Until today the transition had gone pretty much perfectly for Obama. His appointments were impressive and warmly received, his poll numbers have risen to record levels and the scandal about Governor Blagojevich allegedly trying to sell off Obama’s Senate seat has not hurt Obama or any of his staff. But today the transition hit a bump in the road: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson had to withdraw from consideration to be Commerce Secretary. It was decided that a grand jury investigation into allegations of corruption in the awarding of state contracts in New Mexico would make his confirmation too difficult and distracting.
Commerce is a second-tier post, though its importance has been heightened by the current economic crisis, and having to find a new Commerce Secretary will hardly delay the work of the incoming administration. But Richardson was the most senior Hispanic that Obama had appointed. The perceived importance of ethnic balance in Democratic party circles means that Obama will now be under pressure to appoint a Hispanic to a high-profile post as soon as possible.
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