Guv at home on national stage.(Evening)

Byline: Thomas Hargrove hargrovet@shns.com / (202) 408-2703

WASHINGTON Gov. Bill Richardson arrived at the second floor of the U.S. Capitol a few minutes early and was quickly whisked into a side alcove by an aide who hurriedly applied makeup to the governor's face.

"We'll do ABC first," another assistant told Richardson. Two large banks of TV klieg lights snapped on as the governor walked into the ornate Lyndon B. Johnson Room near the Senate Chamber.

Richardson has become an unexpected media star during the National Governors Association winter meeting this week, thanks to a confluence of domestic and international issues and his own political …