Latinos push for more cabinet posts

Clinton nominated zero blacks or hispanics but they were all over the Bush administration. What exactly is the story here? Obama would just be following Bush's footsteps in appointing minorities.

What a waste of talent. He should have named Richardson to the State position. But I guess it's politically expedient that he should name Clinton, who no doubt would have given his agenda hell in the Senate, so that she could run against him again in four years. I really want to understand his choice for Sec. of State.

Qualifications don't matter anymore, let's stock positions by gender, race, religion, hair colors, facial hairs, tall, short, handicapped, deaf/dumb & mute!! Now everyone will be represented!!

Because we all know that race is the most important qualification when choosing your team of cabinet members...

This is a government he is forming to address some of the most complex problems we have had in generations. I hardly thihk that the percentage of certain ethnic groups should be his main priority. I happen to be of Italian American ethnicity and I don't see anyone asking that there be more, or, any, Italian individuals appointed. If they are appointed, it is because they are in government, business or academics and have proven records of accomplishment. Our recent choice of Alberto Gohzalgez, obvioulsy a bone to the Latino vote got us just what it deserved. Accomplishment, not ethnicity, should govern the selection process.

This is ridiculous, it's affirmative action in the government. He shouldn't be choosing people based on race but how well they could do their job.

This is just the beginning folks. The Hispanic lobby is very militant and racist. La Raza is a great example of this. They consider EVERYONE who is for reduced immigration (legal or illegal) RACIST. The Hispanic lobby is also expecting Congress to pass amnesty in the spring. What Obama really should be doing is appointing women to half his cabinet posts.

Support reduced immigration -- www.numbersusa.com

So what is really going on here? Latinos vote in high numbers for Obama and then expect to fill his cabinet in return?

Is this not the same thing as high-priced lobbyists throwing money around and then expecting to get favors in return??

You should vote for the candidate you think will do best for the country as a WHOLE, not just vote to get something directly back. If Latinos feel that Obama will not properly represent them unless the cabinet is full of Latinos, then they should not have voted for him...

Where are all the Redheads? No fairsies!

And what about Latvians?

There are not enough Sagitarians and too many Leos.

What ever happened to "equal opportunity"? I think he should hire a redheaded Latvian born in December to even it all out. Otherwise- it's discrimination!

WhatChange is clearly wrong since Richardson served in Clinton's Cabinet as well as Henry Cisneros at HUD. Just a freeper who is all about Clinton bashing and can't move on 8 years later. Kind of sad...

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." If only he could have lived to see the day when the fruits of his labor were rewarded with the election of our nation's first black president, and then to see them disgraced by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' desire to have cabinet members chosen by the color of their skin, not the content of their character.

Why not just appoint whomever is most qualified for the job...?

Great post Maria.... Richardson was the better and more respected candidate around the world, and I'm sure the one Obama really wanted for Sec. of State. I'm still with Obama, but I hope he's not going to be folding to this type of pressure often. He won because of his promise not to be controlled by lobbyist, and he shouldn't sacrifice his goals to payback the other poticians that "helped" him get there. He should instead payback the people that Got him there.... which in large part (in the most coveted states) were Latinos.

People need to be appointed based on their merits, not the color of their skin.

Hils for the State Job was a deal forged this summer when she backed out. Better then that tool Kerry representing us overseas.

Shouldn't it be about who is most qualified rather than what ethnicity the person is?

Richardson has such depth of knowledge and experience. A class act man who isn’t afraid of confrontation when necessary. I was a huge Richardson supporter for president but when he stepped down I immediately began to think of him as Secretary of State potential. I think Hillary is great, but not as great and as bold when it comes to international affairs instead Richardson has been named to head of the Commerce Department he was a key player in the legislative approval of the NAFTA... Richardson profile is very pristine in this and other areas, and for this reason, he was super well poised to be secretary of state not to mention that he would have been the first Hispanic elevated to the post which is a key since, quite frankly, Hispanics deserve credit for the Democrats’ victory but despise this fact, the Hispanic are still at the margins of society.

Whatever happened to naming the best candidate for the position. Ignoring color, ethnicity, gender, etc.

How many Irish Catholics in the Cabinet?

Hispanics hold Obama hostage....that might as well be what it says.

You are right Michael. I was exaggerating for sure. Clinton did not appoint a single black person however. I am always told that the Democrats are the party for black people, even though they tried to stop the civil rights movement (led by Al Gore's father) and the fact that Lincoln is a Republican.

But you are right about the hispanic part.

And one other note, I think Bill Richardson is incredibly qualified for this position. I think he is a moderate and a decent guy. However, he's another Clinton guy.

If you voted for "change", is this the kind of "change" you wanted? It's more like back to the future.

Everyone is posting along the same lines and I couldn't agree more.

We are facing tough times - we need the BEST people involved - not tall, short, black, hispanic, gay, straight etc.

