http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/03/AR2008120300253.html?hpid=topnews
CHICAGO, Dec. 3 -- President-elect Barack Obama announced his choice Wednesday of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be commerce secretary, saying his one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination will be "a key strategist" on economic and other issues confronting the new administration.
Obama said Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, energy secretary and congressman who has conducted delicate international negotiations, is "uniquely suited for this role as a leading economic diplomat for America." Richardson will also be an important domestic strategist as Obama wrestles with the declining U.S. economy, Obama said.
"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?" Obama told reporters at a Chicago news conference.
Richardson, 61, the first Hispanic to be selected for Obama's Cabinet, emphasized in brief remarks that he would be involved in helping to create a "new future of energy independence and clean energy jobs."
The New Mexico governor's endorsement of Obama during the Democratic primary campaign was considered valuable in attracting Hispanic voters, who voted decisively in the Nov. 4 election for the Democratic candidate over Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.). Richardson was an early contender for the Democratic nomination but dropped out of the race in January.
"There are some who speak of a team of rivals, but I've never seen it that way," Richardson said of Obama's Cabinet choices. He said some are "past competitors" but not rivals, which "implies something harder-edged."
Richardson is the third former Democratic presidential contender to be invited to join Obama's team, following Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.), now the vice president-elect, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), who was nominated Monday to be secretary of state.
Richardson said there is a "vital role for the Department of Commerce in our economic recovery," adding that he plans to use it to help "restore our position of respect in the world."
Switching from English to Spanish, he thanked Hispanics for their support and confidence and said the strong turnout for Obama demonstrated strength and unity. He also said he intends to strengthen connections between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean.
"It will be a great honor to serve a president who recognizes that America's diverse heritage is its greatest strength," he said.
Obama said Richardson "knows that America's reputation in the world is critical, not just to our security but to our prosperity."
After introducing Richardson, Obama was asked if he would support modifying an existing $25 billion federal aid package for the auto industry to provide cash for the Big Three automakers, in view of their rapidly diminishing funds. Obama demurred, saying he first wants to hear what auto executives and lawmakers have to say during hearings on Capitol Hill Thursday and Friday.
The existing aid package is aimed at helping U.S. automakers retool their plants.
Obama added that "Congress did the right thing" last month when it demanded detailed business plans from the auto executives before it would approve billions of dollars in additional aid for the Big Three. At the time, the automakers "were not offering a clear plan for viability over the long term," he said.
Now, Obama said, the executives appear to be "putting forward a more serious set of plans." He said he would not comment on the plans until he has seen the details.
"But I'm glad that they [the executives] recognize the expectations of Congress -- certainly, my expectations -- that we should maintain a viable auto industry, but we should also make sure that any government assistance that's provided . . . is based on realistic assessments of what the auto market is going to be and a realistic plan for how we're going to make these companies viable over the long term," Obama said.
In response to another question, Obama dismissed the idea that commerce secretary represents a "consolation prize" for Richardson, whom many Latinos wanted to see chosen as the first Hispanic secretary of state. Although he had made no secret of his desire to be the nation's top diplomat, that post went to Clinton, Obama's chief rival for the Democratic nomination earlier this year.
"Commerce secretary is a pretty good job," and Richardson is "the best person for that job," Obama said. Richardson's mixture of experience as a diplomat, governor, energy secretary and congressman "means he is going to be a key strategist on all the issues that we work on," Obama said.
"The notion that somehow commerce secretary is not going to be central to everything we do is fundamentally mistaken," he added.
"When people look back and see the entire slate, what they will say is -- not only in terms of my cabinet, but in terms of my White House staff -- I think people are going to say this is one of the most diverse Cabinets and White House staffs of all time," Obama said.
"But more importantly, they're going to say these are all people of outstanding qualifications and excellence," he said. "One of the strong beliefs that I've always held and has been proven to be correct throughout my career is that there's no contradiction between diversity and excellence."
When a questioner asked Richardson why he had shaved off his beard, Obama took the opportunity to tease his latest Cabinet pick.
"I think it was a mistake for him to get rid of it," Obama said. "That whole Western rugged look was really working for him."
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