Hitting the ATM

Democratic presidential contender Bill Richardson breezed through Los Angeles today to hit the ATM machine -- fundraise, that is.

The New Mexico governor is making one public appearance - at the AIDS wall in Los Angeles -- before heading to Orange County for another round of fundraisers.

"This state has always been very good to me in terms of fundraising,'' Richardson said. "I'm not like the other candidates that are billionaire candidates."

Richardson polled a dismal 3 percent among California's likelly Democratic voters according to an August field poll, but the candidate tonight said he feels his stock rising in the state. He's focusing strongly on the war, and chastized Democratis in Congress for what he called a "meek" opposition to President Bush.

"Congress is being very meek in calling for benchmarks and funding cuts and semi-troop withdrawls," he said. "I'm very disappointed that they're not more aggressive."

He called on lawmakers to deauthorize the war under the War Powers Act of 1973 and bring all U.S. troops home immediately.

"The basis for that authorization is not there anymore," he said. "A national movement could be brought to bear on reauthorizing the war."