Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) leading contender for Interior Secretary...?

[snowbear]

.

Or at least... so says tomorrow's Denver Post:

Salazar poised to head Interior
Colorado's senior senator is said to be a leading contender for a Cabinet post that is vital to Western issues.

By Christopher N. Osher and Joey Bunch

The Denver Post
Posted: 12/15/2008 12:30:00 AM MST

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar is a leading contender to become President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of the Interior, two sources have confirmed.

Reuters News Service used even stronger language in a report Sunday, saying Salazar had become the top candidate for the job.

The worldwide news agency did not cite a source in putting the Colorado senator at the top of Obama's list to lead the agency that plays a key role in issues important to Western states, such as overseeing oil and gas leases.

A source close to Obama's transition team told The Denver Post late last week that Salazar was under consideration for the Cabinet position.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said at the time it appeared that it was all but up to Salazar as to whether he wanted the post.

<snip>

Ken Salazar is a former director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, where he wrote the Great Outdoors Colorado Amendment that used lottery proceeds for land conservation. He serves on the Senate Engery and Natural Resources Committee.

Full article: http://www.denverpost.com/previous2/home/ci_11234643

The article says that if Senator Salazar gets the appointment, D-Governor Ritter will appointment his replacement.

[Hippo_Tron]

1. It would be a poor choice to take Salazar out of the Senate

Clinton and Biden were one thing given how blue their states are. But a newbee appointed in Colorado would be another hassle for the DSCC in 2010 and given the Blagojevich fiasco they may have their hands full already.

[snowbear]

2. Yep. Good point...

.

I dunno anything about Colorado politics or how tough it would be in 2010?

The article sez this..

If Salazar's Senate seat became vacant, it likely would set off jockeying among leading Democrats for the appointment. Those close to the Salazars have said they would urge Ritter to appoint John Salazar.

The Salazar's must be a big family in Colorado?

[paulk]

14. I sure hope it's not John Salazar

He is a blue dog, and a good deal more conservative than his brother.

Still, there will be a lot of pressure on Ritter to pick a Hispanic to replace Ken Salazar.

DeGette is too liberal to win a statewide race, imo. Hickenlooper might be a good pick, though I personally don't like him much.

[Thrill]

3. No it wouldn't. Especially if a REAL Liberal like Diana DeGette takes his spot in the Senate

[kaiden]

4. From your lips to Obama's ears.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. John Hickenlooper is popular, and is on very good terms with the governor

[hlthe2b]

8. True... that might work

[hlthe2b]

7. Diana DeGette would be FANTASTIC...

and her district is safe vis a vis a replacement Dem Congress person

[democrattotheend]

5. No more senators, please!

I know Colorado has a Democratic governor, but we've seen what can go wrong when a seemingly safe Senate seat is vacated. It looks like either in 2009 or 2010 or both we will now have to fight to defend the Illinois seat that should have been a slam dunk. And Colorado is trending our way but it's not a (supposedly) safe state like Illinois, NY and Delaware. Vacating the Colorado seat would give the Republicans a definite pickup opportunity, especially if the climate is better for them in 2010 than it has been in 2006 or 2008, which it very well might be now that we won't have Bush to kick around anymore.

[hlthe2b]

9. I'm not so worried, as long as they pick a good DEM to appoint

Hell, we just knocked off Musgrave, for GOd's sakes.... Repugs are carrying quite a stench here.

[Exultant Democracy]

10. Fuck Salazar, he voted for the 2006 military commissions act. What happend to Grijalva, now that is

a real progressive with the common sense that it takes to run a large agency. Any democrat that can vote against habeas corpus is either stupid, evil or both.

[Thrill]

11. It sounds like Grijalva had some problems with vetting

I think he's under pressure from the Hispanic Groups to pick a Hispanic here. This guy is under so much pressure from all these groups. He can't make everyone happy. He's got the Hispanics and Gay Groups complaining. And now Southerners are are bitching about no Southerners being in the cabinet.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Do you consider Sherrod Brown to be stupid, evil, or both?

[brianna69]

12. I wonder if they have already decided on

Interior. Will it be announced this afternnon at the Press conference with the energy team.

[Thrill]

13. An announcement on who will be Obama's interior secretary isn't expected

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isOFwdbq0tsqatW6vJpkDRTI1gMgD9531V980

[Renew Deal]

15. Senators are fleeing the Senate.

Between the newly elected and the cabinet picks, there will be lots of rookies next year.

[WI_DEM]

16. maybe the dem governor will appoint a more liberal senator, but all in all I think

it's time for Obama to stop picking current democratic office holders.

[leftofthedial]

18. That would be Ken "Nighthorse" Salazar,

as he is known here in Colorado.

He votes repuke more often than Saxby Chambliss.

[thatsrightimirish]

19. Is he better than Mike Thompson?

[Thrill]

20. Listening to Obama today. It sounds like the Interior Secretary is going to have his own Press conf

Which means its probably going to be a high profile person like Salazar