MEXICO IF FULLY HALF OF THEM ARE BILLING LESS THAN 200 BUCKS IN A QUARTER? DOES THIS SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? IS THERE A BIGGER ISSUE, OR IS SMALL BUSINESS STILL THE WAY TO GO FIRST? >> THE WASHINGTON POST HAD YEARS AGO, WHERE THEY CALLED SMALL BUSINESS THE PUPPY DOG OF THE AMERICAN TAX POLICY. EVERYBODY LIKES POLICIES WHEN YOU DIRECT TOWARDS SMALL BUSINESS.

EVERYBODY RALLIES AROUND THAT. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS -- WE THINK IT'S ABOUT 2% OF WHAT THE OVERALL REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S INTERESTING WHEN I SAW BARRY'S PIECE WAS, HOW MUCH WILL THAT EFFECT THE GENERAL REVENUE, ESPECIALLY AT TIMES WHEN WE HAVE A TIGHT BUDGET, ESPECIALLY WITH EDUCATION? AND COULD THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY GET THIS THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE? ESPECIALLY AFTER LOOKING AT, AND JUST COMING HERE FROM MASSACHUSETTS AND SEEING THE DRIVER'S LICENSE FIGHT AND THE REACTION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL BE THE REACTION TO THIS WHEN IT'S FRAMED, HEY, LOOK, ANY TAX CUT WILL TAKE AWAY MONEY FROM SCHOOLS, AND RIGHT NOW, OUR SCHOOLS, THEIR BUDGETS ARE BEING TIGHTENED. SO WILL THERE BE A REACTION TO THAT, AND WILL THERE BE ANOTHER RALLY AGAINST IT? THAT'S THE THING ABOUT IT. IT'S AN INTERESTING POLICY, BUT CAN IT GET THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE? AND I'M NOT SURE. >> THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION, DAN, BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE TRADITIONALLY, AND I CAN BE A LITTLE LOOSE WITH THIS, IS SUPPORTIVE OF SMALL BUSINESS. BUT IS THIS THE WAY TO GO TO GET SOME TAX RELIEF FOR FOLKS? GROWTH, IS THAT AN AUTOMATIC AFTER THAT, THAT YOU LESSON

THE BURDEN SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START HIRING? WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THIS? >> LET ME START BY ASKING, GOOD TOWARD SMALL BUSINESS? GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE. I MEAN, IN-PLANT TRAINING, THAT'S NOT SMALL BUSINESS. YOU LOOK AT THE STUFF WE DO, IT SEEMS TO BE FOR THREE OR FOUR OF THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS. PNM, INTEL. SMALL BUSINESS IS KIND OF LEFT BY THE WAYSIDE. REMEMBER, THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX IS A TAX PAID FOR YOU DOING A SERVICE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. IT'S A WHOLE KIND OF SCREWY SYSTEM. I'M NOT A FAN OF WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. OUR TAX PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM FROM OUR TAX POLICY. LET'S STOP STICKING OUR FINGER IN THE DIKE. LET'S HAVE SOMEONE SHOW SOME BACKBONE, LIKE THE GOVERNOR CAN, LIKE SHE DID ON THE DRIVERS LICENSE DEAL. RIGHT, WRONG OR INDIFFERENT, SHE STOOD UP AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT I WANT. STAND UP AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYMORE PIECEMEAL FIXES. WE ARE GOING TO FIX THE TAX CODE IN NEW MEXICO. THIS WHOLE, I'VE GOT TO PAY IT, BUT YOU DON'T BECAUSE YOU GOT A LOBBYIST AND I DIDN'T, OR BECAUSE I SELL IT TO THE SCHOOLS -- I MEAN, IT TOOK US YEARS TO GET OFFICIALS -- REFEREES HAD TO PAY GROSS RECEIPTS TAXES. WE JUST BILLED THE SCHOOL

FOR THE GROSS RECEIPTS TAX. SO THE SCHOOL WROTE ME A CHECK FOR GROSS RECEIPTS TAXES, WHICH I GAVE BACK TO THE STATE. ABSOLUTELY ARCHAIC IN OUR PHILOSOPHY. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE, I THINK. I THINK PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO LOOK AT THE REAL PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO, AND IT'S OUR TAX POLICY, PERIOD. AND NOW IS THE TIME TO FIX IT. >> SOPHIE, IN THE NATIONAL SCALE, AND RUSSELL JUST MENTIONED THIS A SECOND AGO, THERE'S BEEN MANY STUDIES OUT THERE THAT SHOW SMALL BUSINESSES -- IN FACT, LET'S DEFINE SMALL BUSINESS. FOR THE GOVERNMENT, IT'S LESS THAN $10 MILLION, AND ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN. >> TO MANY NEW MEXICO BUSINESSES, THAT SOUNDS PRETTY BIG -- >> -- ACTUALLY, I MEAN, WHEN YOU CONSIDER OUR SMALL BUSINESS LANDSCAPE. I'M SORRY. I CUT YOU OFF. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. BUT INTERESTING NUMBERS OUT THERE SHOW SMALL BUSINESSES, IN FACT, DON'T HIRE PEOPLE. IT'S START-UPS THAT HIRE PEOPLE. AND THEN YOU REACH A CERTAIN MATURATION IN YOUR CYCLE, YOU GET A LOT BIGGER LIKE DAN JUST SAID, AND THEN YOU HIRE MORE PEOPLE. >> I THINK PART OF WHAT YOU'RE TOUCHING ON RIGHT THERE IS THAT GROWTH DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE, BAM, I GOT AN EXTRA 200 BUCKS A MONTH.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT IT WORKS. THE WAY THAT IT WORKS, AND I SHOULD SAY IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY, IS YOU PLAN FOR GROWTH, YOU ANTICIPATE GROWTH, YOU HAVE GOALS, YOU SET THOSE GOALS. THE TAX POLICY AT THAT MOMENT MAY HAVE NO IMPACT ON YOUR GROWTH DECISIONS BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SPONGEABLE, ABOUT SOMETHING THAT CAN CHANGE. WHEREAS YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR INTERNAL, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU SEE, HOW YOU PROJECT YOU'RE GOING TO PERFORM IN THE MARKET. SO I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT AREAS. ONE THING THAT I THINK IS INTERESTING ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, HAVING BEEN A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, IS WHILE I DON'T THINK THAT $200 A MONTH IS GOING TO LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN HIRING -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT IS THAT, $2,400 A YEAR, THAT'S NOT AN INCOME -- I THINK THAT WE MIGHT SEE SOME SMALL UPTICK IN PRODUCTIVITY, BECAUSE THE OTHER THING THAT WE HEAR ABOUT GROSS RECEIPTS TAX IS THAT IT'S BURDENSOME JUST TO COMPLY. TO COLLECT THE TAXES, TO PUT THE PAPERWORK TOGETHER, TO FIGHT, ET CETERA.

AND FOR A VERY SMALL BUSINESS, WELL BELOW THAT $10 MILLION MARK, THAT INCREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY COULD BE A REAL BOOM. >> INTERESTING. PART OF THIS NATIONAL DEBATE, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY RUSSELL, IT'S POLITICS VERSUS POLICY. RIGHT? IT'S EASY POLITICS TO SAY, LET'S PROTECT SMALL BUSINESS. IT'S THE BREADBASKET OF AMERICA. BUT ARE YOU SENSING A SHIFT IN POLICY? HAVE WE CHANGED OUR IDEAS ABOUT HOW SMALL BUSINESS INTEGRATES IN THIS COUNTRY, OR ARE WE STILL STUCK ON THE POLITICS HERE? HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH IT. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GOOD POLITICS FOR EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTY, TO TRY TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES. I THINK IT SOUNDS GOOD. NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SMALL BUSINESS. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO SEPARATE, IN THIS CASE, THE IDEA OF HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES AND HELPING THE ECONOMY FROM JOB CREATION. I THINK THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THING. I THINK JOB CREATION -- AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES ABOUT HOW START-UP COMPANIES CREATE NEW JOBS. AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT HERE IN NEW MEXICO IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR, IN OTHER SECTORS, AND IN LARGE INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE THE JOBS, HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF JOBS

MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN A SMALL BUSINESS THAT'S BASICALLY BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THEY JUST CAN'T SCALE UP IN THE SAME WAY. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS GROSS RECEIPTS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HELPING THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEN IT'S A MATTER OF HOW ARE THEY GOING TO USE THAT MONEY TO HELP THE ECONOMY. SO I DISAGREE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO JOB CREATION. I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME JOB CREATION. BUT IT WILL BE A WAVE SORT OF THING. IT WILL BE A RIPPLE EFFECT BASED ON HOW ARE THOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS USING THAT MONEY. IF THEY TURN AROUND AND SAVE, OR IF THEY'RE TURNING AROUND AND PAYING DOWN DEBT, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY PUTTING THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE ECONOMY. IF THEY'RE USING IT TO PURCHASE MORE GOODS, OR TO BASICALLY PUT IT BACK IN MORE SERVICES, OR WHATEVER, THEN THEY ARE HELPING THE ECONOMY IN SOME WAY. AND I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO ATTACH THAT SAVINGS TO A SPECIFIC AREA THAT THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD USE THAT MONEY FOR. I THINK IT'S MUCH MORE LIKELY THAT THEY WOULD PAY DOWN DEBT, OR THEY WOULD USE IT FOR SOME OTHER TYPE OF EXPENSE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE, RATHER THAN A JOB CREATION EXPENSE. >> SURE. ON THE OTHER END OF THE

