Former Denver Mayor and Former Clinton Official Federico Pena to Join Obama Campaign

[Colobo]

DENVER – Federico Pena has agreed to serve as national campaign co-chair for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.


Pena, who was elected Denver's first Hispanic mayor in 1983, is credited with cleaning up the city's pollution and social programs.

President Clinton named Pena the head of the Department of Transportation in 1993. Pena served as the Secretary of Energy in 1997.

During a conference call Friday, Pena said he decided to work for Obama because he says Obama provides a "creative perspective."

"After speaking to Senator Obama a number of times, I concluded that (he was) the person who had the best set of skills in doing two fundamental things: number one, unifying our country and two, the ability to look at domestic and world problems (with) a very creative perspective, unencumbered by any past political ideologies," Pena said.

Pena says he believes the Hispanic vote will play a large role in the 2008 presidential election.

http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=76888

[Colobo]

1. Kick so that everyone can see it!

[Colobo]

2. More on Pena's endorsement

His job, he said, will be to help Obama make inroads in the Hispanic community, saying Obama understands its "fundamental challenges." Polls show that Hillary Clinton enjoys the highest level of support among Hispanic voters, having been endorsed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, among others. And, of course, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson is a Latino who is hopes to draw significant support as well.


As part of his outreach effort, Pena said he will attempt to bring Obama to the Mexico-U.S. border, a place most presidential candidates have been avoiding, despite the fact illegal immigration remains a core issue in the race. "I'm going to work with the senator to try and get him down there as soon as I can," Pena said.

Obama will be attending the Univision Democratic presidential forum Sunday night in Miami. The televised debate will be conducted in Spanish with questions translated into English. (Richardson and Sen. Christopher Dodd will have a leg up; both are fluent in Spanish.)

Pena served first as Transportation Secretary and later as Energy Secretary under Bill Clinton. In spite of that, he went with Obama over Hillary Clinton. He declined to comment on whether the Clinton camp approached him for an endorsement. Instead, he said he was drawn to Obama's ability to draw "diverse groups together," calling him a "unifier."

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/pena_backs_obama.html

[ShortnFiery]

3. Federico Pena, a rare politico who selects conscious and principles over pay-offs and graft.

;) :hi:

[Colobo]

4. Yep. He's supporting the right guy!

[eleny]

5. From one who lived in Colorado during the Pena years....

I question this choice. Our Denver International Airport, Pena's baby, was a nightmare to build, get running and pay for.

Pena doesn't enjoy the best of reputations here in the Denver area.

[Nostradammit]

6. I was there.

Peña is a crook. He rammed that 5 billion dollar boondoggle down our throats and his friends made a killing.

Obama is officially off my list of candidates if he's hanging with that guy.

[eleny]

7. Thanks, N

I remember the baggage system from hell that never worked. The next mayor inherited that nightmare after "Feddy" skipped off to greener pastures.

I'm pretty shocked that Obama is welcoming Pena as a national campaign co-chair. Maybe he figures the western connection makes sense. But Pena's history here is well known making him a poor choice.

[Nostradammit]

8. I remember Feddie's comrades making a ton of money

on the land sale, too. I'd love to know what his cut was.

[eleny]

9. That land business was the talk radio topic for years

My memory recalls how a number of guys bought up land way ahead of airport proposal annoucements. Then made the killing. Silverado Savings is involved there.

So, there are connections between the airport and Silverado Savings Bank and the ones who got the construction contracts. TRemember these names - Bill Walters, Larry Mizel and Michael Wise?

I Googled and came up with this eye opening Time article with Pena and DIA smack in the middle.
"Rush For Gold: How Silverado Operated"

"The collapse of Denver's Silverado Banking has exposed much more than just the questionable business relationships of President Bush's son Neil. The fall of Colorado's No. 3 savings and loan has put the spotlight on a group of go-go bankers and developers who, with access to Silverado's money, built political influence in Colorado and even Washington."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,970892,00.html

..................

It's unfortunate for Obama but when this hits the local talk and tv radio programs here in the west, it's going to be like poop hitting the rotating cooling device. I wonder how long before the campaign dumps Pena?

[Nostradammit]

11. Filthy Lucre ~

God, how I long to live in a country free from corruption.

[snowbear]

13. PfffffffFFtttTTtttttttt !!!!

I love these threads that whine about "so & so is now off my list because so & so endorsed them"

((((( )))))

[eleny]

14. Pena didn't just endorse - he's on Obama's payroll

It's a mistake for the Obama campaign to make the decision to hire him. It will not help him with western voters.

Here in Colorado we caucus. And caucus goers are informed. Please read the links I provided in my reply above. Pena aligned himself with some bad people who were associated with Neil Bush. Together, they all crushed our economy. That has not been forgotten.

[Nostradammit]

15. I'm not whining, I'm stating a fact.

And it's not an endorsement, it's employment. If this is indicative of the caliber
of people Obama intends to surround himself it should be of concern to any supporters,
and I was seriously thinking of sending him some money.
Don't slay the messenger.

[LittleClarkie]

10. Interesting

Kick and Rec

[paulk]

12. as other have pointed out, Pena doesn't have a very good rep

here in Denver.

I'm sure the reasoning is that Pena will help him with the Latino vote - where he does still have a lot of influence - but I'm not sure this is a good decision on his part...