NM Pop Politics

“The loneliest New Mexicans were (newspaper reporter) Steve Terrell and others in the New Mexico press relegated to the bar car, avoided by everyone.”

That’s a line from Joe Monahan’s blog posted a couple hours ago. I just read it after walking in after a few hours of drinks, cigars, a few smartass frenchman, a couple of semi-stars and the fan-fucking-tastic New Mexico Democratic delegation. Fmr. State Rep. Patsy Trujillo, smoking with glamorous intent; young Sean Stimmel and Michael Huerta feeling like the important people they really are, Chairman Brian Colon crying carpe diem with his freckled grin and cigar selections. I could’ve sworn Congressional candidate Ben Ray Lujan was walking on at least three inches of air. (Though, he’s not technically a delegate).

And then, at home, I read Monahan’s post. The night wasn’t even over and he was already reporting what one of his informants observed earlier at a reception at Union Station. Union Pacific had freed up a couple of luxury trains. Free drinks, platters of finger delectables for New Mexicans. I was one of those pressmen swapping stories with Steve Terrell.

I can’t speak for Terrell or anyone else, but if you look through the earlier posts, you’ll read about how I tramped all the way from the Sheraton to the Pepsi Center to the Big Tent to a street confrontation that had me running down alleys, back and forth to internet cafes to post videos, and I didn’t even mention how many times I went too far in the wrong direction.

After working the length of the train, I saw a comfy chair and I saw a bar, with a bartender with a sense of humor, and I sat down. Relegation, my ass. My feet were beat. Chasing delegates down the length of not one, but two narrow trains? Was the delegate expecting the Wild Bunch? Or perhaps, I could’ve played Poirot, prodding at everyone with an annoying Belgian accent?

“Terrell and company lonely in the bar car?,” Monahan adds as commentary to the quote. “Not when old pals Jack Daniels and Johnny Walker are sitting next to them.”

As it turned out, this was the first time these journalists had encountered each other this trip and it was a good time catching up. Three, then four of us, together? That doesn’t sound very lonely. I made a few initial introductions to the delegates, sighted my subjects. I arranged a couple interviews for the next day or two. Jack, Johnny? I nursed a SoCo to rest up for the cigar reception. That, plus a breather, was all I needed.

Yeah, you’ve got alligators and that’s why people read your blog. But I have two things you don’t:

1) A brand new Union Pacific train whistle.

2) Video!