Never mind. (Comment).(Bill Richardson, North Korea and George W. Bush's administration)

OF THE MOST ASTONishing recent events is the spectacle of Bill Richardson, formerly Bill Clinton's ambassador to the United Nations, literally mediating between the Bush administration and the North Koreans. Even weirder is how this anomalous piece of freelancing came about. The North Koreans had enjoyed a constructive relationship with Richardson, who was recently elected governor of New Mexico. They put out informal feelers, and Richardson got a green light from Colin Powell to proceed with back-channel talks.

Imagine the reaction of Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and the ...