SCALE, DAN, YOU TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER, IT'S BIGGER COMPANIES, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SOME IDEAS ABOUT NOT JUST GROSS RECEIPTS, BUT CORPORATE INCOME TAX. THEY'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING. WE'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES, GOING BACK TO GOVERNOR RICHARDSON CERTAINLY, AT THE LEAST, ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE PAY FOR CORPORATE INCOME TAX AND SUCH. WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO ON TAX STRUCTURE FOR BIGGER EMPLOYERS HERE, OR PERHAPS EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE BUSINESS HERE BUT ARE NOT BASED HERE? SHOULD WE BE DINGING THESE GUYS HARDER, OR IS THAT THE WRONG WAY TO GO? >> I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE FINDING WAYS TO ENTICE THEM TO COME HERE AND BRING THE JOBS. THE PROBLEM I'VE GOT IS, WHEN YOU HAVE A SMALL SHOP HERE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON THE SHOW BEFORE, THE CONSTRUCTION GUYS, THEY'VE GOT A PHONE IN A LITTLE OFFICE AND THEY'RE GETTING ALL THE IN-STATE PREFERENCES, AND THE GUY NEXT DOOR THAT'S ACTUALLY GOT A HUNDRED NEW MEXICANS WORKING FOR HIM IS LOSING OUT TO THE GUY FROM ARIZONA. SO WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THAT STUFF. YOU ASKED ME ABOUT THE TAX STUFF, GENE. LOOK, IT'S GOING TO BE NO SHOCK TO THE PEOPLE HERE. ANY TIME WE CAN TAKE A COLLAR FROM THE GOVERNMENT, I'M HAPPY. I MEAN, THE LESS MONEY THE GOVERNMENT HAS, THE BETTER

OFF I THINK WE ALL ARE. AND I THINK NOT ONLY IN OUR STATE, BUT IN OUR COUNTRY, WE DON'T HAVE A TAX PROBLEM, WE'VE GOT A SPENDING PROBLEM. AND I THINK UNTIL WE GET SERIOUS ABOUT THAT -- AND THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT A SPENDING PROBLEM IS TO CUT OFF THE MONEY THAT THEY CAN SPEND. I THINK EXPECTING POLITICIANS TO SAY, I'M GOING TO CONTROL MY SPENDING, I'M GOING TO CONTROL WHAT I DO, I'M NOT GOING TO GO HOME WITH GIFT PRODUCTS FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO SHOW THE RESTRAINT TO DO THAT. BUT IF YOU STOP SENDING THEM THOSE DOLLARS, I THINK YOU'LL FIND MEANINGFUL POLICY FOLLOWING AFTERWARDS. SO, AGAIN, I THINK IN NEW MEXICO, WE JUST HAVE TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT FIXING OUR TAX POLICY, IN GENERAL, AND STOP PIECEMEALING THESE PIECES. >> GENE, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO AGREE WITH WHAT HE SAID. >> I'M IN TROUBLE NOW. >> I KNOW, YOU'RE SHOCKED. >> WOW, I'M GOING TO GET FIRED. >> YOU MAY. BUT, NO, I THINK THE IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS THAT YOU CAN'T -- I THINK WHAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR KINDS OF POLICIES, WHEN YOU ROLL OUT WITH THESE IDEAS, IS THAT YOU LOOK AT THEM IN A VACUUM. YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE TAX POLICY. THE TABLE, BASICALLY, OF WHAT YOU'VE GOT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE INCOME, THE REVENUE AT SOME POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO EITHER INCREASE REVENUE FROM A DIFFERENT

SOURCE, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOSERS -- THERE MAY BE WINNERS IN SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO GET HIT. OR YOU NEED TO REDUCE SERVICES. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT BALANCE SOMEWHERE. >> I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IS THIS REAL POLICY, OR IS IT JUST POLITICS? I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY. IS SAVING 200 BUCKS REALLY A POLICY DECISION, OR IS IT A POLITICAL DECISION? >> RUSSELL, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS FLOATING ON THE TABLE AS WE'RE TALKING HERE, BUT DOESN'T THIS BOIL DOWN TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP? RISK TAKERS? YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A BIG ARTICLE IN INC. MAGAZINE JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO THAT KINDA REALLY CAUSED A BIG KERFUFFLE AROUND THE INTERNET ABOUT THE NORWAY SYSTEM, HOW IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY SOCIAL NET, IT'S NOT SUCH A RISK TO GO INTO BUSINESS. MEANING, YOU EITHER HAVE TO HAVE A SPOUSE THAT CAN CARRY YOU FOR HEALTH INSURANCE IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A RISK LIKE THIS AND PUT IT ALL ON THE TABLE. DON'T WE HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROBLEM THROUGH ALL THIS AT THE END OF THE DAY, VERSUS A POLICY

PROBLEM? >> SURE. ONE THING THAT COMES AT ME IS, IF WE DO GO AHEAD WITH THIS TAX, THEORETICALLY OVER ALL THESE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO CREATE JOBS. THAT'S AN IFFY TIME. BUT WE WILL SEE EFFECTS IN COFFERS IMMEDIATELY. SO THE PUBLIC MAY REACT WHEN THEY SEE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE CUTS TO EDUCATION OR CUTS TO OTHER SERVICES, AND THE JOB CREATION IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE THESE FOLKS WILL THEORETICALLY WANT TO INVEST IN THEIR BUSINESS, LET IT GROW IN SOME RESPECTS, AND THEN CREATE THOSE JOBS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NEW MEXICO HAS AS ITS PERCEPTION, AND WE'LL GET INTO THIS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ITS PERCEPTION AS A STATE, IS THAT SOME OF ITS INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T FUNDED AS OTHER STATES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SCHOOLS. THE ATTEMPT TO GET PEOPLE IN HIRING-PAYING JOBS, PROFESSIONALS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAY HOLD THEM BACK FROM COMING TO THE STATE IS, WHAT IS YOUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM LIKE. IF I'M A SCIENTIST GOING TO LOS ALAMOS, WHERE ARE THE SCHOOLS? SHOULD I LEAVE MASSACHUSETTS, OR SHOULD I LEAVE NEW YORK WHERE I HAVE A JOB THAT MAY NOT PAY AS MUCH, BUT I KNOW THAT THESE SCHOOLS HERE WILL GET MY KID INTO HARVARD, OR YALE. CAN I EXPECT THAT?

NOW, IT'S POSSIBLE. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE YOU CAN DO THAT IN NEW MEXICO. BUT THE PERCEPTION THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE, THAT IS WHAT'S HURTING US. AND I THINK ANY TIME YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THIS ARGUMENT THAT, NO, WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE SOME FUNDING. OKAY, OUR SCHOOLS ARE STILL FINE. NOW, IS THAT POSSIBLE? I DON'T KNOW LONG-TERM. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE FRAMED. >> YEAH. IT'S ALL ORGANIC, ISN'T IT, WHAT RUSSELL IS SAYING. IT ALL HAS TO FIT TOGETHER. >> SURE, AND I THINK, PICKING UP ON WHAT LAURA SAID, I THINK THAT'S TRUE THERE. YOU CAN'T PULL FROM ONE SECTION AND EXPECT THAT EVERYTHING ELSE WILL STAY STATIC, OR THEY WON'T BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. YOU KNOW, ALSO PICKING UP, THOUGH, ON SOMETHING THAT RUSSELL JUST SAID, THERE WILL BE A DELAY BEFORE WE SEE BENEFITS, AND AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF GROWTH IN THE SMALL BUSINESS SECTOR, WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STATE WORKERS, AND THE SALARY THAT'S GOING TO STATE WORKERS, AND THAT HAS BEEN THE BREAD AND BETTER OF THIS STATE FOR SO LONG. WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE, AS WE CONTINUE TO CUT, BECAUSE WE

HAVE FEWER RESOURCES GOING TO OUR GOVERNMENT, THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED, MORE PEOPLE UNABLE TO FIND A JOB, AND MORE COMPETITION FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE THERE. >> SURE. >> THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STATE TO PUT THE BRAKES ON THAT AND SAY, LISTEN, JOB CREATION INCLUDES JOB CREATION. I DON'T SEE THE POLITICAL WILL FOR THAT RIGHT NOW. >> STAYING WITH YOU, WE'RE GOING TO FINISH WITH YOU HERE, AND WE'LL STAY WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, YOU AND I KICKED AROUND THE SAME CIRCLES. VENTURE CAPITALISTS, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS, ALL THAT KIND OF THING FOR A LOT OF YEARS. THIS IDEA OF RISK IN NEW MEXICO, IS IT DIFFERENT HERE, TAKING A RISK, VERSUS TAKING A RISK IN MASSACHUSETTS, OR CONNECTICUT, OR WHEREVER THE CASE MAY BE? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, BECAUSE RISK COMES IN MANY FORMS. I'VE BEEN FOCUSING QUITE A BIT LATELY ON THE RISK OF FORECLOSURE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, AND THE FACT THAT OUR STATE LAWS, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, OUR STATE LAWS DON'T REALLY PROTECT PEOPLE IF THEY FALL BEHIND ON THEIR PAYMENTS. AND AS A RESULT, LEAVING A STEADY JOB CAN BE MUCH RISKIER FOR NEW MEXICANS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE CONSUMER PROTECTIONS TO HELP

US IF THINGS GO SOUTH. AND WHEN I SAY TO HELP US, I MEAN IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. IF YOUR HOUSE IS FORECLOSED ON, UNLESS YOU ARE CONSIDERED A LOW-INCOME HOME BUYER, AND THERE ARE RELATIVELY FEW, IF YOUR HOUSE IS FORECLOSED UPON, THE MORTGAGE LENDER CAN COME AFTER YOU FOR DEFICIENCY JUDGMENTS, YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY CAN COME AFTER YOU. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF ADDITIONAL REPERCUSSIONS BESIDES LOSING YOUR HOME. SO LOOKING AT THAT LARGER CONTEXT I THINK WOULD HELP US TO FIGURE OUT, HOW CAN WE MAKE OURSELVES MORE COMPETITIVE FROM AN ENTREPRENEURIAL PERSPECTIVE. >> I LIKE FINISHING WITH THAT. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WE CAN MAKE RISK-TAKING HERE MORE VIABLE, FOR SURE. NOW, JUST AHEAD, ERIC GRIEGO ON HIS RUN FOR THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT IN WASHINGTON. >> FOCUS ON THOSE PROBLEMS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. SO I THINK IN TERMS OF US HAVING SOME ISSUES, I AGREE WITH DAN, I THINK THERE ARE SOME PERCEPTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS. IS IT AN ISSUE OF, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTING, AND THEREFORE OUR ELECTIONS ARE

