Chris Dodd for President

Earlier today Senator Dodd challenged New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to a friendly bet about this weekend's Red Sox-Yankees series: Dodd is willing to bet that his Red Sox's will beat the Yankees, the team Governor Richardson had previously said to be a lifelong fan of, wishing to be Mickey Mantle.

But Richardson has refused the friendly wager and now says that he's a Red Sox fan, not a Yankees fan. Say it ain't so, Bill!

But Richardson didn't take the bet -- and denied that he was a Yankees fan. A comment Richardson made about wanting to be Mickey Mantle, the legendary Yankees outfielder, was apparently misconstrued to mean he rooted for the pinstripes.

"Governor Richardson is a devoted Red Sox fan, and has been since his days playing ball in Massachusetts in high school, college, and in the Cape Cod League." Shipley said in a statement.

Funny, that's not what the Governor said before on Meet the Press with Tim Russert. Foon Rhee of the Boston Globe reports:

The Dodd campaign points to an appearance that Richardson made on NBC's "Meet the Press" in May in which he says, "I'm a Red Sox fan," then quickly adds, "I'm also a Yankee fan."

"'Devoted' Red Sox fans wouldn't be caught dead saying that they were "also a Yankee's fan,' " said Bryan DeAngelis, a Dodd campaign spokesman.

Richardson went on to tell Russert, "if I weren’t running for president I would like to be number seven, Mickey Mantle, playing center field for the New York Yankees."

I just spoke to my colleague Bryan DeAngelis, the Dodd campaign's New Hampshire Press Secretary and a lifelong Red Sox fan with the wicked Boston accent to prove it. DeAngelis says:

We thought we'd offer Governor Richardson this wager because we took him at his word when he said he was a Yankees fan on "Meet the Press." We, like Tim Russert, assumed he was joking when he said he was both a Yankees fan and a Red Sox fan. His life long admiration of Mickey Mantle closed the deal for us -- a Red Sox fan would surely have spoke of his admiration for Ted Williams long before Mantle.

So the bet is rejected, sadly. Hopefully in the future Governor Richardson will speak with clarity and conviction about which team he's actually "devoted" to. Every Yankee and Red Sox fan I know takes this stuff seriously. Honestly, as a Yankees fan, I'm insulted that Governor Richardson would say on one day that he wishes he was wearing the Mick's retired number seven in center field of Yankee Stadium and the next say he's a "devoted Red Sox fan."

Amidst the political trials and grueling hours on the campaign trail, there are occasionally moments where the pols can kick back and have some fun. This weekend's Red Sox-Yankees series offers one of them. Today Senator Dodd, a lifelong Red Sox fan, challenged New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and his Yankees to a friendly wager on the outcome of the series.

"Nothing is more exciting than a Red Sox-Yankees series in September," said Dodd. "The Governor and I both dreamed about playing center field for our respective teams as children, and although that didn't happen, I know we will be both be watching this series closely, so why not have a little fun with it? I'm willing to wager some authentic New England Clam Chowder against an equitable wager from Governor Richardson, if he's confident enough in his team to accept my challenge."

Dodd and Richardson are both lifelong baseball fans. In a recent interview on Meet the Press, Richardson said, "...if I weren't running for president I would like to be number seven, Mickey Mantle, playing center field for the New York Yankees."

I'm just looking forward to seeing what sort of delicacy Governor Richardson ponies up against Dodd's New England clam chowder. Perhaps some fresh salsa or chiles?

Full Disclosure: I am a life long Yankees fan, a fact that gives Senator Dodd no small amount of discomfort. While I am obligated to advocate for Senator Dodd on this blog, I will be privately hoping for a Richardson win this weekend, via a Yankee sweep of the BoSox. If necessary, I will claim the Governor's chowder winnings in solidarity with him in his absence.