Also expected Monday — an announcement that former U.N. Ambassador and Energy Secretary in the Clinton administration, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, will be Commerce Secretary.
This would bump up Lt. Gov. Diane Denish to the top office in New Mexico, giving her a leg up over all other comers — including, perhaps, Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez, who is currently raising money for another run, but is mum on what exactly he’ll be running for.
In the diaries, Chad has more.
I expected Obama to put Richardson somewhere, of course, but Commerce is a weird place for him.
At least Denish gets that two year head start over Chavez. My guess is Chavez wanted to be governor, but was angling for an open seat. Now that Denish looks to be a two year incumbent, and NM-01 and both Senate seats are held by Democrats, Chavez has nowhere to go. I doubt someone with his massive ego would be content with a downticket statewide job over his current position.
I really wanted to see Richardson at Transportation:
http://www.bleedingheartland.c…
I would have been satisfied to see Richardson at State or Interior.
He is a corporate Democrat (ran the whip to get NAFTA through the House), and I don’t like him in an economic policy position, especially since Obama isn’t naming any progressives to balance him.
Interior would be a much better choice if he had to do something domestic. He’s in charge of the census though so that’s cool I guess.
I’m still trying to get my head around you-know-who as Secretary of you-know-what. It’s either going to be one of the most ingenious, kick-ass picks of all time or a complete disaster. Guess we’ll know in a year’s time.
Anybody remember his aborted run at the open Senate seat last year? He called now Senator-elect Tom Udall too far to the left to be elected and promised a nasty primary. Wasn’t he already the Democratic nominee for governor in 1998? He’s had his chance already.
Yay. It’d be great politically to give Denish a two year head start on the 2010 gubernatorial race. She’s a great politician and will make a good governor.
Richardson has never been someone I liked. I was pretty happy when Clinton got Sec of State over him. Oh well, cant win them all, or in this case of Obama picking people for his cabenit, most. Though I am happy at Clinton being picked, I think she will do well.
The buzz was that Pritzker was going to get Commerce. Maybe Richardson was being held in the background for whatever job Obama’s first choices turned down, on the grounds that he’s got a lot of executive experience and knows how to run large government departments? Much like the similarly named Elliot Richardson?