Breaking: Bill Richardson could be tapped for Commerce Secretary

[jenmito]

according to MSNBC. Since when is "could be" regarded as "BREAKING NEWS"? Oh, well. NBC News says so. :shrug:

[lapfog_1]

1. Slap in the face.

he has already been Energy Secretary and UN Ambassador. This is a step down. Or at least sideways.

[WI_DEM]

3. If he thought it was a slap in the face why would he take it?

[lapfog_1]

4. If the President you risked your career to support

calls you up and offers you something, should you take it?

Of course you will.

But don't think for a moment that he isn't disappointed.

[WI_DEM]

5. No, if he didn't want to do it and liked being Gov of NM more he would not necessarily take it.

I don't believe he thinks it is a stepdown. You may think so, but I doubt Richardson does. And he didn't risk his career to support Obama. He is a very popular governor.

[lapfog_1]

7. His national career.

and yeah, when he told the Clinton's no and offered his endorsement... had Hillary won, he would have been finished as anything other than the Governor of New Mexico. And I suspect that there wouldn't be much support coming from any national Democratic organization to help him in any future elections even in New Mexico.

So, yeah, this isn't a "plum assignment".

Quick, name the last 3 Commerce Secretaries.

But I bet you can name the last 3 SecStates or SecDefs or AGs or even SecTreas.

Should have simply put him back at Energy. It's something that he knows well and has done before.

[WI_DEM]

10. Actually Commerce Secretary has a lot of influence in todays economy

especially in the pivotal areas of trade. But I still don't agree with you about his national career being over. The Clinton's are smart enough politically to know that to win the hispanic vote and New Mexico they would have to play nice with Gov. Richardson, one of the countries most influential latino politicians.

[lapfog_1]

12. Yup, that's why I see the Secretary of Commerce on ALL the

sunday talk shows and press conferences now. Given that the economy is tanking.

Oh wait.

My bad.

:sarcasm:

[WI_DEM]

18. perhaps you should do some research on the commerce secretary and their duties

it might enlighten you. Both Ron Brown and Bill Daley were pivotal members of the Clinton Administration and served as Commerce Secretary.

[lapfog_1]

24. Tell me who is the current Commerce Secretary

without looking it up. And when was their last news conference on the actions of his/her department in relation to the current economic crisis. And when was the last time they made a newspaper headline on the front page (above of below the fold).

You are trying to spin this as an "important assignment" when it clearly is not. It's certainly not a step up for Bill Richardson. Not only that, but he wasn't even Obama's first choice.

And you aren't answering any of my questions.

[JI7]

6. he didn't risk his career to support Obama

only reason the offer would be made public was if he wanted to take it.

he could easily have told Obama he didn't want it. but they probably discussed this when they were discussing SOS.

[lapfog_1]

8. Again, if the President elect calls and says he wants YOU to do X

the tradition has been... you do it.

Not only that, but he wasn't even Obama's first choice. Penny Pritzker was and she turned him down.

[WI_DEM]

11. There's a lot of examples of people saying they can best serve the president

in other ways outside the cabinet--Richardson could easily have done that.

[lapfog_1]

14. Yes, but he is a better person than that.

And will serve where the President-elect has asked him to serve.

He is still the second choice for the job (they even leaked the first choice and her refusal to serve) and it's a slap in the face.

[WI_DEM]

19. No "they" didn't leak it--Obviously if Hillary is SOS she accepted it

so there is no refusal to serve. She was considering it--which is what smart people do when offered a major job and life change.

[lapfog_1]

23. Who is talking about Hillary?

Someone, probably with the transition team, leaked just two days ago that Penny Pritzker was offered the job of Sec Commerce... she turned it down. There was even a background story that she turned it down because one of the companies she has a major interest in is up to it's eyeballs in Mortgage Backed Securities... with possible exposure to charges of defrauding investors. The ratings companies are likely to be investigated too (I hope).

[JI7]

13. nope, they could easily turn it down

especially since Richardson is already Governor.

[lapfog_1]

21. You are wrong. Wrong about the person Bill Richardson is.

I don't hear that Janet Napolitano is turning down Homeland Security. And her leaving the Governors position here in AZ is just SO much worse than any other appointment. We have a Fundy Nutjob who will take over from Janet when she leaves. It will turn the entire state over to the fundy whackjobs as they will control everything here.

One does not (especially people in relatively high places in the same political party) turn down requests by the President.

It's considered bad form.

[JI7]

22. of course they can turn it down, all he had to say was he had no interest before being asked

they don't just directly ask someone before speaking to them about it and their thoughts.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

17. Obama owes Richardson NOTHING.

I know Richardson didn't endorse Obama simply because he wanted favors.

Obama has picked those he thought best for his cabinet.


Richardson will understand this, although I'm sure he expected more.

[lapfog_1]

25. If he owes Richardson nothing...

then he owes Clinton even less.

Tell me, what in Richardson's background makes him the best choice for Commerce Secretary? What trade policies has he had input on? What economic theories has he written about?

If Obama wanted him in his cabinet, and couldn't (for whatever reason) make him AG, SecState, etc. Why not give him his old job back (Secretary of Energy)? His background is not in Commerce.

Or is it that we can't ask any questions about our next President.

[dmallind]

2. Hmmm. I like the guy a bunch but not sure best use for him is Commerce.

He's got a lot of global chops but then again it rounds him out a bit for a 2016 run I guess.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

9. I kinda feel sorry for him. He looked heartbroken when Biden was announced VP.

Then he wanted SOS.

He'll be ok, but I know he has got to be sad.

[uponit7771]

15. I like the guy but why com sec?

[Unsane]

16. I would rather be NM Governor.

[JaneQPublic]

26. Obama does seem to be considering a lot of Western governors

Richardson, Napalitano, and Sebelius. And of course Arnold says he'll work for Obama if asked.

:rofl:

[lapfog_1]

27. Only someone who has never lived in either Kansas or the West

would call Kansas a "Western State".

BTW, born and raised in Kansas. Lived my entire adult life in Colorado, California, and Arizona.

[JaneQPublic]

28. Hmmm, must've been all those "WESTERNS" set in Dodge City, KANSAS that threw me off. (nt)

[amitta]

20. no more eminent domain

.

[Beacool]

29. How is this braking news when it had already been mentioned a few days ago?

Since I can't stand Richardson, I'm glad he didn't get the plum post of SOS. Even if I'm not 100% sure that it's best for Hillary to take it.

:-)

[TexasObserver]

30. I like Richardson for Commerce.