FRAUDULENT? NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE. >> THE NAME "ERIC GRIEGO" SEEMS TO SURFACE AMONG DEMOCRATS QUITE OFTEN WHEN THEY TALK OF WHO IS LIKELY TO SEEK HIGHER OFFICE. GRIEGO CARVED OUT A REPUTATION AS A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT IN HIS TIME ON THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL, AND HE CERTAINLY CARRIED THAT FORWARD DURING HIS TIME IN THE STATE SENATE. BUT THIS YEAR, HE ANNOUNCED HE'LL RESIGN TO RUN FOR THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT SEAT BEING VACATED BY MARTIN HEINRICH. NMIF CORRESPONDENT GWYNETH DOLAND, NOW, WITH ERIC GRIEGO. >> ERIC GRIEGO IS JOINING US, FORMER CITY COUNCILOR, SECRETARY AND STATE SENATOR, AND NOW DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE. WELCOME, ERIC. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN CRITICIZED FROM THE LEFT FOR MAKING REALLY PASSIONATE SPEECHES ON THE FLOOR OF THE STATE SENATE, BUT NOT REALLY GETTING A LOT DONE. IS THAT FAIR? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S A KIND OF POLITICS THAT SAYS, DO ANYTHING YOU NEED TO DO TO GET YOUR BILL PASSED, AND MAKE ANY DEALS YOU NEED TO MAKE, BACKROOM OR WHATEVER, AND I THINK THERE'S A SCHOOL OF POLITICS, WHICH I HAPPEN TO BE A PART OF, WHICH IS, YOU'VE GOT TO STAND FOR

SOMETHING. AND SOMETIMES I WOULD RATHER HAVE A BILL THAT REALLY PUSHES AN ISSUE AND MAKES THE POINT, AND FORCES PEOPLE TO TAKE A POSITION ON SOMETHING, THAN TO HAVE A LOT OF BILLS THAT REALLY ARE INCREMENTAL, NOT SO IMPORTANT, AND SAY, YEAH, I'VE RACKED UP A LOT OF LEGISLATIVE WINS. THE LEGISLATION THAT I'VE CARRIED IN THE STATE SENATE HAS BEEN SERIOUS STUFF. AN ETHICS COMMISSION, AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSION. CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM THAT'S SERIOUS. ASKING PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE STATE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. THIS IS STUFF THAT GOES TO OUR CORE VALUES. AND I JUST -- >> BUT YOU DIDN'T GET ANY OF IT PASSED. >> SOME OF IT DID. I GOT A GREEN JOBS BILL PASSED, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT BILL. I THINK A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY SMALL SOLAR FIRMS, ARE USING IT. ON CITY COUNCIL, I PASSED MANY, MANY BILLS. PUBLIC FINANCING, INSPECTOR GENERAL BILL, ON AND ON AND ON, LOTS OF STUFF. THE SENATE IS A TOUGHER PLACE, AND I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM, PART OF THE REASON I'M RUNNING FOR CONGRESS, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, THERE

IS A CULTURE, A STATUS QUO CULTURE THAT I THINK WE HAVE SOMETIMES IN OUR GOVERNING BODIES, IN OUR LEGISLATURES, IN OUR CONGRESSES, THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THE "GO ALONG TO GET ALONG" THING. YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET IN LINE. AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED IS, WE NEED MORE LEADERS. WE NEED PEOPLE TO REALLY STEP UP AND STAND FOR SOMETHING, AND FIGHT FOR WORKING CLASS AND MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, AND I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE DOING IT. AND I'LL TELL YOU ONE EXAMPLE. IN THIS LAST SESSION, I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS GOVERNOR ON VERY MANY THINGS, BUT I DID AGREE THAT WE NEEDED TO PUT A BIGGER INVESTMENT IN OUR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE, ROADS AND SO ON. AND SHE HAD A BIGGER BILL THAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. MOST OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, MOST OF THE UNIONS WERE BEHIND IT. AND I FOUGHT VERY HARD, AND I WORKED WITH HER FOLKS AND SOME REPUBLICANS TO TRY TO GET IT DONE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I HAD TO TAKE ON MY OWN LEADERSHIP. AND WE DIDN'T PASS IT. SO INSTEAD OF PUTTING $212 MILLION INTO THIS ECONOMY AND PUTTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, WE GOT A VERY SMALL $90 MILLION STIMULUS. IN THIS ECONOMY, WE NEED TO BE PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK. SO, YES, IT'S TOUGH TO GET THINGS DONE WHEN SOMETIMES THE FORCES ARE ALIGNED

AGAINST YOU. >> IN OUR STATE SENATE HERE, IT'S CONTROLLED BY CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS WHO OFTEN ALIGN WITH THE REPUBLICANS IN THE BODY. IF YOU GO TO CONGRESS, THE HOUSE IS SOMETHING KIND OF SIMILAR THERE. IT'S DEFINITELY A MORE CONSERVATIVE PLACE. WOULD YOU DO THE SAME THING IF YOU GOT THERE? >> ANYBODY WHO GOES TO CONGRESS AS A FRESHMAN CONGRESSMAN, ONE PERSON AMONGST 435, THE QUESTION IS: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS REALISTIC TO DO? MY GOAL, IF I GO UP THERE, IS TO TRY TO GET US BACK TO WHERE OUR VALUES ARE AS DEMOCRATS, AT LEAST, OR I WOULD SAY AS AMERICANS, WHICH IS THAT WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR WORKING FAMILIES, FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, AND WE SHOULD BE TAKING ON SOME OF THE SAME POWERFUL INTERESTS THAT, FRANKLY, CONTROL OUR STATE CAPITOL. WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR REFORM IN OUR CAMPAIGN ETHICS AND FINANCE SYSTEM. SO, DO I BELIEVE THAT ONE GUY OUT OF 435 IS GOING TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE PLACE? ABSOLUTELY NOT. I AM GOING TO ADD MY VOICE

TO A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WHO I BELIEVE SHARE MY VALUES OF STANDING UP FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE UP IN WASHINGTON, AND HOPEFULLY ALSO ENCOURAGE THE PRESIDENT TO STRIKE A HARDER BARGAIN WITH PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT WHO REALLY HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THE RICHEST FOLKS IN THE COUNTRY AND THE BIGGEST CORPORATIONS OUGHT TO BE CALLING THE SHOTS. AND I DISAGREE WITH THAT. AND THAT MAY MEAN THAT I'M STANDING WITH A FEW COLLEAGUES TO MAKE THAT CASE. BUT I'D RATHER BE STANDING BY MY VALUES, AND STANDING UP FOR WORKING FOLKS, THAN BEING ON THE WINNING SIDE OF ANY OF THESE ISSUES. >> WHO ARE SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE MOST ALIGNED WITH? >> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD ONES THAT I THINK ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. ONE WHO IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE -- HE'S ON THE CONGRESSIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS, WHICH IS A PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS IN CONGRESS, WHICH IS 80 MEMBERS. RAUL GRIJALVA, WHO IS FROM THE TUCSON AREA.

HE'S A NEIGHBOR. HE'S ALSO ENDORSED ME IN THE RACE, BECAUSE LIKE ME HE'S BEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS LED ON HIS VALUES. HE HASN'T WON THE MOST, YOU KNOW, MR. CONGENIALITY AWARDS IN CONGRESS, BUT HE REALLY STANDS BY WHAT HE BELIEVES IN. I HAVE ENORMOUS RESPECT FOR HIM, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD HE'S ENDORSED ME. >> I THINK THAT DISTRICT IS A LOT MORE LIBERAL THAN THIS ONE. SO ASSUMING YOU CAN MAKE IT OUT OF THE PRIMARY, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAN APPEAL TO CONSERVATIVE VOTERS WHO AREN'T GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU ON GUNS, OR ABORTION, OR GAY MARRIAGE, OR TAXES, OR THE ENVIRONMENT, OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS? >> I THINK THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT THERE'S DISTRICT, WHICH IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE SORT OF SQUISHY, MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, CENTRIST, KIND OF WHERE IS THE WIND BLOWING. I DISAGREE. I THINK PEOPLE WANT SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE A FIGHTER, SOMEONE WHO STANDS UP FOR THEM, FOR WHAT'S

RIGHT, EVEN WHEN IT MEANS, UNFORTUNATELY, TAKING ON SOME OF THE BLUE DOGS IN THE CONGRESS WHO SAY THEY ARE DEMOCRATS, BUT VOTE LIKE REPUBLICANS. I'M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT I'M A DEMOCRAT. WHAT IT MEANS TO ME TO BE A DEMOCRAT, AND THE REASON WHY I'M RUNNING AS A DEMOCRAT, IS BECAUSE WE SAY WE BELIEVE IN THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND WE HELPED BUILD THE AMERICAN DREAM. IT'S THE DEMOCRATS WHO GOT SOCIAL SECURITY DONE. IT'S THE DEMOCRATS WHO GOT MEDICAID AND MEDICARE DONE FOR OUR SENIORS AND POOR KIDS AND FAMILIES. IT'S THE DEMOCRATS WHO FIGHT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, FOR HEAD START, WHICH I WAS -- PART OF THE REASON I'M SITTING HERE IS BECAUSE PEOPLE INVESTED IN ME SO THAT I COULD BE HERE. SO I THINK THAT THIS MYTH THAT YOU SOMEHOW HAVE TO BE SORT OF JUST, YOU KNOW, A LIGHTER VERSION OF THE REPUBLICAN, WELL, I THINK AS HARRY TRUMAN SAID, IF YOU'VE GOT A CHOICE BETWEEN A REAL REPUBLICAN AND SOMEONE WHO ACTS LIKE A REPUBLICAN, YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE REPUBLICAN. I HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VALUES THAN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CONGRESS, THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. I REALLY BELIEVE WE ARE A COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO INVEST IN PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT WE DO NEED UNIVERSAL PUBLIC EDUCATION, THAT WE OUGHT TO PROTECT

