Obama missed the mark with Richardson. Just another case of taking Latinos for granted.

I cannot agree with you more. I too was and am an ardent supporter. Yet, I failed to see many Latino images protrayed in the media or elsewhere during his campaign and I have begun to wonder if maybe he is afraid to broach the subject of Latinos and more specifically Mexican-Americans as an issue or cause. Its a touchy subject these days, but not all Mexicans in the United States are illegal immigrants. Lets not forget that Latinos were right there in the 60s fighting for their Civil Rights and if the assisnation of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy had no occured, Chicanos and African Americans would have marched on Washington together. We are all in the same boat, except we were here first. So what gives with Obama and his failure to attend to our issues?

Calm down Jaime! Richardson did not want the job as Secretary of State. He got the domestic job he wanted that would benefit Latinos and immigrants in this country. This was a strategic move between him and Obama..

Give it time brother, you'll see... Don't start with this "we got shafted again" business. Richardson is going to work to reform a lot of domestic issues that will eventually assist all people who want to be responsible for their citizenship and contributions to this shaky country.

I'm not Hispanic and cannot speak for Hispanics but I agree that Richardson is far more qualified than Hillary to be Secreatary of State. Those who supported Hillary were thrown a bone by her nomination to that post. Evidently, Obama thought it more important to appease the Hillary faction than appoint the most qualified person.

I hope you weren't foolish enough to think that Obama would actually reward or appoint any Mexican Americans to a high office just because they voted for him. He's in! That's all that matters and he will never appoint anyone to a high ranking position in his admistration no matter how "smarty-pants" they are as long as they are brown. Look at the Kennedy Administration they made promises and he didn't keep any of them. OK, one. (ask LULAC) Face it! Obama out-smarted the Latino/Hispanic community. Good luck to us we are going to need it.

Don't be stupid. You should feel proud of what our President-elect Obama is doing. There always has to be a dog that pisses on the bush. Get over it. We are finally making headway, and now we have you bringing us down. What are you, a lobster in a tank trying to pull down the one that finally found its way out. You are lousy.

Jaime: I agree wholeheartedly with your position that Bill Richardson was the most qualified candidate to become Secretary of State. He speaks Spanish and French, graduated from the Tufts elite Fletcher School of Diplomacy and has over the years been on the cutting edge, when it comes to diplomatic and international issues. He would have been perfect as Secretary of State in the 20th century. However, as a former diplomat, I believe that he can do more today as Secretary of Commerce in this highly charged age. He will be deeply involved in trade issues including NAFTA and can help to greatly ameliorate our tattered relations with our brothers and sisters in Latin America. Given his energy background, I'm sure he will be involved with trade agreements with Canadian oil shale, Mexico and Pemex and Brazil with its enormous resources. There is no doubt that President-elect Obama will seek him out regularly for advice on a myriad of international issues. While foreign relations will be important in the great scheme of things, I believe it is more important to deal with economic and commercial matters at home. As we find ourselves becoming more and more integrated in a global economy, Bill Richardson will be well placed to work with Mr. Obama to resolve the terrible financial malaise facing us today.
As far as Latino appointments, there is no doubt that Obama would not have won the mandate he acheived without our support. I also hope that he will make a number of appointments of highly qualified Latinos. If that doesn't come to pass, I will also be disappointed.

Didn't Gov. Richardson undistinguish himself at the Energy Dept? Wen Ho Li? Lab problems?

Congrats to Bill Tilney for his excellent analysis. Mr. Abeytia´s line of thought is very OMBIC (Old Millennium Broiwn Inferiority Complex).

Anyone at all familiar with Gov. Richardson´s priorities over the past few years would be aware that they were economic, business and job development, international trade, and solar energy business marketing.

Richardson is much more interested in using platforms such as the Davos World Economic Forum to foster commerce than he is in putting brush fires and freeing hostages. He has been there and done that.

While Clinton limited himself to bland Safe Mexican appointees like Henry Cisneros, Obama is naming Latinos to high ranking Cabinet positions.

And to clarify another point, Richardson was the second major political figure to be interviewed by Obama in Chjcago, right along with Hillary.

Sorry, but Mrs. Clinton's credentials cannot be matched by
one neighbor-Bill Richardson simply because he is Latino.....
where have you been?

A liberal democrat taking minorities for granted?

No way, that's ridiculous. Can't be.

You live in El Paso surrounded by liberals taking the mesk'in vote for granted... even supporting them. And now you cry foul?

What letter follows the name of the people being investigated by the FBI?

Pfff.

Hold on EP Kid.

You said, "We are finally making headway, and now we have you bringing us down. What are you, a lobster in a tank trying to pull down the one that finally found its way out. You are lousy."

I have no problem with you disagreeing with my take on this, but where do you come off saying I am bringing us down when I am arguing that "we" should've been given stronger consideration for a position with more weight?

