MyDD :: Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary

Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary

by Todd Beeton, Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 05:01:14 PM EST

The Denver Post is reporting that Colorado Senator Ken Salazar is on the short list for the post of President-elect Obama's Secretary of the Interior.

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.

A second source close to the process also confirmed Sunday that Sala zar was a leading contender. The senator's spokesmen did not return telephone messages seeking comment.

Reuters calls him the "leading contender."

The position, which is virtually always filled by someone from a Western state, is responsible for land use (Interior manages 1 out of every 5 acres of US land) and conservation issues. Prior to being Senator, Salazar was an environmental lawyer and served as Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources under Gov. Roy Romer.

Following in his pattern of appointing people with Democratic congressional majorities in mind, Obama, by picking Salazar, would, in the short term, anyway, ensure his seat would go to a Democrat and in the process remove one of the Republicans' favorite Senate Democrats and elevate the importance of newly elected Sen. Mark Udall, who is far more progressive than Salazar.

If Ken Salazar were to ascend to Obama's Cabinet, Gov. Bill Ritter, a fellow Democrat, would name his replacement. U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat, would become Colorado's senior senator, even though he was elected to the Senate in November.

Presumably, Ken's brother, Congressman John Salazar, would be at the top of that appointment list. Whoever is appointed to the seat would then run for election to a full term in 2010.

Update [2008-12-15 19:52:24 by Todd Beeton]:CNN comfirms it's Salazar. And Lieberman's allies dwindle further...

Tags: interior secretary, ken salazar, barack obama, co-sen (all tags)

Permalink :: 16 Comments :: Post a Comment

John Salazar (none / 0)

hold on... let me preempt...

LEGACIES ABSDKLJFDSKF

there.

vote blue in 2008

by sepulvedaj3 on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 05:25:09 PM EST

Thank You! (none / 0)

The Kennedy's, Clintons, Udalls, Bidens, Pryors, Chafees, Dodds, Diaz-Balarts, Levins, Murkowskis, Bennetts... now the Salazars! Has Congress always been this oligarchical?! I can see how politics may run in the genes but I wonder if we allow name recognition to trump qualifications a little bit too much sometimes.

by Mr DC on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 09:12:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary? (2.00 / 1)

I hereby renounce any skepticism I have previously expressed at Obama's picks for Cabinet and other advisory positions.

This sounds like a great environmental team. Ken Salazar would be the final piece of the puzzle. As assinine as it sounds, I was also happy with Biden's pick of Jared Bernstein as his economic adviser. It feels weirdly exhilarating to think that the grownups may actually be in charge again.

by the mollusk on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 05:29:38 PM EST

Huh? (none / 0)

Are we talking about the same Ken Salazar? He's possibly worse on the environment than Gale Norton.

This appointment is great news - FOR THE NRA! And everyone else who was worried things at Interior would change after 8 years of Bush.

I can understand the draw of getting Salazar out of the Senate. problem is, he can do far more harm at Interior (which everyone, confoundingly, seems to ignore as an absolutely crucial post). And he's unlikely to be replaced by anyone more progressive anyway.

by Deeg on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 06:55:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (none / 0)

Worse than Gale Norton? Huh? Is your boss up for Interior Sec'y and you had your office picked out, or what?

Ken Salazar was a sterling DNR Director before he was AG, and is considered very solid on lands issues. He's lately been a local hero for fighting oil and gas development on federal lands on the West Slope. He's a rock solid pick.

Plus his replacement in the Senate is almost guaranteed to be more progressive on other issues. Great pick.

by ColoradoGuy on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 07:09:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (none / 0)

The voting record tells the real story. He's better than Kempthorne, I'll give you that.

Salazar is the type of Interior nominee that Bush 41 might have appointed to show how bi-partisan he was. He'd have been a perfect ideological fit for that cabinet.

by Deeg on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 07:47:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (none / 0)

What non-progressive votes has Salazar cast on the environment (or other issues related to the Department of the Interior)? I'm really asking--although most of what I've heard about his record on the environment has been good, I don't know all his votes.

