Transition: Richardson's out
Posted: Monday, January 05, 2009 9:17 AM by Mark Murray
First reported by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Bill Richardson yesterday withdrew his nomination as Commerce secretary.
The Washington Post says that Richardson “becomes the first political casualty in Obama's Cabinet, and his withdrawal marked the first visible crack in what had been one of the smoothest presidential transitions in modern history.”
The New York Times adds, “People familiar with discussions between the two men said that while the president-elect did not press Mr. Richardson to step aside, neither did Mr. Obama try to talk him out of it.”
Obama released this statement: “It is with deep regret that I accept Gov. Bill Richardson's decision to withdraw his name for nomination as the next secretary of Commerce… It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Gov. Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration.”
Richardson had this statement: “[A] pending investigation of a company that has done business with New Mexico state government promises to extend for several weeks or, perhaps, even months. Let me say unequivocally that I and my Administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact. But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process. Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the President-elect and his Administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done.”
Back in June 2007, CNBC's John Harwood did a piece on Richardson and fundraising. It was about how the process works -- and not about any particular scandal -- but here's an interesting bite from Richardson then: "Does somebody get a little bit of an edge because they helped a politician? Probably, because the politician remembers that person. I don't give any extra access to somebody that contributes. But I'll remember that person, and I'll say, 'Jeez, that guy helped me. Maybe I can help them.' "
Some more appointments expected this week, including the intel picks. While informed speculation indicates the DNI post will go to Dennis Blair, it's the CIA decision that's apparently delayed Blair's announcement. Will Obama keep Hayden (he can, even temporarily; there's no deadline) or will Obama look for, say, an ex-pol with lots of Washington experience to take over?
Obama landed in Washington yesterday and got choked up along the way. "I've got to tell you, I choked up a little bit leaving my house today," Obama said… Obama said pictures of his daughter, 10-year-old Malia, and her friends triggered the emotion. "Malia's friend had dropped off an album of the two of them. They've been friends since preschool. I just looked through the pages, the house was empty. It was a little tough."
The Boston Globe on Obama’s upcoming inauguration: "The 1.2 million spectators who mobbed Johnson's inauguration - still a record -- are remembered today as little more than a trivia question and a crowd-control model. But as Barack Obama prepares to be sworn in Jan. 20 on Abraham Lincoln's Bible to inherit Franklin D. Roosevelt's economy -- while facing inevitable comparisons to John F. Kennedy's style and Ronald Reagan's rhetoric -- the 1965 event has begun to look like its own precedent: The only inaugural to compare to this one for sheer enthusiasm and participation by often-disaffected citizens."