The only thing that should be considered is ability to perform.

This is an incredibly irresponsible act by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

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Richardson was the likely choice for Secretary of State. He graduated from Tufts with a major in French, so he's at least tri-lingual. He also has the kind of experience or honesty our present Secretary of State did not have (Rice was National Security Adviser when 9/11 occurred and lied about not having foreknowledge of planes attacking us). Nevertheless, Democrats need a strong, intelligent woman representing the country who will be a contrast to that pathetic excuse in Alaska who should be home actually taking care of her special-needs child (as well as her pregnant teenage daughter) instead of yapping about it to adoring audiences. The biggest threat to this country will not come from the Middle East but from the power we may give to a woman who cannot string together a coherent sentence.

I don't think Obama is reaching out to the transvestite or gerbil stuffing community and I think we need a seat on his staff.

Maybe he should be seeking out a black-hispanic-gay-women who is handicapped with a militant background, no government experience and got a free ride to college.

Where are the druids?

I don't see any Asians or pacific islanders in his new cabinet...all this talk about blacks, whites, latinos, and 1 out of 4 people in this world happens to be Asian....

There are actually opposing viewpoint on BDC today. Nice to see as their usually filled with Obamabots and their brainwashed hate spewing talking points!

ordinary mom - Ms. Clinton recently accepted the Sec. of State post. Is she not "a strong, intelligent women representing the country"? Ms. Pailn is not your ordinary Mom but an Extraordinary Mom. She can handle a job and, raise a family with her husband and not complain about the hardships she's been dealt! It doesn't take a village (of idiots) to raise a child it takes a strong family unit.

"ordinary mom," go back to watching the 'View.' why dont you look up what slippery eddy rendell said about Obama's choice of Az. Gov. as Secretary of Homeland Security. our biggest threat is from Palin? How ignorant are you? Did CNN not show India over the weekend? You must have been caring for your kids when the towers fell.

change. change. change. more like more clinton kool-aide for all...

Well with all these Clinton appointees, it looks to me like Obama sold his soul to the Clinton's to become President. Don't forget he also told the Hispanics that he would make all illegals citizens. Maybe Richardson is that one step closer to giving them that promises. By the looks of these Clinton appointees Obama won't be making many decisions it really will be the Clinton's that will be running the White House.

This is soooooooooo ridiculous. Come on people, race shouldn't have anything to do being in office, it should go by what you have skills & experience in. If he doesn't put any african americans or hispanics in office so what? we need to be looking @ the bigger picture, that Obama won.

Latinos need to shutup. Seriously. The Latino lobbyists are racist, bigoted and ignorant. They are not going to be happy until Mexico becomes a state with open immigration.

Bill Clinton had several blacks in his cabinet...Ron Brown and Jocelyn Elders off the top of my head. Get your facts right before whining.

Hispanics don't deserve sole credit for Obama's victory. That's logic is absurd. Only hispanics brainwashed by the militant La Raza group would believe that. Obama's victory is credited to many groups - women, students, blacks, and hispanics. It's clear that the Hispanic Caucus is threatening Obama. Their true colors are showing. Makes you wonder why we should elect any hispanic if what they believe in is not a meritocracy but patronage. Their next goal is to push through amnesty as soon as possible. Want to bet that mandatory Spanish in schools is next?

To Whatchange: You said "Clinton nominated zero blacks of Hispanics." Wrong. In Clinton's first cabinet - of 14 positions: African-American - Mike Espy at Agriculture, Ron Brown at Commerce, Hazel O'Leary at Energy, and Jesse Brown at VA; Hispanic - Henry Cisneros at HUD, Frederico Pena at Transportation. That is 6 of 14 (three of the 14 were women.) You may have your views regarding those appointments or Obama's, but try to be accurate on the facts.

Mandatory Spanish in schools would be great.

To: ordinary mom,
Re: "...that pathetic excuse in Alaska who should be home actually taking care of her special-needs child ... instead of yapping about it to adoring audiences. The biggest threat to this country will not come from the Middle East but from the power we may give to a woman who cannot string together a coherent sentence."
Wow! Jealous, jealous! That woman in Alaska has been a leader in competitive sports, sports reporter, PTA leader, mayor, governor, national level political campaigner, a mother and still married to one man. Well, "ordinary mom", what have YOU accomplished in YOUR life that qualifies you as a judge??

To: Eammon O'Shaunnessy
Re: "How many Irish Catholics in the Cabinet?"

Latest count -- 2 in the China Cabinet and 4 in the Liquor Cabinet and the hunt goes on.
Seriously, if Obama tried to include all the choices in his cabinet as suggested in this blog, he would have a cabinet the size of Congress. Obama is going to thread the needle as carefully as he can, just like his predecessors have done. No matter what his choices will be, he will get criticism from one direction or another. Let's give the guy a chance to get his people together and start work on our nation's huge problems.
:)