Poor Richardson

So Richardson's out, which is a shame for me since I've always been a fan of his - I would have seriously considered voting for him in the primaries had he made it that far. Apparently the governor was about to be subjected to a financial probe (though his home state is a center for other types of probes as well) regarding his dealings with a California organization and decided to get out of the cabinet before things got too hot. In the wake of the Blagojevich scandal/soap opera, one can't help but assume the worst, which could very well be the case. But at this point, it's still possible that he's more worried about tarnishing Obama's administration than actually being found to be in violation of any law. As far as I'm concerned, since Richardson has always been a strong advocate for renewable energy, a crucial part of the country's future, he should do whatever will advance that cause furthest.

While no one knows who's likely to replace Richardson, we know who isn't: Kansas's Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who denied that she was at all interested in a cabinet position. However, some columnists are hoping that the position will be filled with a woman of some kind. And while there's speculation that Obama's brilliant promise for change has been tarnished by Richardson and Blago, Obama does have the advantage of following a presidency that is arguably the most corrupt in the history of this country. Also, Obama's ties to both Blago and Richardson are peripheral, and he can easily create the perception that they are in no way influential to his policy. Which is good, because they aren't. Here's hoping the bugs will all be worked out before the 20th.