As the New Mexico float floated by on national television a few minutes ago, Al Roker, the jovial weatherman on NBC's Today show, noted to his Tournament of Roses Parade co-host, Nancy O'Dell of NBC's "Access Hollywood," that the faux adobe church in New Mexico's first entry in the parade in 56 years was made of rolled oats and cinnamon.

"Right now," said Roker, referring to the steady downpour drenching the million or so people along Pasadena's parade route, "we've got oatmeal."

Across the dial on ABC, the hosts (including "Desperate Housewife" Teri Hatcher) seemed to have a little trouble at first recognizing Gov. Bill Richardson who was seated in a buckboard atop the New Mexico float with his wife, first lady Barbara Richardson. Both were swallowed up in rain slickers.

But the ABC crew recovered in time to ask whether the buckboard was "heading left or heading right," maybe even "headed toward a presidential nomination."

The ABCers also noted that Richardson was returning to his birthplace -- Pasadena, Calif.

Back at NBC, Roker and O'Dell had a spirited colloquy over a "native New Mexican" aboard the float by the name of "Smokey Bear." Roker said he hadn't realized "Smokey" was from New Mexico -- the Capitan Ranger District in Lincoln National Forest, in fact. And he reminded O'Dell and millions of viewers that it is "Smokey Bear," not "Smokey THE Bear," prompting O'Dell to observe that we've been saying it wrong all these years.
Meanwhile, the New Mexico float moved on into history, with more said about a forest firefighting mascot than a possible presidential contender in 2008.

Roker also mentioned that one of his producers was from New Mexico and was very disappointed that her home state's float didn't win any prizes this year. A list of the prizes can be found here.

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