Bill Richardson has decided to remove himself from Obama's cabinet nomination and remain in his current job as Governor of New Mexico. In some respects, this is good for Bill Richardson, because the Secretary of Commerce was not really his ideal job.
Bill Daley served as Bill Clinton's Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000, and he was a supporter of Barack Obama during the 2008 primary campaign. He is currently a member of the Obama-Biden Transition Project. Perhaps Bill Daley could return to his former Cabinet position as Obama's Secretary of Commerce.
When a vacancy occurs on the Supreme Court, Obama could nominate Hillary Clinton to become Chief Justice and then nominate Bill Richardson to replace her as Secretary of State. Bill Richardson would certainly prefer serving as Secretary of State over Secretary of Commerce.
President-elect Barack Obama announced he has asked Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico to join his administration as Secretary of Commerce.
"With his breadth and depth of experience in public life, Governor Richardson is uniquely suited for this role as a leading economic diplomat for America," President-elect Obama said at the Chicago press conference announcing the appointment. He added later, "In the end, Bill Richardson is a leader who shares my values...I know that [he] will be an unyielding advocate for American business and American jobs, at home and around the world."
Read President-elect Obama's full remarks and see pictures and video from the press conference below.
Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama--as prepared for delivery Announcement of Commerce Secretary Chicago, Illinois December 3, 2008
Last week, Vice President-Elect Biden and I began the process of announcing our economic team. Today, we are pleased to name another key member of this team: our nominee for Secretary of Commerce, my friend, Governor Bill Richardson.
With each passing day, the work our team has begun, developing plans to revive our economy, becomes more urgent. Earlier this week, we learned that the U.S. economy has been in recession since December of 2007 and that our manufacturing output is at a 26 year low -- two stark reminders of the magnitude of the challenges we face.
But while I know rebuilding our economy won’t be easy -- and it won’t happen overnight -- I also know this: right now, somewhere in America, a small business is at work on the next big idea. A scientist is on the cusp of the next breakthrough discovery. An entrepreneur is sketching plans for the startup that will revolutionize an industry. Right now, across America, the finest products in the world are rolling off our assembly lines. And the proudest, most determined, most productive workers in the world are on the job -- some, already on their second shift of the day; many, putting in longer hours than ever before.
After nearly two years traveling across this country, meeting with workers, visiting businesses large and small, I am more confident than ever before that we have everything we need to renew our economy -- we have the ingenuity and technology, the skill and commitment -- we just need to put it to work. It’s time to not just address our immediate economic threats, but to start laying the groundwork for long-term economic prosperity -- to help American businesses grow and thrive at home, and expand our efforts to promote American enterprise around the world.
This work is the core mission of the Secretary of Commerce. And with his breadth and depth of experience in public life, Governor Richardson is uniquely suited for this role as a leading economic diplomat for America.
During his time in state government and Congress, and in two tours of duty in the cabinet, Bill has seen from just about every angle what makes our economy work and what keeps it from working better.
As Governor of New Mexico, Bill showed how government can act as a partner to support our businesses, helping create 80,000 new jobs. And under his leadership, New Mexico saw the lowest unemployment rate in decades.
As a former Secretary of Energy, Bill understands the steps we must take to build a new, clean-energy industry and create the green jobs of the twenty-first century. Jobs that pay well and won’t be shipped overseas -- jobs that will help us end our dependence on foreign oil.
And as a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill brings both international stature and a deep understanding of today’s global economy. He understands that the success of today’s business in Detroit or Columbus often depends on whether it can sell products in places like Santiago or Shanghai. And he knows that America’s reputation in the world is critical not just to our security, but to our prosperity -- that when the citizens of the world respect America’s leadership, they are more likely to buy America’s products.
To this crucial work of restoring America’s international standing, Bill will bring a leadership style all his own. Bill has never been content to learn just from briefing books -- never satisfied with only the official version of the story. During his time in Congress, he held more than 2,500 town-hall meetings, so he could hear directly from constituents. He was a regular in the U.N. cafeteria, mixing it up with U.N. employees over lunch. And during his 2002 campaign for Governor, he actually broke a world record by shaking nearly 14,000 hands in just eight hours.