SOCIAL SECURITY, THAT IT SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE ON THE TABLE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE. AND I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE LIBERAL VIEWS. I THINK THOSE ARE MAINSTREAM DEMOCRATIC VIEWS. AND I ACTUALLY THINK THEY'RE MAINSTREAM AMERICAN VIEWS. >> ARE THERE ANY AREAS WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COULD ABSOLUTELY AGREE ON SOME OF THE TEA PARTY'S IDEALS? >> WOW, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK I SHARE THEIR CONCERN FOR WHO IS CONTROLLING GOVERNMENT, AND IT'S THE REASON WHY I HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM, TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF POLITICS, AND THE REASON WHY I'VE FOUGHT FOR AN INDEPENDENT ETHICS COMMISSION WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE, IS BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, NEEDS TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT, WHETHER WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES ON SOME ISSUES, IS AT THE END OF THE DAY REPRESENTING PEOPLE, NOT THE MOST POWERFUL, AND NOT CORPORATIONS, AND NOT ONLY THE ONE PERCENT OF MILLIONAIRES AND SO ON. SO I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM THEM, OR WHAT DID RESONATE, IS WE'VE GOT TO TAKE -- WE'VE GOT TO MAKE GOVERNMENT MUCH MORE

RESPONSIVE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON, AND WE MIGHT DISAGREE ON WHAT THOSE ISSUES SHOULD BE, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA WE MIGHT AGREE WITH. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE I REALLY AGREE WITH THEM ON, THOUGH. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THEY'VE REALLY PUSHED THE AGENDA IN A WAY THAT'S FARTHER RIGHT THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. IT'S INTERESTING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAVE NOT PUSHED BACK. >> HOW DO YOU THINK OBAMA IS DOING? >> I THINK I'M VERY HAPPY THAT HE'S TAKING A MUCH HARDER LINE ON THE JOBS BILL. I THINK THE $450 BILLION JOBS BILL THAT HE'S PROPOSED IS, I THINK, IN THE GRAND SCHEME AND THE SIZE OF OUR ECONOMY FAIRLY MODEST. IT'S NOT A HUGE BILL. IT'S FAIRLY MODEST. LOPSIDED TOWARDS TAX BREAKS. AND THE FACT THAT SPEAKER BOEHNER WON'T EVEN SCHEDULE IT ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, I THINK TO ME JUST SHOWS HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL THIS RELATIONSHIP IS IN WASHINGTON. I THINK THE PRESIDENT REALLY WANTS TO GET THIS ECONOMY GOING AGAIN, AND I'M A LITTLE WORRIED THAT POLITICS ARE TAKING OVER. YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT WE

WANT TO RE-ELECT THE PRESIDENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GETTING THE ECONOMY GOING AGAIN. I THINK ALL OF US, WHETHER LEFT, RIGHT, MIDDLE, SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, OUR TOP PRIORITY HAS TO BE GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND GETTING THE ECONOMY GOING. AND IF A $447 BILLION BILL CAN'T MOVE IN THE CONGRESS THAT'S MOSTLY TAX BREAKS, WHAT CAN? AND, SO, I THINK HE'S FIGHTING HARDER. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M GOING UP THERE IS, I'M HOPING I CAN BE ONE OF THE MANY VOICES THAT ENCOURAGES HIM TO TAKE A HARDER LINE ON WHAT WE SAY WE BELIEVE IN. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN PUSHED TO THE MIDDLE A LOT, AND I THINK -- >> HAS HE BEEN PUSHED TO THE MIDDLE, OR HAS HE FAILED TO PUSH FOR THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED HIM SAID THEY WANTED? >> I THINK HE HAS TRIED. YOU KNOW, WHEN HE GOT OUT THERE ON HEALTH CARE, AND TOO MANY DEMOCRATS AND MOST REPUBLICANS LET HEALTH CARE COMPANIES OFF THE HOOK, KIND OF FOLDED AND DIDN'T PUSH BACK, WHEN THE PUBLIC OPTION WAS TAKEN OFF THE TABLE VERY, VERY EARLY, I WAS EXTREMELY, LIKE A LOT OF

FOLKS, VERY DISAPPOINTED. BECAUSE AS A MATTER OF POLICY, I THINK IT WAS THE WRONG THING. OBVIOUSLY THE HEALTH CARE BILL, THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, IS BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD. IT'S MADE SOME REAL PROGRESS. BUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN HAD SOME OF OUR GUYS STOOD STRONGER AND ENCOURAGED THE PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE A LITTLE TOUGHER, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING MORE LIKE A PUBLIC OPTION. WHAT HAPPENS IS, IF YOU DON'T STAKE OUT SOME PRETTY CLEAR POSITIONS, THEN IT'S EASY TO BE PUSHED AND FOR THE BAR TO BE CONTINUALLY MOVED, AND ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU GET IS BASICALLY A WATERED DOWN VERSION OF WHAT YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN. AND SO I THINK -- >> IS THAT BETTER THAN NOTHING? >> OF COURSE IT IS. OF COURSE IT IS. IN THE CASE OF HEALTH CARE, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT WE, IN THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WE HAVE THE ELIMINATION OF SOME OF THE DIS-EQUAL TREATMENT ON PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, THAT KIDS CAN GET TO STAY ON THEIR PARENTS' HEALTH CARE -- THERE'S SOME GREAT THINGS IN THERE. I THINK IT FALLS FAR SHORT OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN, HAD WE HAD MORE PEOPLE IN

WASHINGTON WHO WEREN'T BLUE DOGS, WHO WEREN'T "GO ALONG TO GET ALONG" DEMOCRATS, WHO WERE FOLKS WHO SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, MR. PRESIDENT AND MR. SPEAKER, WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE PUTTING PROFITS OF INSURANCE COMPANIES OVER PEOPLE. AND I WISH WE HAD MORE VOICES WHO ARE WILLING TO SAY THAT. >> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP WITH WASHINGTON HERE IN NEW MEXICO. WE DEPEND ON FEDERAL MONEY A LOT. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN IN A TIME WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, WE MAKE SURE WHAT WE HAVE IS COMING TO NEW MEXICO? >> I THINK THAT THE INVESTMENT THAT WE, AS AMERICANS, HAVE MADE IN NEW MEXICO'S ROLE IN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, IN OUR ENERGY SECURITY, IS IMPORTANT. AND ANYBODY WHO HOLDS A SEAT HAS TO BE A CHAMPION FOR SANDIA, FOR KIRTLAND, AND ALL THE WORK THAT HAPPENS NOT JUST HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE, BUT AROUND THE STATE. SO I ABSOLUTELY WILL BE I THINK MARTIN HEINRICH, ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE SAID HE WAS AS PROGRESSIVE AS I WAS,

VERY SIMILAR VOTING RECORDS WHEN WE WERE ON CITY COUNCIL TOGETHER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S DONE WELL, WHICH I THINK I WILL CONTINUE, IS YOU HAVE TO BE A CHAMPION FOR THOSE LABS. THERE ARE IMPORTANT JOBS THERE. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT MISSION THERE. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF IS TO SUSTAIN THE LABS AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THE TAXPAYERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAVE MADE IN NEW MEXICO FOR SANDIA AND LOS ALAMOS. >> WHAT ABOUT THE SPILL AT KIRTLAND? IT'S BEEN HOW LONG NOW, AND IT STILL ISN'T CLEANED UP. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? >> I THINK PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING THIS INVESTMENT IS YOU'VE GOT TO BE A GOOD STEWARD AND YOU HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO PEOPLE. JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE INVESTING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THIS ECONOMY TO DO SOME CRITICAL WORK FOR THE COUNTRY ON NATIONAL SECURITY, ON ENERGY SECURITY, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY CAN OPERATE WITHOUT ANY SORT OF OVERSIGHT OR ACCOUNTABILITY. SO I WILL ABSOLUTELY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I WILL ALSO BE IN THEIR CORNER WHEN IT COMES TIME TO SAY, WHAT'S THEIR NEXT MISSION, AND CAN THEY LEAD THE RENEWABLE ECONOMY. CAN THEY START SPINNING OFF MORE TECHNOLOGY. SHOULD WE REALLY BE LEADING EFFORTS IN THE BIG RESEARCH

QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE SOLVED THAT ONLY THE LABS CAN SOLVE. AND I CAN TELL YOU, I WILL BE STRONGLY BY THEIR SIDE. BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE A GOOD ALLY, I'M GOING TO SPEAK THE TRUTH WHEN THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACT, OR CLEAN UP A SPILL, OR MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT EFFECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE IN THIS AREA. >> WHAT ABOUT PASEO? DO YOU THINK MAYOR BERRY IS RIGHT TO PUSH FOR EXPANDING THAT INTERCHANGE AT I-25? >> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS BILL THAT I WORKED WITH THE GOVERNOR AND A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ON, AND A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ON, WAS THAT IF WE WANT TO GET THIS ECONOMY GOING, WE HAVE TO -- WE LEARNED A HARD LESSON IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WHICH IS IF YOU THINK THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALONE CAN GET AN ECONOMY BACK ON TRACK, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WHAT FDR LEARNED, AND WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LEARNED AFTER THIS MAJOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT WE HAD TO MAKE IN REBUILDING OUR ECONOMY, WAS THAT YOU HAVE TO PRIME THE PUMP. AND IT SHOULDN'T BE FRIVOLOUS THINGS, IT SHOULD BE REAL THINGS, LIKE INTERCHANGES, LIKE LIGHT RAIL, LIKE BUILDING SCHOOLS. AND I THINK THE REASON WHY I

SUPPORTED THE PACKAGE THAT INCLUDED PASEO IS BECAUSE THAT'S A SERIOUS TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR THERE. IT'S AN INTERSTATE. IT'S A SERIOUS TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM FOR NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND THERE, BUT ANYBODY WHO HAS DRIVEN THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR KNOWS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COMMERCE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR JOBS. BUT JUST TO WORK IN THE INVESTMENT AND REBUILDING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT IS KEY TO US GETTING THIS ECONOMY GOING, BECAUSE IT SETS THE TABLES FOR BUSINESS TO CREATE JOBS LATER. SO WHEN WE BUILD INTERCHANGES, OR LIGHT RAIL, OR WHEN WE BUILD A NEW SCHOOL, OR A NEW UNIVERSITY, OR A NEW RESEARCH CENTER, THERE'S JOBS NOT IN JUST BUILDING IT, BUT THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT FOR WHAT COMES AFTERWARD IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. EVERY DOLLAR WE INVEST IN K-12, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE A $12 INVESTMENT. WHY WOULDN'T WE BE INVESTING IN MORE SCHOOLS? THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE PRESIDENT'S BILL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF GETTING THIS ECONOMY AROUND. >> SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WE WOULDN'T, BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONDAY RIGHT NOW.

