Chris Dodd's campaign has accused Bill Richardson of flip-flopping on gun control, saying he first opposed closing the "gun-show loophole" but now endorses it.

Hari Sevugan, communication director for the Dodd campaign, sent an article from yesterday's Albuquerque Journal that said Richardson changed his position during Monday's debate when he said he is for "instant background checks," including "gun sales at gun shows." Previously, Richardson answered "No" on a 2006 NRA questionnaire that asked him if he supported legislation to close the loophole. The loophole exempts some private sales from having to go through background checks.

Sevugan also included an excerpt of Richardson's May 27 appearance on "Meet The Press," during which he said he was for instant background checks, but didn't mention gun shows. Richardson also said "I don't change my positions" after Tim Russert accused him of flipping on the issue of assault weapons.

Opponents of extending the current system of checks to the exempted sales have said it would delay sales and harm business because those checks can take days to complete. Richardson isn't for expanding current checks to those sales for that reason, but he is for checks that would be instant.

Richardson communications director Pahl Shipley said in a statement, "Governor Richardson has been consistent in his belief that instant background checks - if truly instant - should apply to all sales, private and dealer, at gun shows." Richardson supported a 1999 amendment that would have made instant checks mandatory, Shipley said. "With instant background checks we are able to keep guns out of the hands of those who are not eligible to own them while protecting the rights of gun owners...."

Shipley said the Dodd campaign's attack was out of desperation.

"Based on their poll numbers in Iowa and New Hampshire I'm not surprised they're going negative," he said.