As for your lobster in the tank comparison, that is completely off the mark. Perhaps you should understand what it means before you say that is what I am.

If you follow the lobster in the tank rationale, then I would be going after Richardson, trying to tear him down and keep him in the "tank". My argument is the exact opposite!

Jaime Abeytia

I completely disagree with you. President elect Obama is very pragmatic. He is filling his cabinet with the best qualified with the best positions. You should really study up on what the different positions require. You are saying that Richardson should be given a position because he is hispanic, now that would be tokenism.

Quicker, Jaime:

Waaaaaaaa!!! Bwaaaaaa!!!

What a baby. You sound like a racist too. Just because Obama was supported by some Hispanics, he now must make cabinet assignments based on race?

Get real dude - and maybe you'll find employment at a real news outlet like Fox News.

HAHAHAHAHA

I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Abeytia’s analysis. President-Elect Obama’s decisions on cabinet posts, I believe, are excellent. While Gov. Richardson is extremely qualified, look at the pluses Hillary Clinton brings to the table. As First Lady she met and visited, not only the vast countries, but met with the highest officials in states around the world. Though I do not attempt to lessen the visits Gov. Richardson made, the President’s wife was regarded with much more distinction. Now, a proven and well respected legislator herself, she has dealt with international issues, as well. Former President Clinton has also dedicated a large portion of his “retirement” to world issues. If we cannot understand that at this point in their professional lives she offers the world a well known and trusted name then we must re-evaluate. Gov. Richardson has focused more on domestic policy in the recent past and may be the best candidate for his new post.

In these times of uncertainty we should not provoke the insecurities of unity. You may well know, in politics loyalty is rewarded. Your definition of reward may fall short to what may come in the future. I for one would rather enjoy a growing harmony.

Jaime,

You are right, these people are blind and now you have a major columnist backing your thoughts.

Congrats on not drinking the juice

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/05/navarrette.richardson/index.html

Stop bit**ing and complaining about not being fairly represented in an Obama Presidency – even if Hispanics voted 66% in his favor and were instrumental in putting him over the top in key battle ground States…. Bottom line is we elected an African American to the office of President of the United States. Have We will see more African Americans assigned to key posts because Obama is going to call the shots and make appointments in his best interest to get re-elected in four years.

If you want more Hispanics appointed to key positions in the Electorate, then elect a Hispanic to the Presidency.

Problem is there are not enough Hispanics in the Pipeline. Hispanics are not a prominent group in the US Senate, US House of Representatives, Governorships, and State Legislatures throughout the US.

Unfortunately, Hispanics are still at a point in time where African Americans were during the Civil Right Era of the 60’s. Although Hispanics do not have the “sit at the back of the bus” challenges, Hispanics will need to step up to assert their rights on border fence issues, immigration and amnesty reform, educational opportunities, etc.

Out of these struggles will come the future Hispanic leaders that will someday (hopefully not 40+ years it took after Martin Luther King gave his famous I have a Dream speech)…. but Hispanics will get there……

What Hispanics need to learn is to vote as a block…. African Americans voted 95% for Obama...

Hear that Hispanics…..stop fighting among yourselves and just say…. 95%....95%....95%....95%

I am a WASP who agrees that Richardson is more qualified that Clinton. In fact I was sending $$ to Richardson until the month he dropped out of the Demo primary. I also have a lot of confidence in Obama's judgement, and look forward someday to know his thought processes on that.

Jaime,

As they used to say to me: "No te llores mjio..." Obama is strategically surrounding himself with good, highly qualified people: black, white, GOP or Demo. Richardson is a good appointment, and I'd expect other high office, non-cabinet level will have latinos.

He's not the type to nominate Chuy De La O to Secretary of HHS, just because he's lived in the projects. Calmate Lloron...

I TRUST Bill Richardson more than I trust Hillary or Obama.
Obama has to keep Hillary "busy" so she won't run against him in the next election. If Hillary were on her own....... She might be cooking up something or supporting someone else next election.
Obama knows that Bill Richardson is pretty darn good.
But has to keep Hillary's hands busy at a top spot.
He is covering his bases.
And besides, there will probably be changes in the first 6 months as everyone settles in and Obama and us (the people) see's who is better at what.
Obama just has to hit the ground running and this is a preliminary team that will fill the shoes while we are at 2 or more wars and more problems that come up.
I suppose, after the first security meetings with Obama and the White House, that he was informed of all the crap that's going down and he better be ready to run while his moving van is still unloading at the White House, and..... while he is in his car on the way to the White House.
Richardson MIGHT be moved up later.

Prediction:

At the end of Obama's first 100 days the same people will be complaining about the same things. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

At the end of Obama's first term the same people will be complaining about the same things. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

At the end of Obama's first 100 days and at the end of his first term his aunt will still be here illegally and his brother will still be in a hut.

Hey Kitty... what happened?

I guess I was right....you were wrong....I WIN.