Ron Sims
Gary Locke
Gil Kerlikowske
By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Man, if this is the cream of the crop. . .we're in for one rocky four years.
President Barack Obama's third pick for Commerce secretary is former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a senior administration official said Monday. This office is starting to look like the piano player's slot in the Grateful Dead--a ticket to oblivion.
Locke, a Democrat, was the nation's first Chinese-American governor when he served two terms in the Washington statehouse from 1997 to 2005. Obama's choice of Locke arose less than two weeks after his most recent pick, Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, backed out. Just over a week after Obama named him and he accepted, Gregg cited "irresolvable conflicts" with the policies of the Democratic president. And after Bill Richardson bailed out early on, mired in some sordid money scandal. Gary also served as the King County Executive, a slot that the newly appointed Deputy Secretary also held.
Ron Sims - couldn't get elected Senator or Governor. But Obama wants him. I like Ron. I voted for him a few times. But would I have made him deputy Secretary? Probably not.
President Obama's choice to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy — otherwise known as the country's "Drug Czar" — is reportedly Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske. Having served in law enforcement for more than 30 years, Kerlikowske is "known as an innovator and fierce defender of community policing principles that emphasize relationships with citizens over force." He got the Seattle Police Chief job when Norm Stamper (a pretty cool guy, and now an activist for relaxed drug laws) presided over the WTO riots in Seattle.
Seattle appears to have a bizarre lock on high profile jobs in the new administration. Hey, BHO, if you can come up with something for our governor. . .!
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