All of this reflects a determination to reach out and understand where people are coming from, what they hope for, and what he can do to help. This approach, I believe, has been the key to Bill’s success as a negotiator and will be key to his work on the critical functions of the Commerce Department -- from administering our census and monitoring our climate to protecting our intellectual property and restoring our economic diplomacy.
In the end, Bill Richardson is a leader who shares my values -- and he measures progress the same way I do. Are we creating good jobs, instead of losing them? Are incomes growing, instead of shrinking? I know that Bill will be an unyielding advocate for American business and American jobs, at home and around the world. And I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.
Sources: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/21/1685124.aspx; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27832013/
Sec. of Treasury: Tim Geithner (Interesting note: DIJA went up 500 points because of that.)
Sec. of Commerce: Bill Richardson
Sec. of State: (NOT FINAL) HRC (Huh?)
(Personal note: I'm not sure that Sec. Treas. & SoS are a good idea.)
EMK
One of the first things that is taught in management school is that the best managers select the best people and learn how to delegate. They want people working for them who know more about different areas of responsibility than they do. No one can be an expert in everything so having advisors you respect and trust is essential to being an effective leader.
That being said I often feel that Presidential candidates should name their cabinets before election day. For one thing it will accurately reflect on their true policies and intentions and it will also give us an idea of their judgement. When we elect a President we are getting a whole team from the Vice President, to Secretary of State, Attoney General and all the other cabinet positions.
I think Barak can really solidify this election if he were to announce some key cabinet positions that he would fill if elected.
Hillary could be an excellent Attorney General or possibly his first Supreme Court Nominee.
Wesley Clark would be an excellent Secretary of Defense.
Bill Richardson would make a terrific Secretary of State.
Al Gore could be Energy Secretary and manage our move toward renewable energy.
If these people were to get on board and Barak announced these positions before the election I think there would be no stopping him.
Excerpt:
Hello, sports fans. As we near the end of our quadrennial games, let’s take a look back at how we got to where we are now: The Titan Who Fell - Hillary Clinton: Perhaps the victim of her own hype, the former First Lady crashed in a big way in the primary round in the most anticipated event of these games- the quest for the White House. As of late 2006, just after Team Democrat had taken gold in Senate races, House races, and gubernatorial races alike, pundits across the country were ready to place the gold medal around Clinton’s neck. But Clinton failed to achieve what had been a “sure win,” forcing her to settle for silver in the presidential event. When it came time for the vice presidential race, many of Clinton’s fans remained behind her. However, the down-and-dirty strategy that she displayed in the presidential race cost her some serious ground in the latter event, effectively ruling her out of the following qualifying rounds for the vice presidency. Disqualified for Foul Play - John Edwards: Every four years, hearts are broken around the world when we find out that our heroes don’t pass the requisite tests prior to competition. Sometimes, it’s doping and steroids. Other times, it’s a different kind of cheating. The race for the presidency requires that candidates not only refrain from performance enhancers (i.e., illegal campaign contributions, etc), but also that they maintain a history of ethics and integrity commensurate with the prestige of these games. And if you can’t meet the requirements for the presidential event, it’s not likely that you’ll fare too well in the vice presidential race, either. Like Mom always said, cheaters never prosper…especially if it is on your wife while she’s battling cancer. Playing for the Wrong Team - Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Hagel: For most of his life, Mike Bloomberg was on Team Democrat. But when the qualifying race (primary) for the New York Mayoral race looked a little crowded, Bloomberg switched to Team Republican, despite remaining a Democrat at heart. Now, he’s on a team of his own (Team Independent). Technically, that made him a contender for the vice presidential event. But in the long, storied history of these games, never has an Independent joined the national ticket of a Democratic presidential gold medal winner. And while Republican Chuck Hagel might similarly have seemed like a good idea, you can bet that if it’s tough for an Independent to win gold here, it’s damn near impossible for a member of Team GOP.Click on the link to see the rest of the VP contenders... :OD
The Titan Who Fell - Hillary Clinton: Perhaps the victim of her own hype, the former First Lady crashed in a big way in the primary round in the most anticipated event of these games- the quest for the White House. As of late 2006, just after Team Democrat had taken gold in Senate races, House races, and gubernatorial races alike, pundits across the country were ready to place the gold medal around Clinton’s neck. But Clinton failed to achieve what had been a “sure win,” forcing her to settle for silver in the presidential event. When it came time for the vice presidential race, many of Clinton’s fans remained behind her. However, the down-and-dirty strategy that she displayed in the presidential race cost her some serious ground in the latter event, effectively ruling her out of the following qualifying rounds for the vice presidency.
