Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, is a senior party man, chairman of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a former presidential envoy (to Saddam Hussein, among others) and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and reportedly a man admired on both sides of the political aisle in Washington. Now he's just been signed for a wide-ranging account of his political life and views, called Richardson's Rules: The Making of a Political Life, to be co-written with journalist Michael Ruby. It was Putnam's David Highfill who signed the book for world rights with agent Philippa Brophy at Sterling Lord Literistic, for publication next year—by which time Richardson may have become vice president, according to some observers.