Scandal rock Obama administration before it even takes power.

[Keith-M]

BBC NEWS | Americas | Obama commerce nominee pulls out

Following on for the scandal over the appointment of the successor to Obama's senate seat, one wonders if the omens are pointing to another scandal prone Democratic Presidency.

[He3]

Already covered in this thread in less apocalyptic terms. Would this be regarded a scandal in Ireland?

http://www.politics.ie/us-presidenti...ml#post1346251
Richardson has withdrawn his name from consideration for Secretary of Commerce, for reasons that would not cause a moment's doubt in politics in Ireland.

WP -

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has withdrawn from his name from consideration as commerce secretary for President-elect Barack Obama, citing an ongoing investigation about business dealings in his state.

Richardson, 61, who competed unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination, was secretary of energy and U.N. ambassador during Bill Clinton's presidency, and also the first high-profile Latino named to Obama's Cabinet.

But a grand jury in New Mexico is currently looking into charges of "pay-to-play" in the awarding of a state contract to a company that contributed to Richardson.

Richardson Withdraws Name as Commerce Secretary-Designee | 44 | washingtonpost.com

[barnaby rudge]

The British politician Edd Vasey recently, as an aside while reviewing BOB's two books, noted it was just as well that BOB was intellectually well endowed because the same freakish combination of circumstances that propelled BOB from total obscurity to the White House in only four years could just as easily have done the same for Forrest Gump.
That said these two questions occur to me. One: with regard to BOB's African anticedents is there a single African country that is'nt a basket case and if there is'nt was it wise to place the worlds leadership in the hands of one such? Two: much as BOB's intellectualism is lauded I recall in the 80's the 'progressive left' assured all and sundry that 'Zimbabwe' would have a great future because its new leader was a Jesuit trained intellectual with 5 university degrees and didn't he do well.

[Thac0man]

BBC NEWS | Americas | Obama commerce nominee pulls out

Following on for the scandal over the appointment of the successor to Obama's senate seat, one wonders if the omens are pointing to another scandal prone Democratic Presidency.

Does not look good alright, but Richards standing aside now put some distance between Obama and this investigation. It will perhaps reflect on the Democrat party instead. And that will help the GOP and in turn could affect the balance of power in the houses.