He's running. We're watching.
    Keeping tabs on Gov. Bill Richardson as he seeks the Democratic presidential nomination ...

    STORY DISPUTE: The Richardson campaign on Monday stood by its version of a story about a fallen New Mexico Marine's benefit check— a story disputed by the soldier's mother in a story published in the Journal on Monday.
    Richardson in 2004 attended a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin of Lovington, who was killed in Iraq.
    A story by The Associated Press said Richardson during campaign appearances has recounted a conversation with Austin's mother, De'on Miller, saying she thanked him for federal death benefits and showed him a government check at a Lovington memorial service. But Miller told the AP the conversation about money never happened.
    "I don't know a person rich or poor that would be told that their only living child has been killed, and you're going strike up a money conversation?" Miller said.
    Richardson campaign spokesman Pahl Shipley said Monday the campaign stands by its version of the story: that Richardson learned of a low federal death benefit from Miller and was inspired to push successfully for better death benefits for New Mexico National Guard soldiers. The New Mexico initiative led other states to follow suit.
    Richardson himself had this to say Monday in Los Angeles, just after his official announcement for president:
    "The family is heroic. What I want to emphasize is, my attending that service enabled me to do something that was good for all National Guardsmen ... Attending that service and speaking to that mother enabled me to do something that was good for this country."

    FIRST LADY LINES: Richardson can't escape jokes about his weight. Even his wife, Barbara, got in on the action on Monday.
    Barbara Richardson introduced her husband at the announcement event: "Over 40 years ago, I picked up a tall, skinny, shy kid by the side of the road and gave him a ride back to his high school. Neither one of us then could imagine standing here now."
    She later added that although Richardson is no longer a shy or skinny kid, "He's still tall."
    On a more serious note, Barbara Richardson said, "The decision to seek the presidency was not an easy one— especially for me. As a private person in public life, I know the sacrifices this road entails."

    FENCING AROUND: Perhaps Richardson's best one-liner during Monday's speech came when he criticized a proposal to build a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border:
    "If you build a 10-foot fence," he said, "someone will use an 11-foot ladder."

    AFTER L.A.: Richardson is scheduled to be in New Mexico today and Wednesday before heading to Seattle for fundraising events on Thursday and Friday morning.
    He is to return to New Mexico later Friday but will fly out to Washington, D.C., over the weekend for a planned Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."
   
By Jeff Jones, Journal politics writer.

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