Official: Richardson to be commerce secretary
November 23, 2008
NEW YORK---- A Democratic official says President-elect Barack Obama will name New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as commerce secretary.
The official says Obama plans to announce Richardson's selection after Thanksgiving. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the negotiations.
Richardson was energy secretary and U.N. ambassador under President Bill Clinton. Richardson would be the most visible Hispanic named to Obama's Cabinet.
Richardson dropped out of the Democratic presidential contest in January and endorsed Obama.