My hopes are dashed, my heart has sunk

Thank You!

It is with great pride, understanding and acceptance that I am ending my campaign for President of the United States.

When I entered the campaign, it was clear that we, as Democrats, had the most talented field of candidates in my lifetime running to change the direction of our country. And in the end, one of them will.

Despite overwhelming financial and political odds, I am proud of the campaign we waged and the influence we had on the issues that matter most to the future of this country. A year ago, we were the only major campaign calling for the removal of all of our troops within a year's time from Iraq. We were the only campaign calling for a complete reform of education in this country, including the scrapping of No Child Left Behind. And we were the campaign with the most aggressive clean energy plan and the most ambitious standards for reducing global warming. Now, all of the remaining candidates have come to our point of view.

I am honored to have shared the stage with each of these Democrats. And I am enormously grateful to all of my supporters who chose to stand with me despite so many other candidates of accomplishment and potential.

Now I am returning to a job that I love, serving a state that I cherish and doing the work of the people I was elected to serve. As I have always said, I am the luckiest man I know. I am married to my college sweetheart. I live in a place called the Land of Enchantment. I have the best job in the world. And I just got to run for president of the United States.

It doesn't get any better than that.

With my deepest appreciation for all that you have done,

Bill

Governor Bill Richardson
Santa Fe, New Mexico

My boys

I was just thinking how ironic it is that, at the end of the day, rather than going home to my nice quiet apartment to relax, I go to the home of my dear friends, the Ns, where there are three little boys, all under the age of five. And there's no where I'd rather be than in the midst of that chaos. As a matter of fact, today, when I've been tired and irritable all day (my poor boss!), I keep checking the clock, knowing that when my work day is over, I get to go hang out with "my boys" (and their wonderful parents, of course). I know that I would feel differently about these darling children if they were my responsibility 24/7 (not that I would love them any less, of course, but that I would have quite different ideas about where to go to relax and how I might prefer to spend my "free" time), but they're not, so I shall continue to enjoy them in the way that only a non-parent can. :-)

Early Death, a poem by Christina Rossetti

Oh grieve not with thy bitter tears
The life that passes fast;

The gates of heaven will open wide
And take me in at last.

Then sit down meekly at my side
And watch my young life flee;

Then solemn peace of holy death
Come quickly unto thee.

But true love, seek me in the throng
Of spirits floating past,

And I will take thee by the hands
And know thee mine at last.

-- From "Early Death"
Christina Rossetti