Pat Dollard | Young Americans

Lations Pissed Obama’s Not Picking More Latinos

Obama appoints Richardson to head Commerce

By Sam Youngman - (The Hill)

President-elect Obama announced Bill Richardson (D) as his nominee for secretary of Commerce, boasting that the New Mexico governor will be a leader in an economic turnaround.

Obama said Richardson will be a key part of his strategy team as he tries to halt the current financial crisis, adding that the former Democratic presidential candidate’s experience as a governor and former congressman and his time in former President Bill Clinton’s Cabinet as U.N. ambassador and secretary of Energy make him “uniquely qualified” for the job.

“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,” Obama said at Chicago press conference.

The president-elect disputed any suggestion that the Commerce position is a consolation prize for Hispanics, who wanted Richardson to be nominated as secretary of State. Obama emphasized the importance he will put on Richardson as he seeks to turn the economy around, and the president-elect cautioned that he has announced only half of his Cabinet appointments, which he said in the end will reflect both diversity and excellence.

A coalition of leading Hispanic groups wrote a letter to Obama last month asking that Richardson be made head of the State Department. Shortly after that, word leaked that Obama would appoint another former rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), to that position.

Despite his decision, Obama was praised Wednesday by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) for picking Richardson to lead Commerce.

“I can’t think of a better person to be at the helm of our nation’s business and industry agenda,” said Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.), chairman of the CHC. “The Department of Commerce states in its mission that it will ‘foster, promote and develop the foreign and domestic commerce.’ With his wealth of experience in foreign and domestic issues, Gov. Richardson will help ensure that our nation’s business sector is growing and prospering.”

Prior to Obama’s announcement, the CHC sent a letter to the president-elect with a list of Hispanics it would like to see in the Cabinet. The Obama transition team declined to speculate about appointments that have not been announced.

Richardson, in his remarks in Chicago, embraced Obama’s praise and said he also envisions a key role for the Commerce Department as the nation looks to regain its financial footing.

“There’s a vital role for the Department of Commerce in our economic recovery,” Richardson said. “The official role of the department is job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improving living standards — the same goals of your economic plan, Mr. President-elect.”