Disqualified for Foul Play - John Edwards: Every four years, hearts are broken around the world when we find out that our heroes don’t pass the requisite tests prior to competition. Sometimes, it’s doping and steroids. Other times, it’s a different kind of cheating. The race for the presidency requires that candidates not only refrain from performance enhancers (i.e., illegal campaign contributions, etc), but also that they maintain a history of ethics and integrity commensurate with the prestige of these games. And if you can’t meet the requirements for the presidential event, it’s not likely that you’ll fare too well in the vice presidential race, either. Like Mom always said, cheaters never prosper…especially if it is on your wife while she’s battling cancer.
Playing for the Wrong Team - Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Hagel: For most of his life, Mike Bloomberg was on Team Democrat. But when the qualifying race (primary) for the New York Mayoral race looked a little crowded, Bloomberg switched to Team Republican, despite remaining a Democrat at heart. Now, he’s on a team of his own (Team Independent). Technically, that made him a contender for the vice presidential event. But in the long, storied history of these games, never has an Independent joined the national ticket of a Democratic presidential gold medal winner. And while Republican Chuck Hagel might similarly have seemed like a good idea, you can bet that if it’s tough for an Independent to win gold here, it’s damn near impossible for a member of Team GOP.
Click on the link to see the rest of the VP contenders... :OD
The full article
With so much riding on this election, and so much riding on this choice, I know of no other way to make my sentiments known without this blog.
I have supported this campaign from early days, but did not get a chance to do some of the things that were available, partially because of health issues, and partially because of time issues.
The grapevine whispers that Bill Richardson is not on the short list of contenders. This is a huge mistake - the experience he brings with him, not to even mention the support from the Hispanic community could be huge for this campaign.
Please also consider Kathleen Sebelius. As governor of Kansas and daughter of a former Ohio governor, Sebelius has key political capital in two swing states in the 2004 general election. She served seven years in the Kansas Legislature and another eight as the state insurance commissioner before winning a fall 2002 election to become the Sunflower State's governor.
These are the only two options that impress me as an accurate choice. But that is only one person's opinion - but someone who has been paying attention.
I was thinking...
Does anyone else find it strange that the man that gave Barack Obama a huge break -- the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention -- endorsed him early along with Ted Kennedy giving him big name credentials before his nomination seemed to be a foregone conclusion, and has spent his own PAC's money to defend Barack against "swiftboat" type attacks does not have a speaking slot at the convention. Of course we're talking about Vietnam War vet Sen. John Kerry. I'm just saying! I can hear the convention speech now, "Four years ago I stood before you and proclaimed 'help is on the way'. Well, today I am hear to proudly say.. help has ARRIVED and HIS NAME IS BARACK OBAMA!"
I've read many detractors of the idea on various posts, but they all seem to be Republicans using lines like "I hope it's him; that will kill Obama." If Republicans don't like it, there must be a reason. I like it (thought I've liked almost all of the picks) for several reasons.
All in all, I think this would be one of the top picks. Right now, though I predicted heavily Clinton, my list of who ought to be veep goes as follows...
1) Wes Clark -- vetran status, military experience, and change to Washington
2) John Kerry -- see above
3) Joe Biden -- many of the above for Kerry, but without the intangibles of just having been in the race four years ago
4) Hillary Clinton -- read other blogs for this one
5) Bill Richardson -- tons of experience, good speaker, good debater, western swing states
All the rest really don't even come close to this top five. I know we want change, but we don't need more inexperience, and we don't need a boring, expected announcement (AKA Bayh).