If he's been good on Interior-related issues while bad on many other issues, then this seems like a brilliant move by Obama--he gets a secretary will run Interior progressively, and he opens p a seat that could be filled by someone more likely to vote for Democratic legislation on a consistent basis.

by slvn on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 07:59:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (2.00 / 1)

You can google this and find quite a few useful sources. Among other things, while in CO he fought the listing of the black-tailed prairie dog as an endangered species (contrary to the view of the Federal government) and to continue to list it as a "pest". He voted to allow firearms in the national parks. He's voted for offshore drilling several times. Voted against requiring the Army corps of engineers to consider climate change impacts in planning water projects. Voted against raising fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks. Ad nauseum... Do the research, it's all out there.

by Deeg on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 08:08:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (none / 0)

Can you provide some leads (i.e. links)? I'd like to look at some of this as well.

by the mollusk on Tue Dec 16, 2008 at 11:04:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Huh? (none / 0)

I'm surprised to hear that. He's been good on issues of oil shale development and expansion of military operations into environmentally sensitive areas in Colorado. I know he's been more centrist on FISA, etc.

by the mollusk on Tue Dec 16, 2008 at 11:03:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary? (none / 0)

This would be genius if Salazar accepts. We'd get rid of a DINO in the Senate, and (hopefully) put a more progressive Senator in the seat.

GeauxBama!

by DailyKingFish on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 05:57:23 PM EST

Re: Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary? (none / 0)

The position is also in charge of American Indian issues. The BIA is shamefully a part of the Interior Dept. than its own stand-alone agency or department.

Ever heard of a Blue Moose Democrat?

by Nathan Empsall on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 06:31:37 PM EST

Diana Degette? (none / 0)

If Mark Udall can win statewide, there's no particular reason to choose a conservative Democrat over a more experienced, more progressive Democrat.

by Drew on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 06:33:31 PM EST

Probably make the country a better place (none / 0)

Most progressives fault Salazar as a Conservative for his votes on the Iraq War, Bankruptcy, FISA, but Ken Salazar at Interior does make sense in terms of his Western and rural credentials. He could continue the Democratic inroads in the Mountain States. On farm, water, natural resources policy he would be better than any Republican.

I wouldn't put Ken's brother John Salazar at the top of the short list, as he doesn't have as much name-recognition, wit and style as Ken, plus his district is moderately Republican and John seems well-positioned to keep it. Instead, I'd look at a few other Democratic politicians with big names. ColoradoPols.com throws out a few. Most likely: Andrew Romanoff (retired by term limits from House Majority leader), or Ed Perlmutter (CO-07). CO-07 is not at all likely to flip to the GOP (despite commentary at ColoradoPols).

The other perennial name mentioned for higher office in Colorado is Mayor Hickenlooper, who has very high name recognition and popularity; higher certainly than Ed Perlmutter.

Don't expect a big Progressive-Liberal appointee. All the state-wide Democratic politicians, or those capable of winning a Senate race are more moderate and pragmatic than progressive. Udall is about as Liberal as you will find. They will talk a nice Liberal line, but are not fence-shakers or boat rockers. They'll vote more or less the way Ken Salazar did. Ironically, that's why I liked Ken... he doesn't pretend to be something he isn't.

There's more of us than there is of them.

by MetaData on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 06:45:56 PM EST

Obama prefers... (none / 0)

former Denver mayor, early Obama supporter (September, 2007) and Obama-Biden transition member, Frederico Pena to fill this slot?

Hopefully, Salazar will give Palin some headaches on Alaska land issues.

Our Moment Is Now

by mboehm on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 07:14:38 PM EST

Re: Ken Salazar For Interior Secretary (none / 0)

Hickenlooper is the natural choice if he wants it, but I doubt he does. I think Perlmutter is the likely choice.

by Marylander on Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 08:37:42 PM EST

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