He's got a popular new song, "High Maintenance Woman," on WKLB-FM, the country-music station in the greater Boston area. He's brought inspiration to American servicemen stationed around the world. Could Toby Keith deliver another hit performance for a friend in 2008?

Keith "counts among his friends several prominent Democrats," Newsday reported in January, and that list includes "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson..."

Could Keith help out Richardson? Music has played a role in past presidential campaigns. "When Ronald Reagan faced Walter Mondale in 1984," the St. Petersburg Times reported, "(Bruce) Springsteen publicly complained about Reagan invoking 'New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen' during a campaign appearance." The Boss himself campaigned with fellow performers for John Kerry in 2004.

Then again, any Keith support of Richardson might be problematic for the candidate. First of all, the country-music star was among a list of musicians who backed Bush in 2004. Second, Keith was involved in a dispute with liberal icons the Dixie Chicks after lead singer Natalie Maines blasted President Bush. Maybe Keith ought to sit this campaign out.