What is Bill Richardson thinking?

homas Lifson Investor's Business Daily highlights the very problematic private South American diplomatic initiative of Bill Richardson, who has endorse Barack Obama and is generally considered as a possible running mate on the Democrats' ticket, or perhaps a Secretary of State in an Obama Administration. Ostensibly he is seeking release of several hostages being held by the FARC guerillas in Colombia's jungle. But, against the wishes of the Colombian government, a democratic ally of the United States led by very popular President Uribe, Richardson is insisting on meeting with Venezuela's Marxist dictator wannabe, Hugo Chavez. IBD writes: Winning the release of U.S. hostages held for five years in Colombia's jungle would demonstrate his diplomatic chops. But because Richardson insists on meeting with Venezuelan dictator Chavez, it also might not be in America's or Colombia's interests. [....] Colombia President Alvaro Uribe declared over the weekend that Chavez had no place in the mediation of hostage releases. But Richardson insisted on meeting him anyway, and then publicly declared that Chavez "can have a role." Such disrespect for Colombia raises questions about the governor's judgment and, worse still, what he might have offered Chavez and FARC in behalf of a future U.S. administration. It's not that Chavez can't win the release of the hostages. Despite his denials, he's likely in touch with, among others, FARC's Ivan Marquez, who reportedly lives in Venezuela. Chavez is also in a position to shut down FARC by destroying its bases in Venezuela and ending its drug-trade flyovers. So his leverage over the terrorists is huge. Only a naif, however, would imagine Chavez gives such things away to ambitious Americans for free. Most likely, Chavez will exact policy changes from Richardson that American voters won't know about until Obama gets elected. What is Richardson offering in exchange for U.S. hostages?