>> WELL, I DISAGREE. I DISAGREE, AND -- >> WELL, ERIC, LET ME CUT YOU OFF THERE, BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY CLEAR ON THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US HERE THIS WEEK. >> THANK YOU. >> WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET MY LICENSE IN MASSACHUSETTS, THEY SAID I NEEDED TO SHOW THEM MY NEW MEXICO DRIVING RECORD AND BRING IT IN ENGLISH. AND THEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS A STATE, WE HAD A BIG ARGUMENT, AND THE SUPER HAD TO CALM ME DOWN, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL A BRAZILIAN IMMIGRANT SAID, HEY, LOOK, THAT'S A STATE. IT WAS ON OUR CITIZENSHIP TEST. GIVE THIS GUY A LICENSE. >> THIS WEEK, NEW MEXICO SECRETARY OF STATE DIANNA DURAN ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS OF HER INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE VOTER FRAUD COMMITTED BY FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO OBTAINED NEW MEXICO DRIVER'S LICENSES. THE RESULT? JUST TWO PEOPLE WHO VOTED ILLEGALLY. ONE VOTED QUITE FREQUENTLY, BUT DURAN SAYS SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE EITHER ONE INTENTIONALLY VIOLATED THE LAW. DANIEL, LET ME START WITH YOU ON THIS. LET ME BACKTRACK TO SOME

NUMBERS. 64,000, RIGHT, THAT WAS BACK IN MARCH. THAT'S WHAT THE SECRETARY TOLD OUR LEGISLATURE. WE GO TO THE STATE POLICE TO TRACK THIS DOWN IN JULY, THE STATE POLICE SAYS WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, IT'S GOING TO COST TOO MUCH MONEY. THEN WE HEAR 137 POTENTIAL ILLEGALS, AND THEN WE HEAR 64, WHATEVER THE NUMBERS WERE. AND NOW WE'RE DOWN TO TWO. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? DID WE JUST SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF DOUGH AND TIME CHASING A GHOST, OR IS THIS STORY OVER? TYPICAL. WHEN I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT VOTER ID, WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THIS STUFF, AND THE DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE WOULD SAY, WELL, JUST SHOW US ONE. AND YOU'D SHOW THEM ONE, AND THEY'D SAY, OKAY, WELL, SHOW US ANOTHER. AND YOU'D GET TWO, AND THEY'D SAY, WELL, TWO COMPARED TO A MILLION. SO THE NUMBERS JUST KEEP GOING. IT'S ONE OF THOSE DEALS WHERE THERE IS NO END LINE. THERE'S NO FINISH LINE. >> DO WE HAVE AN END LINE CURRENTLY? >> WELL, I DON'T KNOW. TO SAY THAT SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO GET TWO, I THINK THAT IF -- AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HER AND SEEN HOW THIS IS DONE. IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT SHE HAS FOUND IS TWO. NOW, SHE HASN'T HAD THE RESOURCES TO GO OUT AND DO ALL THE WORK THAT SHE WAS HOPING THE STATE POLICE WERE

GOING TO DO, SO THERE'S NO TELLING HOW MANY MORE THERE COULD BE, IF ANY. WE DON'T KNOW. SO I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT, DO WE HAVE A VOTER PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO? DO WE HAVE A FRAUDULENT VOTER PROBLEM IN NEW MEXICO? WE KEEP, YOU KNOW, GIVING A WINK AND A NOD WHEN IT COMES TO VOTER FRAUD, WHETHER IT'S 1500 REPUBLICAN BALLOTS BEING FOUND IN A HOUSE BY AN ACORN EMPLOYEE, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE SAYING THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON. EVERY TIME THAT COMES UP, WE ALWAYS GO, WELL, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VOTES IN NEW MEXICO. IT'S CLEAR. WE ARE THE BUTT OF EVERY JOKE. WE EVEN MAKE FUN OF IT OURSELVES IN NEW MEXICO. >> LET ME STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. IS IT CLEAR? I MEAN, THAT WAS THE GOAL OF THIS INVESTIGATION, WAS TO MAKE IT CLEAR. SO ONE COULD SAY, LAURA SANCHEZ, THAT WE NOW HAVE CLARITY, IT'S NOT A HUGE PROBLEM. OR, I ASK AGAIN, IS THIS JUST THE BEGINNING AND SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING TO BE COMING TO THE SURFACE AT SOME POINT? >> WELL, I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH ELECTIONS. PROBLEM THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE MADE THIS OUT TO BE IS SUCH A BIG DEAL. IT'S CLEAR. IF THEY ONLY FOUND TWO INCIDENCES OF THIS, THEN IT

IS NOT THE HUGE 64,000 PERSON PROBLEM THAT THEY CLAIMED IT WAS. NOW, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH ELECTIONS. THERE ARE LOGISTIC PROBLEMS, THERE ARE RESOURCE ISSUES, THERE'S IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER AREAS THAT I THINK THE SECRETARY OF STATE -- IT WOULD BE WORTH THE TAXPAYER'S TIME AND MONEY FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO FOCUS ON THOSE PROBLEMS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR ELECTIONS GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. SO I THINK IN TERMS OF US HAVING SOME ISSUES, I AGREE WITH DAN, I THINK THERE ARE SOME PERCEPTIONS OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS. IS IT AN ISSUE OF, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTING, AND THEREFORE OUR ELECTIONS ARE FRAUDULENT? NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE. AND THIS IS CLEAR. IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS ISN'T THE ISSUE. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT PUTTING STATE POLICE RESOURCES ON THIS WOULD HAVE CHANGED THAT OUTCOME. AND FRANKLY, I'M GLAD THAT THE STATE POLICE DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THIS. THEY HAVE A LOT MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO, INCLUDING CATCHING ME DOWN I-25 WHEN I'M SPEEDING. >> THEY'RE QUITE GOOD AT THAT, APPARENTLY. >> THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT THAT, BUT THAT'S THEIR JOB.

AND THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN TERMS OF CRIME PRETENSION IN THE STATE. >> SURE. AND JUST TO DEFEND DAN FOR A QUICK SECOND, ANY ONE VOTE THAT'S DONE FRAUDULENTLY, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT'S A PROBLEM. BUT I THINK WHAT I'M GETTING AT RUSSELL HERE IS ABOUT PROPORTION, AND WHAT SHE'S THROWN AT THIS PROBLEM. NOW WE HAVE SOME OTHER CLARITY, MEANING OUT OF 1.1 MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS HERE, WE'VE GOT 600 AND SOME ODD, 41, OR WHATEVER IT IS, DEAD PEOPLE STILL ON THE ROLLS. THAT HAPPENS IN EVERY STATE. WE CLEAN THOSE UP AS IT GOES ALONG. SO I ASK YOU, WHERE DO WE STAND NOW WITH THIS? HOW ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO TAKE AWAY THIS STUDY? DO WE FEEL BETTER ABOUT IT? DO WE HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL? SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE? >> WHEN MY COLLEAGUE AT THE DEAD STORY, THAT THERE WERE MORE THAN 600 DEAD PEOPLE ON THE ROLLS, THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE. AND READERS MAY LOOK AT BOTH STORIES, THE STORY ABOUT THE TWO FOLKS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE INELIGIBLE TO VOTE ON THE ROLLS, AND THEN THE 600, THE READERS MAY TAKE AWAY, OH, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE VOTER ROLLS? WHO'S VOTING? IS THIS REPRESENTATIVE OF US? THERE'S ALWAYS THAT

PERCEPTION. I LIKE, THOUGH, WHAT THE SANTA FE ELECTION PERSON SAID AFTER SHE SAW THIS. "LOOK, I'M PRETTY SURE NONE OF THESE DEAD PEOPLE VOTED. OUR PROBLEM IS GETTING LIVING PEOPLE TO VOTE." >> GREAT QUOTE. >> THAT'S OUR PROBLEM. >> RIGHT. >> AND THAT MAY BE ANOTHER ISSUE THERE. BUT I THINK SEEING THOSE TWO STORIES, RESIDENTS MAY LOOK AT THIS AND WANT TO SAY, WELL, OKAY, HOW DO WE REGISTER? WHO'S REGISTERED? AND WHAT'S BEING DONE TO TRACK THEM? I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF STATES WHERE, AGAIN BRINGING UP MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE WE'LL GET A CARD EVERY TWO YEARS ASKING ME TO RE-REGISTER TO VOTE, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A TRANSIENT POPULATION THAT MOVES FROM APARTMENT TO APARTMENT. I REMEMBER, HERE I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING. I COULD STAY THERE. AND I DO REMEMBER IN THE '04 ELECTION, SOME FOLKS WERE ASKED FOR ID, AND SOME FOLKS WEREN'T. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> DEBRA DOMINGUEZ, THE FORMER MINORITY AFFAIRS REPORTER AT THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, WAS ASKED FOR ID WHEN SHE WENT. HER BOYFRIEND WAS NOT. AND WE JOKED THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MY DOG COULD VOTE, AND HE WOULDN'T BE ASKED FOR HIS ID. SO THERE'S A PERCEPTION. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A POLICY, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME INCONSISTENCIES, AND

I THINK THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED. >> SURE. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, THE TO ME IN THE REPORT IS IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MS. DURAN IS LEARNING ABOUT HER JOB, AND THAT AS SHE LEARNS ABOUT HER JOB, SHE'S ABLE TO COME BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, TWO PEOPLE WHO I THINK -- I REALLY DO THINK SIX MONTHS AGO SHE WOULD HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT TONE. BUT NOW SHE'S ABLE TO SAY, TWO PEOPLE, I UNDERSTAND THEIR STORY. I UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED HERE, AND I DON'T THINK THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING INTENTIONALLY WRONG. AND THERE'S A MATURATION THAT'S HAPPENING. >> THAT WAS AN INTERESTING PIECE OF NUISANCE, WASN'T IT? YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT THAT FROM THAT LEVEL OF A SECRETARY. >> I AGREE. AND I ALSO HEAR -- I MEAN, I'M ALSO HEARING THERE ARE INTERNAL PROBLEMS THAT MAKE TRACKING OF CERTAIN PEOPLE, CERTAIN ISSUES, DIFFICULT. I HEAR THEY'RE READING THE NEWSPAPER TO SEE WHO'S DIED. SO WHAT I SEE THERE IS NOT, FRANKLY, A VOTER ID ISSUE, A DRIVER'S LICENSE, A POLL ISSUE, IT'S A, WE NEED TO FIX THE SYSTEM FROM WITHIN BEFORE WE LOOK OUT AND SAY, YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL DOING IT

