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THE BEARD OF REGRET WILL GROW AND GROW.
I don't have much to say on Bill Richardson withdrawing his nomination for Secretary of Commerce due to a pay-for-play scandal in New Mexico, but you won't finding me shedding many tears. When I interviewed Richardson during the campaign, he was unimpressive on economics, and opportunistic in ways that wouldn't always rebound to progressive benefit. Plus, his retreat is an unalloyed boon for political pundits, as we now get to speculate on one more cabinet appointment. Being cut off cold turkey was rough. So c'mon: Get speculatin'!
COMMENTS (10)
Countdown to jacqueline finding a way to blame this on HRC or better yet, "the Clintons," starts now.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 5, 2009 11:42 AM
Richardson was sleaze waiting for unveiling from the beginning. I welcome his absence.
There's some Brian Sweitzer (D, Gov of Montana) enthusiasm at dKos. Anybody that isn't a well known front for Wall Street is ok, but I'd like someone with a liberal view of how to make US business a positive rather than negative force in the society.
And no mushroom cabinet positions, please. We need a thinker.
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | January 5, 2009 11:48 AM
OK... what ARE the duties of the Commerce Secretary? And what are the best qualities and qualifications for this post?
I miss "Mirror, Mirror" Richardson with his evil trekkie beard.
"For the Empire!"
Posted by: Ty Lookwell | January 5, 2009 11:51 AM
You mean "redound", not "rebound".
Posted by: Herschel | January 5, 2009 12:09 PM
Richardson is a joke. I don't know why this guy is taken seriously by anyone as a national political figure. Hopefully now he will go back to New Mexico and we'll never hear from him again.
Posted by: jeebus | January 5, 2009 1:02 PM
The answer is clear: We can't just have a commerce secretary...
We need a commerce Czar!
It should, of course, be Warren Buffett.
-Transcript from the latest cable news roundtable
Posted by: dsulz | January 5, 2009 1:19 PM
I nominate Larry Sanger! It would be really fun to have an Intellectual Property radical in charge of the Patent and Trademark Office.
Posted by: tom veil | January 5, 2009 2:26 PM
"I nominate Larry Sanger! It would be really fun to have an Intellectual Property radical in charge of the Patent and Trademark Office."
I think you mean Lawrence Lessig. If so, I agree.
Posted by: Henderstock | January 5, 2009 2:57 PM
Former Washington governor Gary Locke.
Posted by: hudibrastic | January 5, 2009 4:21 PM
Bill Richardson's first accomplishment when he became governor was to slash state income tax rates for the rich. Also, he sorta gay-baited his Republican opponent in his first gubernatorial race, because the poor fellow had once had a job as an airline steward.
But he built a SUPERTRAIN Albuquerque to Santa Fe. So we forgive him.
Posted by: amaranth | January 5, 2009 11:22 PM