The American Spectator

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p> strong> Leading by Example: How We Can Inspire an Energy and Security Revolution br> By Bill Richardson br> (Wiley, 256 pages, $25.95) /strong> /p>

Every ambitious politician believes that if he can only get a voter's complete attention, he can eventually win you over. Surely, the politician thinks, the brilliance of my agenda will become apparent if only I can make this numbskull listen.

Bill Richardson is a lot like that, only worse. He's the Democratic equivalent of an attention-starved puppy. He keeps jumping up at you, slobbering earnestness all over the place, making you want to say, "Down, boy!".

Lest you think I exaggerate, a story: Back in 2005 I interviewed Richardson while he was stumping for Tim Kaine's Virginia gubernatorial bid. After I asked him a question, Richardson stepped in so close to me to answer that our noses almost touched. He talked at length, right in my face, oblivious the sheer awkwardness of his close-talking.

I wanted to say something but he was providing me with plenty of quotes for my story, so I took notes and tried to imagine that I was somewhere else -- like a foot or so back.

For those of you who won't have the opportunity to go nose-to-nose with Richardson, he has published a campaign book, Leading by Example: How We Can Inspire an Energy and Security Revolution.

RICHARDSON'S OUGHT TO BE the exception to the general rule that campaign books must be awful. He is arguably the most qualified Democrat running to be president. He's been a congressman, governor, cabinet secretary, freelance diplomat, and ambassador to the U.N. Surely he has an interesting story to tell or some genuine insight into politics.

Apparently not. The book is staggeringly dull, enlivened only the author's rambling digressions. He's got a storehouse of Governor Schwarzenegger anecdotes and, by golly, he's going to tell every one of them.

In fact, the book is so bad that I'd be willing to bet that Richardson wrote it himself (or, more likely, dictated it). I'd be amazed to learn he actually hired a ghostwriter for this. Chapter two begins, "Ten years make a decade."

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