Dumping Richardson

By Ethel C. Fenig

While the inexperienced Office of the President Elect Barack Hussein Obama (D) team may not know how to vet appointees as well as Senator John McCain (R-AZ) they do know how to use public relations and spin. As the LA Times blog noted about the sudden resignation of Senor Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) as Secretary of Commerce to-be

Obama, in a printed statement that won't provide archival video footage, said he accepted the resignation-before-actually-taking-office "with deep regret."
And 16 days before becoming president, Obama sought to turn the PR smudge and federal probe of Richardson, his first Latino Cabinet pick, and his government into a patriotic plus: "It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time."

Left unasked is if Richardson did want to put the nation first why didn't he mention these investigations in the vaunted vetting process and elaborate job application form? Or is pay to play such a normal part of the Democrat modus operandi that he didn't think it was wrong? And why did the technologically lauded President Elect suddenly turn coy and avoid even a YouTube appearance regarding Richardson's departure? Will the media pets dare question him for video posterity or will they be silenced by the grandeur of the Hay Adams Hotel?

Enquiring minds want to know even if the NY Times' minds don't, as they are still trying to dig up dirt on Senator McCain and Governor Sarah Palin (R-Alaska).