WRONG. THERE NEEDS TO BE SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE, THERE NEEDS TO BE SUPPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE TO MAKE ALL THAT HAPPEN. >> SOPHIE BROUGHT UP VOTER ID, AND WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, LAURA, AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE, THE SUBTEXT FOR SOME PEOPLE WAS, THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT VOTER SUPPRESSION AND KEEPING MINORITIES AND OTHER PEOPLE, NAMELY DEMOCRATS, FROM COMING TO THE POLLS. WHAT DOES THIS DO TO THIS ARRESTING NOW ABOUT VOTER ID? DOES THIS CHANGE THE PEG HERE A LITTLE BIT? >> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE CONCERN WITH THE VOTER ID ISSUE WHEN THAT CAME UP, AND I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES THAT MANY OF THOSE GROUPS MAYBE HAVE TAKEN ON IN THE MONTHS SINCE THEN. IN THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS, I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE MAINLY BECAUSE THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN VERY GOOD TURNOUT. I MEAN, PERIOD. THE LAST COUPLE OF ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN PRETTY SMALL. THERE HAS NOT BEEN VERY GOOD TURNOUT. AND I THINK, CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SCANDALS AND INTERNAL TURMOIL IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT FRAUD, AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER INTERNAL SORT OF INCONSISTENCIES, LIKE WE HAD UNDER THE LAST

ADMINISTRATION, AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAY IN TERMS OF ELECTING A NEW PERSON AND HOPING THAT THE CULTURE OF THAT DEPARTMENT CHANGES. BUT IN TERMS OF LEARNING HER JOB, AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR ANYBODY WHO IS NEWLY ELECTED, SHE WAS A FORMER COUNTY CLERK, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEARN FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY THERE AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT SUCCESSFULLY. BUT I'M HOPING THAT IN PREPARATION FOR THIS NEXT CYCLE, THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE CONVERSATION GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE COUNTY CLERKS AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE BECAUSE I THINK THAT LINK WAS MISSING IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION. >> WE HAD A QUOTE FROM OUR BERNALILLO COUNTY CLERK HERE SAYING, SHE DIDN'T QUITE AGREE WITH THIS APPROACH. BUT, DAN, LET ME REMIND, 2003 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FAVORED BY MR. RICHARDSON AT THE TIME, A LOT OF VOTES SHOWED UP AFTER THE THING HAPPENED. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD ISSUES. NOT TO MAKE LIGHT OF WHAT YOU SAID THE FIRST TIME AROUND ON THIS, WE HAVE HAD ISSUES. I GUESS MY QUESTION NOW IS, WHAT IS THE PROPER APPROACH? DO YOU WE NEED TO GET A BETTER FEEL FOR THE ISSUES, THE NUMBERS? ARE WE NOW AT A STARTING POINT TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE THIS MORE COHERENTLY?

>> I THINK WE'VE GOT TO DECIDE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I MEAN, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO AGREEMENT ON WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. YOU'VE MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT PROPORTIONAL. OKAY, SO TWO PEOPLE ARE VOTING FRAUDULENTLY, THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION. I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. TELL SOMEBODY THAT WON AN ELECTION BY A GAME OF CHANCE, YOU KNOW, AND IF ONE OF THOSE FOLKS VOTED IN THAT ELECTION, IT MADE A DIFFERENCE TO THOSE GUYS. BUT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. JUST IN PORTALES, THEY FOUND A 300 VOTE SWING DIFFERENCE, AND THEY STOPPED DOING IT. EVERY ELECTION, WE SEEM TO BE LAST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING IT, WE SEEM TO HAVE CONSTANT PROBLEMS, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE SHOWING UP HERE TO REGISTER VOTERS, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE GETTING TO THE POLLS, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE BEING TOLD THEY CAN OR CAN'T VOTE, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE SHOWING UP AND SAYING, I'M HERE TO VOTE, AND THEY SAY, YOU ALREADY VOTED. AND THAT HAPPENS CONSTANTLY AROUND HERE. AND SO WE CONSISTENTLY SAY, WELL, OKAY, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, THIS IS ONLY TWO. BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM. IT'S A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE WAY WE VOTE IN NEW MEXICO. LET'S TAKE THE ARGUMENT

AWAY, AND THE DISCUSSION -- WE ALL AGREE THAT WE DON'T GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GO TO THE POLLS. >> IS MS. DURAN TAKING THE RIGHT APPROACH BASED ON SOPHIE'S COMMENT THAT THE TONE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT? >> I THINK THE TONE HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL. I MEAN, SHE'S NOT THE ONE THAT RAN OUT THERE AND WAS ATTACKING PEOPLE. SHE GOT ATTACKED. AND THE STUFF THAT HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO HER SAYING ISN'T WHAT SHE SAID. IT WAS A REPORTER THAT WROTE AN ARTICLE THAT SUDDENLY BECAME HER WORDS TO DEFEND. SHE NEVER SAID SOME OF THIS STUFF. WHAT SHE SAID WAS, WE'VE GOT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. WE'VE GOT ALL THESE NAMES THAT AREN'T MATCHING UP WITH SOCIALS, WITH ADDRESSES, WE'VE GOT TO FIND THIS STUFF OUT. LET'S START DOING IT. AND RIGHT AWAY, IT BECAME A POLITICAL DEAL. ANYBODY WHO KNOWS SECRETARY DURAN KNOWS SHE'S THE LEAST PARTISAN PERSON THAT'S BEEN UP THERE. YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT SHE WAS THE LEADING VOTE GETTER IN THE LAST GENERAL ELECTION ON THE REPUBLICAN TICKET -- SHE GOT LOTS OF VOTES FROM DEMOCRATS. PRETTY PARTISAN DEMOCRATIC CLERKS SUPPORTED HER IN HER ELECTION, BECAUSE I THINK THEY KNOW IT'S TIME TO CLEAN THE SYSTEM. THE QUESTION BECOMES, HOW DO YOU CLEAN THE SYSTEM? AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A BIG QUESTION IN NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A DISCREPANCY AND A DISPARITY IN THE WAY WE VOTE OUT IN RURAL NEW MEXICO, VERSUS THE CITIES. THE WAY YOU VOTE IN DEMING

IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY YOU VOTE IN ALBUQUERQUE. IN DEMING, YOU CAN GO TO ANY POLL, AND THEY PROBABLY KNOW EVERYBODY WHO'S SUPPOSED TO SHOW UP. IN ALBUQUERQUE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR NEIGHBOR IS. >> AND IT'S THE RESOURCES, THE LOGISTICS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF TRAINING. >> IT'S A FUNDING ISSUE, THAT'S RIGHT. >> IT'S ABSOLUTELY A FUNDING ISSUE. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, JUST TO DEFEND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE, ACTUALLY, IN THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS, I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS. I WOULD ARGUE THAT SOME OF THE BIGGER INCIDENTS HAVE NOT OCCURRED IN THIS PARTICULAR COUNTY FOR YEARS. AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHO HAS BEEN RUNNING THE COUNTY ELECTIONS NOW IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND WHO RAN THEM IN THE PAST -- OR HOW THEY WERE RUN. I SHOULDN'T SAY WHO, BUT HOW THEY WERE RUN. I THINK WE'VE SEEN A HUGE DIFFERENCE, A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. TECHNOLOGY HAS HELPED QUITE A BIT. BEING ABLE TO DO A PRINT BALLOT ON DEMAND HAS HELPED, I THINK, OVERALL. BUT I DO THINK THERE ARE STILL SOME PROBLEMS, AND I THINK GOING BACK AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE DETAILED ORIENTED PEOPLE THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS AND NOT ON THE POLITICS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. >> THAT'S A GOOD LAST WORD THERE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT NEW MEXICO'S PERHAPS SURPRISING IMAGE AMONG AFFLUENT

TRAVELERS. >> I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT HIM BEING AN INDEPENDENT. CERTAINLY IF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ HAD PUT A REPUBLICAN IN THAT SPOT, WE COULD ALL HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT PERSON WOULD LOSE THAT SEAT AS SOON AS THERE WAS THE NEXT ELECTION. IT'S A VERY DEMOCRATIC PART OF THE STATE. HOWEVER, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THAT HOLDS TRUE FOR AN INDEPENDENT, OR IF THIS GENTLEMAN IS ABLE TO HOLD ONTO IT. >> LET ME THROW SOME WORDS AT YOU. "ARID, BARREN, BORING, ARTSY." >> I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ME. >> SERIOUSLY, RIGHT. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM'S TAKE AMONG SOMEWHAT AFFLUENT TRAVELERS USED RECENTLY TO DESCRIBE NEW MEXICO. THE FOCUS GROUP WAS HIRED BY THE STATE, AND SECRETARY MONIQUE JACOBSON BROKE THE NEWS LAST WEEKEND AT AN EVENT, AND THIS SEEMED SURPRISING TO A LOT OF FOLKS, SOPHIE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE USED TO THE MAGIC HERE. IT'S IN FRONT OF OUR FACE

EVERY DAY. >> WE ARE USED TO THE MAGIC, AND WE LOVE IT. TRANSPOSING FOR FOLKS THAT CAN'T WITNESS IT HERE. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S VERY INTERESTING. >> IT PROBABLY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF FLYOVER STATES -- THAT'S AN EAST COAST AND WEST COAST TERM FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY -- THAT A LOT OF FLYOVER STATES HAVE, WHICH IS THAT PEOPLE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN HERE. SO THEY SEE SELECT IMAGES, BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE FULL DIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. I'M NOT, FRANKLY, SURPRISED BY THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT NOW HAS SOMETHING TO WORK AGAINST. I THINK THAT'S QUITE HELPFUL. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY ACTUALLY ROLL THAT OUT. >> SECRETARY JACOBSON, YOU'VE GOT TO HAND IT TO ME, IT SEEMS IT ME, RUSSELL, BECAUSE SOMEBODY BOTHERED TO ASK. VERY SIMPLY, RIGHT? >> THEY BOTHERED TO ASK, AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THEY GOT BACK. BEACHES THAT WEREN'T SO GREAT. >> HALF THE COUNTRY THINKS WE'RE MEXICO-MEXICO, AND THEY'RE LIKE, CABO, I LOVE

