Jan 4 (Reuters) - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson's
decision to withdraw as President-elect Barack Obama's nominee
to head the commerce department leaves Obama with a hole in his
cabinet line-up.
Following are details on Richardson and several other
possible nominees for commerce secretary, the government's
chief spokesman for business.
RICHARDSON BACKGROUND
Richardson, New Mexico's governor since 2002 and a former
seven-term Democratic U.S. congressman, said he was withdrawing
because an investigation into a company which had done business
with the New Mexico state government might delay his
confirmation.
Richardson, 61, is one of the highest-profile Hispanic
politicians in the United States and served as U.S. ambassador
to the United Nations during President Bill Clinton's
administration as well as secretary of energy.
He made his biggest mark as a sort of special U.S. mediator
abroad and negotiated with leaders from Myanmar to Haiti, Sudan
and North Korea.
He had been a candidate for the Democratic presidential
nomination before dropping out and backing Obama.
OTHER CANDIDATES
Possible candidates for the job include Kansas Gov.
Kathleen Sibelius -- who was suggested for a number of senior
Obama administration posts but has yet to be nominated for any
-- and Scott Harris, managing partner of the Washington DC law
firm Harris, Wiltshire and Grannis who is an expert in trade
issues.
Also mentioned is Leo Hindery, a former chief executive
officer of The Yes Network, the nation's largest regional
sports network and a senior economic policy adviser to former
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards.
Another Obama backer whose name had surfaced was Oracle
President Charles Phillips.
THE JOB
The commerce secretary is seen as the voice of the U.S.
business community in the White House and is tasked with
promoting U.S. business interests overseas.
The department also houses the Census Bureau, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Patent and
Trademark Office among other agencies.
If the 2010 census goes badly, it is the commerce secretary
who will have to explain it to Congress.
The commerce department's oversight of NOAA gives the
secretary a voice in the climate change debate. He or she will
face pressure from the steel industry and other businesses to
oppose heavy taxes on U.S. carbon emissions unless developing
countries adopt similar measures.
TRADE AND IMMIGRATION
The next secretary is expected to play a role in pushing
for congressional approval of free trade agreements with
Colombia and South Korea, once President-elect Barack Obama
determines how to handle trade deals negotiated by the Bush
administration but opposed by many Democrats.
The secretary will also take up the difficult task of
selling U.S. business on Obama's plan to reopen the North
American Free Trade Agreement to include stronger labor and
environmental provisions.
DIGITAL TV
An early challenge could be one for which the next
secretary has little time to prepare.
The Government Accountability Office has warned that about
15 percent of U.S. households with analog TV sets could see
their screens go black when the country switches to digital
television on Feb. 17.
Regulators are offering consumers $40 coupons to help pay
for converter boxes, but a Republican on the five-member
Federal Communications Commission said in October he expected
the transition to be "messy."
Content Provided by
Reuters Reuters is the largest international news agency -- providing professionals around the world with stories that move the markets.
- 
- 
- 
Welcome,
Guest!
News