Just a thought.
Chris Cillizza makes an interesting case for Indiana's Evan Bayh as Obama's vice presidential pick. Personally, I think the choices are Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, and Sam Nunn, with Bill Richardson or Kathleen Sebelius as outside picks. What do you think?
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/07/the_case_for_obama.html?hpid=topnews
my mother is why I am here.
no, not because she gave birth to me, although that certainly helped. but because, at the age of 81, my life-time republican widowed mother changed her party affiliation specifically so she could vote for barack obama in the NM democratic caucus, with the assured hope that she could vote for him in november.
my mom staunchly defended Our Fearless Idiot and The Puppet Master until it became absolutely impossible for her to do so. that team of liars, cheats, and thieves betrayed her trust so completely that she was ashamed for having voted for them in 2000 and 2004. but their crimes were not what effected her change of party.
as she said to me last fall, as I was volunteering for our governor, bill richardson, in his run for the nomination, "this is an historic time, and I am so thrilled to be living now. come november, we will have either the first woman president, or the first black president. I want to do what I can to see obama elected."
wow.
so I am here now to do what I can to make my mother's dream come true.
of course, it helps that I find mr. obama's positions to coincide with my own. ; )
Senators Biden, Dodd, and Kerry are the top three Democrats in seniority on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The June 23 issue of Newsweek makes clear the ambitions of all three to be Secretary of State in an Obama administration, although Biden and Dodd do not rule out the VP nomination like Kerry does. You can read the article 'A Bid for an Obama Cabinet' at http://www.newsweek.com/id/141512.
What a wealth of talent! And, why not Bill Richardson, whose hands-on diplomacy as UN ambassador plus gubernatorial and cabinet management experience makes him the first choice of many of us?
I have to say that I've been amazed at how shallow the discussion about Barack's running mate has been, particularly by the professional pundits. Perhaps they're trying to connect with people who don't really understand much about politics, people they don't really understand. In a way, its like what the publishers of rags like the National Enquirer do to suck people in: they use a well known celebrity name, hoping that this ploy will be enough to get someone to pick up the paper, riffle through it and maybe buy it.
Barack has run a well managed, disciplined and intelligent campaign thus far. He's used his resources wisely and effectively (and this alone says a lot about the way he is likely to govern). Picking a running mate is going to be the most important strategic decision he will make in this campaign because it will generate a huge amount of interest, and, more importantly, it will say a lot about how seriously he takes the presidency and also how good a politician he is. And, make no mistake, we sorely need a professional politician in charge right now, not an amateur like Jimmy Carter or George Bush.
In picking a vice presidential running mate, a professional politician has to ask three questions:
1. In the event of the President's incapacity, can the Vice President assume the office, reassure the country (and other world leaders), head the government and the military and continue to deliver on the President's policies;
2. Will the Vice Presidential selection enhance the President's ability to govern; and
3. Does the running mate bring anything significant to the election effort.
You'll notice that I haven't said anything about a complementary skill set. That's because up until relatively recently, the Vice President has not had a major role to play in governing the nation. However much we may want to think of the President and the Vice President as a team, Presidents, as a rule, do delegate power to Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents do not play the same role in government as they do in modern business organizations. Accordingly, I don't think Barak ought to worry too much about finding somebody with more national security experience than he has. Should a national security emergency arise, a president is far more likely to rely on his Secretaries of Defense and State, his national security advisor and his Joint Chiefs of Staff than his vice president. Indeed, during one of the most dangerous national security crises any president has faced in the last 50 years--the Cuban Missile Crisis--President Kennedy's action group did not include Vice President Lyndon Johnson.
Let's then look at each of the criteria and see how it should affect Barack's choice. Though the Constitution assigns the role of President of the Senate to the Vice President, the main reason the office exists at all is that it provides assurance that the executive power will transfer smoothly to a lawfully elected person if the man or woman elected to the presidency in the first place dies or is otherwise incapacitated. Taking the office of Vice President seriously means that Barak needs to pick somebody who shares his policy predilections, somebody with a steady hand who could step in and reassure a frightened and grieving nation and somebody who understands how to head the executive branch of government.
