Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Richardson is Obama’s pick for Commerce post
Wednesday, December 03, 2008 | No comments posted.
CHICAGO (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama is ready to name New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as his choice for commerce secretary after passing over his vanquished Democratic rival for secretary of state.
Democratic officials say the two would appear at a news conference together in Chicago today.
Richardson’s nomination as commerce secretary has been all-but-announced for more than a week.
One of the nation’s most prominent Hispanic politicians, he will become the latest former Democratic primary opponent to join Obama’s Cabinet. The incoming chief executive has chosen another adversary-turned-ally, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to be his secretary of state. Obama also chose former rival Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate.
Obama is considering another Hispanic politician, California Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra, to be U.S. Trade Representative, according to two Democratic officials speaking on a condition of anonymity.
New Mexico’s Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, a Democrat will become the state’s first female governor when Richardson leaves to assume his new post.
Denish will take over for the remainder of Richardson’s term, which runs through 2010.
In neighboring Arizona, the ascension of a Democratic governor will put the state in the hands of a Republican governor.
Under Arizona state law, the move of Gov. Janet Napolitano to secretary of Homeland Security will mean a Republican, Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer, will assume the reins there.
The president-elect has moved quickly to fill out his Cabinet, having named more than half of it in the month since he was elected the country’s 44th president.
An energy secretary and United Nations ambassador in President Bill Clinton’s administration, Richardson was a contender for the State Department job, but Obama offered him the post as commerce secretary after choosing the former first lady as his top diplomat.
Richardson sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year but eventually dropped out and endorsed Obama.
On Monday, Obama announced his foreign and national security team, led by Clinton and current Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a Republican. A week ago, Obama named his economic team, led by Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary. In the coming weeks if not days, he plans to announce former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as health and human services secretary.
The upper echelon on his Cabinet now is in place.
Among those posts yet to be disclosed if not chosen: the heads of the Interior, Transportation, Labor, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs departments. Obama also has yet to name his intelligence team, including his director of national intelligence and CIA chief.
Democratic officials say the two would appear at a news conference together in Chicago today.
Richardson’s nomination as commerce secretary has been all-but-announced for more than a week.
One of the nation’s most prominent Hispanic politicians, he will become the latest former Democratic primary opponent to join Obama’s Cabinet. The incoming chief executive has chosen another adversary-turned-ally, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to be his secretary of state. Obama also chose former rival Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate.
Obama is considering another Hispanic politician, California Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra, to be U.S. Trade Representative, according to two Democratic officials speaking on a condition of anonymity.
New Mexico’s Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, a Democrat will become the state’s first female governor when Richardson leaves to assume his new post.
Denish will take over for the remainder of Richardson’s term, which runs through 2010.
In neighboring Arizona, the ascension of a Democratic governor will put the state in the hands of a Republican governor.
Under Arizona state law, the move of Gov. Janet Napolitano to secretary of Homeland Security will mean a Republican, Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer, will assume the reins there.
The president-elect has moved quickly to fill out his Cabinet, having named more than half of it in the month since he was elected the country’s 44th president.
An energy secretary and United Nations ambassador in President Bill Clinton’s administration, Richardson was a contender for the State Department job, but Obama offered him the post as commerce secretary after choosing the former first lady as his top diplomat.
Richardson sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year but eventually dropped out and endorsed Obama.
On Monday, Obama announced his foreign and national security team, led by Clinton and current Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a Republican. A week ago, Obama named his economic team, led by Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary. In the coming weeks if not days, he plans to announce former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle as health and human services secretary.
The upper echelon on his Cabinet now is in place.
Among those posts yet to be disclosed if not chosen: the heads of the Interior, Transportation, Labor, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs departments. Obama also has yet to name his intelligence team, including his director of national intelligence and CIA chief.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines