MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) – Presidential hopeful Bill Richardson on Saturday decried the “nasty little fights” between his Democratic rivals and said the scuffles distract from serious issues in the campaign.

In recent weeks, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s supporters have spread rumors against Barack Obama and raised questions about his teenage drug use and his faith. Those discussions only hurt the Democrats and could have been avoided if they had joined him in a promise to run a positive-only campaign, Richardson said.

“Almost a year ago, I came out and said all the Democratic hopefuls need to sign a pledge that we won’t attack each other. Only Joe Biden signed it with me,” Richardson said to laughter.

Richardson said the infighting hurts the party in the November general election and undermines their policy proposals. “Why isn’t the Democratic Party, why aren’t all of us talking more about jobs? … It should be about who can change this country, who can govern, who has the experience to do it and most importantly, who can bring this country together,” Richardson said during a town hall laden with policy summaries.

His campaign has tried to play up his resume: New Mexico governor, former energy secretary, UN ambassador, congressman.

On paper, he is one of the Democrats’ strongest options but he hasn’t yet been able to catch fire.

“Some of the smartypants set in Washington think it’s a two-person race so they’re focusing on the fights between the two top people, the nasty little fights,” Richardson said.

Current polls have a tight race emerging in the early states. Clinton posted 32 percent and Obama posted 31 percent in a Concord Monitor poll released on Friday. Edwards was even at 18 percent and Richardson posted 8 percent support.

“You know, at these debates, they always put me in the corner with (Ohio Rep. Dennis) Kucinich,” he said.

AP-ES-12-15-07 1115EST