The second criterion is more of a restriction than a quality the vice president should have. The reality of our current politics is that nothing can get through the Senate as long as the Republicans have enough votes to mount an effective filibuster. Currently, the Democrats control the Senate because they have a 1 vote advantage over the Republicans. Despite Barack's intention to work across the aisle, the Republicans will have no incentive to cooperate with him and can be expected to throw up as many roadblocks as they can unless they simply don't have the votes to sustain filibusters. The sad fact is much of Barack's success will depend on having enough Democratic votes in the Senate to crush Republican interference. Accordingly, selecting a fellow Democratic Senator could have the effect of reducing Barack's Democratic margin in the Senate.
Aside from these basic political considerations, Barak should want to keep the key seats of power in friendly and experienced hands. Joe Biden (who, IMHO, was the best qualified candidate in the Democratic primaries), currently being mentioned as a second choice, could be far more helpful and effective as chairman of the powerful Foreign Relations committee; the same thing goes for Christopher Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. And Barack is going to need Hillary, a skilled legislator and policy wonk, in the Senate to insure that a workable Health Care bill gets through.
And finally, a good Vice Presidential pick will bring some political advantage to the campaign. In particular, Barack needs somebody who can deliver a red state or swing state, or else can help bring a constituency to the polls that Barack may have trouble bringing along by himself. In particular, Barack needs somebody who can deliver a midwestern or western state the republicans currently think they can win or else somebody who can help him with married white women or latinos. Barack does not need help with African Americans, liberals, the northeast, or the Pacific coast since these states and constituencies are already firmly in the Democratic column. And the south is a southern bastion and has been for quite some time, so no matter what Barack does, he's not going to carry it unless, frankly, African American voters overwhelm all the other voters there; in any event, picking a Southerner is not going to help him.
When I add all of this up, several things become clear. First, the person Barack selects should have executive experience, and that means he needs to select a popular governor. While Michael Bloomberg, current mayor of New York City would also be an able choice, he fails the third test: there is little doubt that New York will go democratic, and while there are some Jewish voters currently flirting with John McCain, it's unlikely that Jews will abandon the Democratic party in this election.
If we need a popular governor, there are 5 excellent possibilities. First, there is Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado, an able man and a good politician who could well deliver Colorado to the democrats. Second, there is Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. Governor Sebelius delivered the Democratic response to the President's State of the Union address this year, has good contacts in Ohio where her father was once the governor, and also, obviously, is a woman who might appeal to the female demographic that is currently insisting that Hillary should get the number 2 spot on the ticket. Hailing from Kansas, Sebelius might be able to deliver currently red Kansas to the Democrats; even if she can't deliver Kansas, she would at least force the Republicans to spend their limited resources defending a state they currently view as their sole property. Similar considerations put Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona front and center. As an Arizonan, Napolitano would force Senator McCain to expend resources defending his base. Finally, popular Governor Tim Kane of Virginia who is term limited would also be an able running mate and could bring Virginia, a state tentatively trending blue along with him.
Unfortunately, while all four of these people have done excellent jobs as governors and have important personal and political considerations which commend them, none really has the stature or gravitas required to assume the presidency at a moment's notice. And that's why Barack's very best choice for Vice President is the current governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson. Of all the Democratic primary candidates, he had the best resume. He's served as a governor, member of the House of Representatives, Secretary of Energy, Ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton and chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association. Having been out on the stump, he's far better known than any of the other three, and so there would be few worries about a skeleton hiding in some closet; in an emergency he's the one who would best know how actually to be president and he's the one who could most quickly establish credibility with the public, with Congress and with other world leaders. As the popular governor of New Mexico, he is almost certain to be able to bring the state with him. As a Latino, he is the person most likely to excite the growing Latino population and bring them into the Democratic tent.
