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CHICAGO: Barack Obama on Wednesday named Governor
Bill Richardson of New Mexico as his Commerce secretary, dubbing him
a top “economic diplomat” who would help lead the United States
out of the financial crisis.
The President-elect added to his
rapidly filling Cabinet at a news conference here and denied the
post was a consolation for Richardson, a former Democratic
presidential rival, who was passed over for secretary of State.
Richardson, 61, would start
“laying the groundwork for long-term prosperity to help American
businesses grow and thrive at home and expand our efforts to promote
American enterprise around the world,” Obama said.
“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,” he
added.
Richardson, a veteran diplomatic
troubleshooter, ex-lawmaker and Energy secretary and United Nations
ambassador under President Bill Clinton, had been tipped to head the
State department, but Obama chose Hillary Clinton instead.
Obama dismissed the idea that
Richardson’s assignment would disappoint Latino voters who helped
him win battleground states Florida, New Mexico, Colorado and
Nevada.
“Commerce secretary is a pretty
good job,” he said.
“The notion that somehow the
Commerce secretary is not going to be central to everything we do is
fundamentally mistaken,” Obama added, and held out the prospect of
adding more Hispanic members to his half-formed Cabinet.
Richardson, who spoke in both
English and Spanish, said he was honored to be chosen. “There’s
a vital role for the Department of Commerce in our economic
recovery.”
“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,” he told Obama.
Richardson’s appointment won
backing from the man he would replace, Secretary Carlos Gutierrez,
who noted his successor’s “strong international experience.”
“Richardson has the credibility
and expertise to negotiate with our foreign partners and ensure that
American businesses and workers have open markets and a fair playing
field on which to compete,” he said in a statement.
In a light-hearted moment, Obama
ribbed Richardson for shaving his beard, which he said had given the
New Mexico governor a “Western rugged look.”
“For some reason, maybe because
it was scratchy when he kissed his wife, he was forced to get rid of
it,” the President-elect said.
Richardson mounted an
unsuccessful challenge for the Democratic presidential nomination,
hoping to become the first Hispanic US president.
He then switched allegiances to
back Obama over Hillary Clinton, despite his ties to former
President Clinton.
Once dubbed the “Indiana
Jones” of US diplomacy, Richardson is famed for head-to-head
encounters with strongman leaders on the US pariah list, including
Iraq’s executed President Saddam Hussein and Cuba’s Fidel
Castro.
Janet Murguia, president of
National Council La Raza, the largest US Latino organization, said
she was disappointed that Richardson had been passed over for
secretary of State but was glad he secured a Cabinet spot.
She also expressed hopes that
other Hispanic leaders would be included in Obama’s Cabinet, as
the President-elect has yet to name posts such as Labor secretary,
Education secretary and US Trade Representative.
“We’re still optimistic we
will see a Cabinet that reflects a coalition of communities that
helped to elect President Obama,” Murguia said.
The Commerce department in recent
years played second fiddle to Treasury in terms of domestic economic
policy and international trade matters, but it is a Cabinet-level
position and the nominee can play a role in both.
The department manages a host of
statistical operations including the population census, and also the
International Trade Administration, which can enforce actions on
dumping and unfair trade.
Commerce also manages
telecommunications and copyright (intellectual property) issues
through its agencies as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration weather service.
Here is the line-up of the
incoming governmental team so far nominated or appointed by and Vice
President-elect Joe Biden.
Nominated to be confirmed by the
US Senate are secretary of State, Hillary Clinton; Defense
secretary, Robert Gates; Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner;
attorney general, Eric Holder; Homeland Security secretary, Janet
Napolitano; Commerce secretary, Bill Richardson and UN Ambassador,
Susan Rice.
Appointed
were National Security adviser, General James Jones; chief of staff,
Rahm Emanuel; director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter
Orszag; chief Economic adviser, Larry Summers; director, Council of
Economic advisors, Christina Romer; director, Domestic Policy
Council, Melody Barnes; head of a panel of outside economic experts,
Paul Volcker; and White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs.
--AFP
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