THAT PLACE! >> EXACTLY. AND I HAVE TO SAY, WHEN I LIVED HERE AND I MOVED TO MASSACHUSETTS, ONE OF MY FIRST BIG CONFLICTS IS WHEN I WAS TRYING TO GET MY LICENSE IN MASSACHUSETTS. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO SHOW THEM MY NEW MEXICO DRIVING RECORD AND BRING IT IN ENGLISH. AND THEN WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS A STATE, WE HAD A BIG ARGUMENT, AND THE SUPER HAD TO CALM ME DOWN, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL A BRAZILIAN IMMIGRANT SAID, HEY, LOOK, THAT'S A STATE. IT WAS ON OUR CITIZENSHIP TEST. GIVE THIS GUY A LICENSE. >> ARE YOU KIDDING ME? >> NO, NO. I HAD A LICENSE, AND I WAS REAL UPSET. BUT THAT'S THE PERCEPTION WE HAVE. WHEN I WAS IN NEW YORK, I WAS WORKING AT THE AP, AND THEY HAD A BIG BILLBOARD THAT GOVERNOR RICHARDSON DID. SO THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. HE WANTED TO BRING PEOPLE TO NEW MEXICO. SO HE PUT UP A BIG BILLBOARD IN MIDDLE OF TIME SQUARE, AND FOLKS SAID THE SAME THING THEN. I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT, AS WE HAVE THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT BEING A FLYOVER STATE, IT IS ALSO A CHALLENGE TO GET PEOPLE HERE. BECAUSE ONCE WE GET PEOPLE HERE, WHAT WE ARE FINDING IS THEY WILL REPEAT IT TO OTHERS. I MEAN, ALL THE WAY BACK TO D.H. LAWRENCE, TO MODERN ARTISTS HERE. AND THAT'S, AGAIN, ANOTHER PERCEPTION.

THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT ELSE ARE WE OFFERING? WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY WHAT WE OFFER AS A STATE IN TERMS OF TOURISM. YES, WE HAVE THE MOUNTAINS, YES, WE HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE AND LATINO CULTURE, BUT WHAT ELSE IS THERE? >> I'M THINKING LIKE A SIX FLAGS OVER CHACO KIND OF THING. >> RIGHT. ALSO, IN TERMS OF AGE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE, LIKE I SAID, 30 YEARS OR PLUS, OLDER, THIS IS A GREAT STATE TO VISIT. BUT IF YOU'RE YOUNGER, YOU WANT TO GO TO MIAMI, OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO THERE'S PERCEPTIONS THERE, AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT IT WAS GETTING AT THERE. BUT ALSO, THERE WERE SOME MISPERCEPTIONS THERE, NOT TO MENTION THE BEACHES. BUT THAT IT IS ARID AND BORING. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT -- >> AND ARIZONA HAS BETTER SKIING. >> YES. AND WE HAVE TO DRIVE. WE HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. INTERESTING POINT RUSSELL DESCRIBED ABOUT AGE, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING OKAY WITH FOLKS, YOU KNOW, MY AGE; 50 AND OLDER. THEY GET IT. THEY COME AROUND. YOU REMEMBER THE PUSH MAYBE THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO BY THE DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME? THEY WERE GOING TO GO AFTER RV-ERS. AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THEY'VE BEEN THE LEAST IMPACTED BY THE DOWNTURN. SO WHY NOT GO THERE? BUT WE'VE GOT A CHECKERED HISTORY OF HOW WE PROMOTE

THIS STATE, AND WE CAN'T SEEM TO KIND OF GET ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THIS. ARE WE NOT IN A GOOD POSITION LIVING HERE TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE THESE THINGS? THAT'S MY QUESTION. IT'S DESIGNED FOR OUTSIDE EYES. MAYBE IT'S JUST NOT FOR US TO JUDGE. >> I'M NOT SURE IT IS FOR US TO JUDGE, ACTUALLY. I THINK THAT THERE'S VARIOUS REASONS WHY WE'RE HERE AND WE CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE, RATHER THAN OTHER PLACES. ON THE ISSUE OF THE YOUTH, I THINK WE HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IN NEW MEXICO, AND KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR HOME TOWNS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I THINK THAT IT'S HARD FOR US TO PUT OUR FINGER ON EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE STATE TO APPEAL TO THAT DEMOCRATIC. PLUS, I'M NOT SURE IT'S A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT HAS THE DISPOSABLE INCOME TO BE ABLE TO SPEND IN THE STATE, ANYWAY. SO GOING FOR A MORE WELL-TO-DO -- YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT HAS MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME IS NOT A BAD PLAN, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOLELY TOURISM. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE CULTURE, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO DO. BUT, THIS WAS INTERESTING FOR ME TO READ ABOUT.

I REALLY HADN'T CONSIDERED WHAT THE PERCEPTION WAS OUT THERE. AND I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, APPALLED BY IT TOO MUCH. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THE FLYOVER CONCEPT, I HATE THAT TERM, THE FLYOVER STATES, BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A -- IT PAINTS WITH SUCH A BROAD BRUSH WITH THE KIND OF DIVERSITY WE HAVE IN SO MANY STATES, AND IN NEW MEXICO. AND I THINK EVEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ALBUQUERQUE DON'T GET OUT INTO THE RURAL AREAS VERY MUCH AT ALL. TAKING A DRIVE FOR A DAY AND CHECKING OUT SOME OF THESE SMALLER TOWNS WOULD DO A LOT FOR THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK IT WOULD DO A LOT FOR OUR OWN ENRICHMENT OF THE STATE CULTURE. >> AS WAS POINTED OUT IN THE STUDY OF LOCAL FOLKS, AS WELL, DAN, DURING THIS FOCUS GROUP -- I LOVE THE ARTICLE HERE MEGAN KAMERICK WROTE IN "BUSINESS WEEKLY," THAT A WOMAN LIVING IN ALBUQUERQUE SINCE '85 HAS ONLY BEEN TO LOS ALAMOS AND EL PASO. THERE'S NOTHING TO DO WITH SOMEONE LIKE THAT. >> THAT'S NOT LIVING IN NEW MEXICO. >> RIGHT, EXACTLY. BUT LET ME GO BACK TO THE CHECKERED HISTORY. WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS, WE ALL REMEMBER, AND WE DISCUSSED RIGHT AT THIS TABLE AT THE TIME THE INFAMOUS ALIEN ADS THAT WERE VERY FRIGHTENING. THE BIG ALIEN THINGS WITH THE TEETH.

DO YOU REMEMBER ALL THAT? THAT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE -- AND THE SIX SHOOTERS, AND ALL THAT. HOW DO WE MEASURE WHAT WORKS? THOSE ALIEN ADS MIGHT HAVE BEEN APPEALING AND A YOUTUBE SENSATION, BUT DID THEY GET ANYBODY TO WRITE A CHECK TO GET ON A PLANE AND COME HERE AND SPEND MONEY? >> FIRST OF ALL, I'LL TELL YOU, THEY DID. DARE THEY CALL US ARTSY. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. ALL KIDDING ASIDE, THEY DID. IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF MONEY IS BEING SPENT, GO DOWN TO ROSWELL DURING THAT 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND TIME. I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THE BUSES OF FOLKS THAT FLEW IN FROM PLACES LIKE CHINA AND JAPAN TO COME DOWN THERE. THEY FLY INTO ALBUQUERQUE, THEY TAKE THEM AROUND NEW MEXICO, THEY TAKE THEM TO THE CRASH SITES, UP TO LOS ALAMOS, AND IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. AND THEY COME IN AND THEY SPEND A COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I'M KIND OF ONE OF THOSE GUYS -- LOOK, I'M SHORT, FAT AND BALD. SO YOU CAN'T HIDE IT. YOU JUST KIND OF GOT TO GO WITH IT. WE ARE ARID.

WE ARE BARREN. I MEAN, WE ARE. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? I MEAN, MY SISTER LIVES IN RHODE ISLAND, AND I GUARANTEE YOU WITH THE MOLD AND TERMITES, SHE'D LOVE TO BE OUT HERE. >> GOOD ONE. >> I GUARANTEE YOU WHEN THE HURRICANES HIT, THEY'D LOVE TO BE OUT HERE. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS GOING FOR US. I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME. I DO THINK THAT WHAT'S HELPING US IS THE ECONOMY. I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP US, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USED TO GO OVERSEAS AND WOULD PLAN THESE BIG GLOBAL TRAVELS, A LOT OF TIMES -- BUT THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH OVERSEAS, TOO. SO THEY'RE SAYING, MAYBE WE SHOULD GO OVERSEAS WITHIN OUR OWN COUNTRY. AND MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE OUR AD. WHY TRAVEL OVERSEAS WHEN YOU CAN COME TO A COUNTRY YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE - NEW MEXICO. >> I LOVE IT. >> SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD AD. I JUST WANT TO FINISH, GENE, BY SAYING, I KNOW WE'RE FILMING THIS TODAY, BUT I WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIENDS AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES IN THE MARINE CORPS. TODAY IS THE MARINE CORPS. BIRTHDAY. SEMPER FI! >> RIGHT ON, THAT'S WORTHY OF IT. GOOD FOR YOU. IT'S TIME TO SEGUE RIGHT NOW -- WHAT A SEGUE -- INTO OUR "ON THE CLOCK" FEATURE, WHERE WE PUT THESE GUYS ON A STRICT TIME LIMIT, AND GET STRIGHT TO THE POINT. SO FIRST UP: IS BILL RICHARDSON MAKING A COMEBACK