The Democrats clearly have a bench full of talent ready to take the field. Though Barack has plenty of people from which to choose, I hope he concludes as I have and selects Richardson as his running mate.
While I'd be happy with any VP whose name doesn't ryhme with Pillary Plinton, my pick would be Bill Richardson for VP.
I'm sure Barack's waiting with bated breath for these pearls of wisdom...1) hang out with lots of working class white people (duh!)2) explain how helping ordinary Americans economically is consistent with fiscal responsibility
3) emphasize that the Iraqi people want us out and explain how genocide will be avoided
4) signal that health care mandate could be phased in if his current plan doesn't work as well as envisioned (too many young, healthy people opting out, relying on emergency room, and driving up costs for those paying premiums.)
5) Explain long membership at Trinity United Church of Christ as the result of a strong personal connection arising from his 'finding Jesus Christ,' which overrode a long-standing intellectual disconnect, while at the same time emphasizing the most progressive elements of the New Testament. Don't stress as a campaign theme, but every time it comes up, talk in a very personal way about the personal importance of Jesus and his progressive, inclusive, world-engaging ethics to Obama. Change the subject from Wright to Jesus, in a way that strikes the right tone for progressives.
6) Double-down on change: Pick a female governor (or other executive) as a running mate. This may p.o. Hillary (see http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/clinton-campaign-hillarys-not-gonna.html) and even, at first, many of her core supporters, but given a few months to consider someone like Sebelius on her own merits, many of Hillary's female supporters who overlooked her flaws mainly because she met the litmus test of a 'qualified woman' will have reason to reclaim their dream of a woman president in the the not so distant future. Obama has said a) he wants someone who brings expertise he doesn't have b) foreign policy savvy is not one of those personal deficits c) operational management skills may be (remember debate response about being disorganized). Interestingly, Wes Clark reportedly plugged Kathleen Sebelius for VP at a wind energy event in Texas (Reported on Politico (see http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Wes_Clark_floats_ObamaSebelius.html).
Right now CNN has Obama 18 delegates shy of clinching it, and of course Clinton is now saying she's "open" to being his VP. Too bad he won't offer it to her - or shouldn't, at least. The RNC is going to start using the clip of her saying that all Obama has to offer is his 2002 speech against the war, essentially implying that McCain would be a better candidate. Way to go, Hillary.
Anyway, I think I may want Richardson to be veep now, isn't that weird?
After another 90 Super Delegates have come out in support of Obama, doesn't it make sense for all of the contenders who ran for the Democratic nomination to appear with Senator Obama on stage to make the following announcement together?
Mrs. Clinton - "Eighteen months ago, when this contest started, we stood on the stage as contenders for the same position. Now we have come together again to announce that we are working together to support the will of all the people. Senator Obama will be our candidate for President and I congratulate him fand pledge to support him in any way I can, and hope those who have supported me so generously will join me in my support for Senator Obama."
Then after the applause dies down Senator Obama says - "Mrs Clinton has graciously accepted my request that she be my running mate. It is time to unify our party and to win in November. We are proud to announce that our cabinet will include Bill Richardson as Secretary of State, Dennis Kucinich as Attorney General, Chris Dodd as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, John Edwards as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Joe Biden as the Secretary of Defense, Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Commerce, Mike Gravel as Special Project officer for the reform of the Electoral system of the US, and President William Jefferson Clinton has accepted our appointment as Ambassador to the United Nations."
John Edwards makes a plea for his voters to support the ticket, as do all the other nominees, with Richardson making his plea in Spanish.
Then Senator Obama simply opens the floor to questions and for two hours or more our nominees talk with us about our future and how we can work together to get out of Iraq, improve relationships worldwide, revive our economy, remain safe without sacrificing freedom, educate our children for the 21st Century, provide health care for all, mend our crumbling infrastructure, bring impartiality back to Federal Courts, reform our immigration system, etc.
This is a scenario that I think makes sense not only for the Executive branch, but to help win overwhelming progressive majorities in both houses of Congress. Then we have four or eight years to roll back the conservative take-over of the judiciary and return us to rule of law, not rule by elites.
What do you think?
