Withdrawal of Bill Richardson as Secretary of Commerce

It was disappointing news to hear that Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, President Elect Obama’s choice for Secretary of Commerce, has withdrawn because of a grand jury investigation dating back to events in 2004 in that state.  There is no claim at this time that Richardson has done anything wrong, but he felt that the whole issue would delay his confirmation hearings and complicate the beginning of the Obama Administration. 

Obama has indicated that he hopes to employ Richardson later on when this grand jury investigation hopefully ends on a positive vein.  Richardson has a tremendous background in government, having served in the US House, as United Nations Ambassador and Secretary of Energy under Bill Clinton, as well as being governor of his home state since 2003.  He also, of course, was a competitor in the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination battle.

Now Obama must work quickly to find an equivalent person of great talents and experience to fill that crucial position as head of the Commerce Department, an extremely important agency at all times, but particularly at a time of great economic turmoil  as we are now experiencing.