ON THE NATIONAL SCENE? HE WAS RECENTLY FEATURED ON AN MSNBC "MEET THE PRESS," DID THAT SEGMENT -- DAN'S LAUGHING -- DISCUSSING HERMAN CAIN'S PROBLEMS ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. LAURA, I DON'T KNOW QUITE HOW TO PUT THIS QUESTION. >> WAY TO GO RIGHT TO LAURA, GOOD JOB. >> COULD GOVERNOR RICHARDSON, IN FACT, NOT JUST GET BACK TO THE CLOUT HE HAD BEFORE, BUT IN THE STRANGE WORLD OF POLITICS AND CULTURE, EXCEED WHERE HE WAS BEFORE, EVEN GIVEN ALL THAT HAPPENED TO HIM IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? >> SURE. I MEAN, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, I THINK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS GOING FOR HIM IS, HE'S A LATINO POLITICIAN. HE IS A HISPANIC VOICE. AND I THINK THAT WE GENERALLY NEED MORE HISPANIC VOICES, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE POLITICS OF THE SOUTHWEST. AND HE ALSO, IN HIS OWN RIGHT, HE'S AN ENERGY EXPERT. THE MAN WAS HEAD OF DOE, AS A CONGRESSMAN KNEW A LOT ABOUT ENERGY ISSUES, AND I THINK POLICY-WISE HE DEFINITELY WOULD DO WELL WITH THAT. >> DID THE CUBA THING DING HIM AT ALL? >> NO, I DON'T THINK IT DINGED HIM AT ALL. I THINK HE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A FORCE, BECAUSE AS THE DEMOCRAT

PARTY CONTINUES TO MOVE LEFT WITH PROGRESSIVES, HE'S TRULY NATIONALLY SEEN AS THE MOST CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRAT OUT THERE. I MEAN, HERE'S A PRO GUN GUY, ENERGY GUY. WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT CORPORATE TAX RATES -- THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN, THIS IS A GUY THAT, MY RELATIVES ARE HARD CORE REPUBLICANS, AND THEY DIDN'T GET THE GREATEST GUY IN THE WORLD BACK EAST. >> WOW, INTERESTING. I'M GOING TO HOLD YOU GUYS THERE. THAT'S TOUGH TO FOLLOW, THOUGH. ON MONDAY, GOVERNOR SUSANA MARTINEZ ANNOUNCED HER PICK FOR PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSIONER TO REPLACE A CERTAIN SOMEBODY. SANTA FE CONSULTANT DOUG HOWE IS SET TO FILL THE SEAT VACATED BY THE JEROME BLOCK, JR., CERTAINLY. IN A STATEMENT, THE GOVERNOR DESCRIBED HER CHOICE AS: "COMPETENT, TRUSTWORTHY AND FOCUSED." BUT THE LEFT-LEANING "PROGRESS FOR NEW MEXICO" CRITICIZED THE MOVE FOR HIS BEING A FORMER GADHAFI GOVERNMENT ADVISOR. RUSSELL, IN HIS DEFENSE, THIS PERSON SAID HE NEVER MET ANY OF THE FAMILY. HE WAS THERE ON CONTRACT BUSINESS, AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATED ROB NIKOLESKI'S DEAL IN HIS SAYING, OH, MY GOSH, HE SEEMS QUALIFIED. AND I HAVE HEARD THIS FEEDBACK FROM LOTS OF FOLKS

TALKING ABOUT THIS. WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THAT, AS WELL? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, BARRY MASSEY TALKED ABOUT HOW HE IS AN INDEPENDENT, A POLITICAL INDEPENDENT, AND HE ALSO GAVE MONEY TO THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN IN '08. SO LOOKING AT THAT, YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, THIS IS A GUY WHO IS COMING IN AND HE'S NOT POLITICALLY -- HE MAY BE AN INDEPENDENT, HE MAY BE IN POLITICAL CIRCLES, BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM ATTACHED TO A CERTAIN PARTY. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND ANY TIME IT HAPPENS, ESPECIALLY IN AN APPOINTMENT -- ANY APPOINTMENT SHE MAKES, SHE'S GOING TO GET HEAT. THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS. AND WE EXPECT THOSE EMAILS, AND WE EXPECT THIS. I DIDN'T EXPECT THE GADHAFI ANGLE HERE. SO, OF COURSE, THAT WAS -- WE LOOKED AT THAT. I DIDN'T SEE A CONNECTION THERE. I MEAN, OFFHAND. BUT I DO THINK THAT GOING FORTH, ANY OTHER APPOINTMENT WILL GET THE SAME ATTENTION. >> SURE. SOPHIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT HIM BEING AN INDEPENDENT. CERTAINLY IF GOVERNOR MARTINEZ HAD PUT A REPUBLICAN IN THAT SPOT, WE COULD ALL HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT PERSON WOULD LOSE THAT SEAT AS SOON AS THERE WAS THE NEXT ELECTION. IT'S A VERY DEMOCRATIC PART OF THE STATE. HOWEVER, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THAT HOLDS TRUE FOR AN INDEPENDENT, OR IF THIS

GENTLEMAN IS ABLE TO HOLD ONTO IT. >> SURE. I HAVE TO HOLD YOU GUYS, SPEAKING OF HOLDING. ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILORS VOTED TO PUT A FULL STOP TO RED LIGHT CAMERAS, AND THEY'LL BE GONE IN 60 DAYS. BUT AN END TO RED LIGHT CAMERAS ALSO MEANS AN END TO PHOTO ENFORCEMENT SPEED VANS IN SCHOOL ZONES. MAYOR RICHARD BERRY IS NOT SO SURE HE LIKES THAT IDEA, SOPHIE, BUT RED LIGHT CAMERAS ARE JUST GONE. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR HAVE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE PEOPLE. THERE'S A LOT OF ANTICIPATION THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN. MORE ACCIDENTS. MORE THIS. MORE THAT. I'M WONDERING IF YOU GUYS THINK THE POINT HAS BEEN PROVEN, AND HAVE WE FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED OUR HABITS ABOUT DRIVING? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. ONE OF MY VERY GOOD FRIENDS, WHEN RED LIGHT CAMERAS STARTED, SAID, THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR TELLING ME WHICH INTERSECTIONS TO AVOID AS I DRIVE THROUGH THE CITY. AND I THINK THAT IF I WENT BACK AND ASKED HIM, HE'D SAY THAT HIS DRIVING PATTERNS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOREVER, AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. >> RIGHT. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? I'VE BEEN ASKING PEOPLE ON THE STREET ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, THIS WEEK. >> I'M NOT SURE. I WOULD HAVE SAID BEFORE YESTERDAY, YES, THAT I THINK OUR PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED,

BUT I WAS ALMOST A VICTIM OF ROAD RAGE YESTERDAY WHEN SOMEBODY WAS DRIVING REALLY ERRATICALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, AND I WASN'T SURE IF SHE WAS DRUNK OR WHAT WAS GOING ON. BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY NEED TO BE CAREFUL. BUT OTHERWISE, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR BEHAVIOR. >> SURE. >> MAYBE SHE WAS HEADING TO A PRC MEETING. >> THAT WOULD UPSET ANYBODY. >> I THINK IT'S FUNNY THAT THE ANSWER TO THIS IS, WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND THE YELLOW LIGHTS. SO WE DON'T NEED RED LIGHT CAMERAS, WE JUST NEED TO EXTEND THE YELLOW LIGHTS. >> THAT'S INTERESTING. >> IT JUST WORRIES YOU, SO I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING. >> DIDN'T JIM VILLANUCCI KIND OF PROVE A POINT BACK WHEN THE FIGHT FIRST STARTED UP, THAT THE YELLOWS WERE GETTING SHORTER? DO YOU REMEMBER THAT? >> REMEMBER, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, ABOUT THE PEOPLE VOTING, AND THE VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ALMOST CAME DOWN EXACTLY LIKE THE VOTE DID WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT HERE. WE SAID, OH, IS THIS GOING TO GO AWAY? AND WE SAID, NO, WAIT A MINUTE, THE CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO VOTE LIKE THEY DID, AND THEY ALMOST DID. >> INTERESTING. THE LOBO TEAMS ARE ON A WICKED ROLL. BOTH THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S EARNED ITS FIRST MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THE MEN'S TEAM JUST FINISHED WHAT IS TO BE THE FIRST UNDEFEATED SEASON SINCE THE FOOTBALL TEAM, DANIEL, IN 1927. IT'S EXCITING. >> THE WOMEN HAVE DONE IT TWICE NOW,. >> OH, HAVE THEY REALLY? >> I THOUGHT THEY WERE THE CONFERENCE CHAMPION -- OKAY. IT'S PHENOMENAL. I MEAN, THEY'RE ACTUALLY RANKED. THEY'VE BEATEN SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL TEAMS IN THE STATE, IN THE COUNTRY. I THINK IT'S A KUDOS TO UNM ATHLETICS. I THINK IT'S ALSO A CREDIT TO PAUL KREBS. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT DOING GOOD IN FOOTBALL, THE TACKLING FOOTBALL PART, WHICH I LOVE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD IN JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER SPORT THAT'S OUT THERE. SO I THINK WHILE PEOPLE WANT TO GO AFTER THEM FOR THE FOOTBALL HIRE, I THINK THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD SPORTS THINGS HAPPENING AT UNM. >> ONE OF THE LAST GAMES THEY HAD ON THE MEN'S SIDE, RUSSELL, 5000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR A COLLEGE SOCCER MATCH! THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER. >> YEAH, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION IN THE PAST ABOUT, SHOULD WE GET AN NBA TEAM. I SAW THAT, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY SHOULD BE ASKING FOR AN MLS TEAM. IF COLUMBUS, OHIO, CAN BRING IT IN AND SUPPORT THOSE TEAMS, ALBUQUERQUE CAN, TOO. >> I LIKE THAT. SOPHIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> I TOTALLY AGREE. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. >> IT'S GREAT FOR UNM,

ISN'T IT? >> ABSOLUTELY. IT'S FUN TO HAVE PRIDE IN YOUR SCHOOL. >> HELL OF A YEAR, JEREMY FISHBEIN. >> GO, GO, GO, SOCCER, MEN'S AND WOMEN'S UNM, WE'RE WITH YOU! >> THAT'S ALL FOR US THIS WEEK. OUR SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WITH FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CANDIDATES CONTINUES NEXT FRIDAY WITH MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM. ALL THREE PROMINENT DEMOCRATS IN THE RACE HAVE SIMILAR FUNDRAISING NUMBERS. THAT INDICATES IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A CAMPAIGN. KEEP UP WITH US ONLINE AT NewMexicoInFocus.org. I'M GENE GRANT. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK -