Haaland and Harris

State Dems are posting regular updates about events involving their 46 delegates to this week's Democratic National Convention. The pandemic has made this a queer week for them, with most everything done virtually. Because of the pandemic the delegates are not traveling to Milwaukee for the usual round of parties and politicking. A highlight for the NM delegation will be the prime time convention address (done remotely from NM) from Gov. Lujan Grisham Wednesday evening.

But let's face it. The virtual format is annoying. KOB-TV weatherman Ivan Cabrera commented following a report about virtual meetings that he is sick and tired of them and can't wait for them to end. Agreed. But for now the show must go on.

She's charismatic and a history maker as the first Black VP nominee but there are bumps in the road in New Mexico for Kamala Harris. As California's attorney general her relationship with that state's Indian tribes was often woeful, with the tribes saying she was not supportive of Indian gaming or even their sovereignty:

Harris opposed 15 tribal land-into-trust applications. She also attempted to diminish the boundaries of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, submitting an amicus brief in 2014 that argued the tribe’s land could be used by a non-Native person because—despite what the federal government had held since 1969—the tribe’s western boundary moved with the Colorado River.

Reactions to Harris are mixed in Indian Country. ABQ Dem US Rep. Deb Haaland, one of the first Native American women to serve in the House, came with a tweet of support:

Our nation made history when Joe Biden announced Kamala Harris as his running mate. . . Today on this historic day, we must come together to support this ticket and commit to doing all we can to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! #WeHaveHerBack”

For the 574 federally recognized Indian tribes to "come together" around Harris will take some smooth talking. The tribes vote overwhelmingly Democratic so Haaland and other high-profile Native Americans can expect the Biden camp to call on them to relieve some of the unease over the ticket. The unease is being mumbled. We have seen no public anti-Harris statements from NM's tribes.

TRUMP REACH

That mailer featuring a picture of Trump and urging recipients to use the attached abensetee ballot application was not for R eyes only. A number of Dem and independent readers report that the mailer from the NM GOP also reached their mailboxes.

UDALL INTERIOR BUZZ

We received a call recently from an energy industry publication in Denver asking for our thoughts on the DC rumor that Sen. Tom Udall is on the short list to become the next Sec. of Interior should Biden win in November. News to us, but then Udall did say when announcing his Senate retirement in March:

I’m most certainly not retiring. I intend to find new ways to serve New Mexico and our country after I finish this term. There will be more chapters in my public service to do what needs to be done.

What if Udall's fellow NM Senator and environmentalist Martin Heinrich also ends up on the list for Interior? Maybe a duel in Old Town using paintball guns would have to settle it.

WHAT WE'RE LOSING

This pandemic has cost New Mexicans emotionally as they watch many of the touchstones in their lives disappear. For Los Alamos area residents that includes radio station KRSN radio, a 70 year fixture that we recently reported will go dark at the end of the month because of the financial impact of the virus. Veteran NM newsman and Taos native Rodger Beimer, 75, now retired, weighs in with this:

Having worked at KKIT 1340 AM Taos, I have fond memories of local radio. First, Darrell Burns, the longtime owner/operator of KRSN. A very proper person in every sense of the word. In the 60’s Mr. Burns initiated a monthly radio news conference with NM Governor Jack Campbell that was broadcast live across the state from the Governor's office. Imagine, live radio from the Governor’s Office! Mr. Burns was anchorman for the broadcast. 

I think a number of local radio stations will suffer from the lack of high school sports programming this year. Radio station booster clubs brought in cash for KKIT and people listened to football and baseball play-by-play in every radio market in the state. Each business member of the booster club would receive a plaque that was displayed in a position of prominence. Some establishments had 2 plaques during basketball – one for the Taos High Tigers and one for the Tigers' chief rival – the across the fence Central Catholic Falcons!

Well said and remembered.

Our own radio days continue. We'll broadcast Election Night results November 3 on public radio station KANW 89.1 FM and KANW.COM. It will be our 32nd consecutive year of doing so there.

One of my favorite parts is at the top of each hour. As political hearts race over fast breaking results we pause for a station ID and say: "It's 8 o'clock in the Mountain West! And this is live, Election Night coverage!" It doesn't get much better than that. . .

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020