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Ken Salazar mum on possible Interior Secretary job

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 15, 2008 at 11:37 a.m.
Updated December 15, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.

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Sen. Ken Salazar

Photo by Karin Cooper / Associated Press

Sen. Ken Salazar

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WASHINGTON — Speculation is rampant about Sen. Ken Salazar possibly joining President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet as Interior Secretary, but the senator's staff is declining to comment on a new spate of media reports.

Salazar, a lawyer who once led Colorado's Department of Natural Resources, has long been considered a leading candidate for the position.

Now, the Reuters news agency is calling him "the leading contender," just as Obama is preparing to roll out his picks for his environment and energy teams this week.

Obama is expected to name a new "energy czar" along with nominees for the heads of the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and Council on Environmental Quality today. An Interior Secretary selection is expected later in the week.

The ball might be in Salazar's court already.

One Democratic source who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Salazar traveled to Chicago late last week, that he was offered the job by Obama and now must decide whether to accept it.

"I'm not going to comment on that one," Salazar spokesman Matt Lee-Ashley said when asked if Salazar had traveled to Chicago last week, or if he had been offered the position.

Salazar's situation is complicated by political considerations. He is up for re-election in 2010 and already has held his first fundraising event. If he were to resign to join the new president's cabinet, Gov. Bill Ritter would have to appoint a replacement to finish the two years left in Salazar's Senate term, with a costly re-election battle looming for 2010.

Among potential replacement candidates are: Rep. John Salazar, who is the senator's brother; House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Before the election, while campaigning with Obama in Colorado, Salazar was asked about the rumors that were swirling even then.

"I love what I'm doing now as U.S. Senator," Salazar told the Rocky Mountain News at the Oct. 26 event at Colorado State University.

"I think it would be great if he chose to have a Coloradan, and I do think it would be great if he had — and I know he will have — people from the West, people who understand rural America," Salazar added. "I'm positive that's what he's going to do."

Lee-Ashley declined to comment on the new reports today, and said his boss was unavailable for comment.

Last week, the Senator told reporters he had suggested two other Coloradans to join Obama's cabinet — his brother, Rep. John Salazar, a potato farmer, as Agriculture Secretary, and Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet as Education Secretary. Rep. Salazar later won a prized seat on the House Appropriations Committee and said that would make a cabinet position less likely.

Comments

  • December 15, 2008

    11:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    ILoveChipotle writes:

    Hmmm - on one hand the state would be rid of this joke of a senator, but he would be unleashed on the nation for 4 to 8 years. I'm not sure which is better.

  • December 15, 2008

    11:52 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    HumanBeans writes:

    Good, please Jobama take this illegal alien La Raza lover out of this state for GOOD !!!!!!!!

  • December 15, 2008

    11:54 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    blacksho89 writes:

    He couldn't possibly do a worse job as SecInt than he has as Senator, could he?

  • December 15, 2008

    11:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    If this does come to fruition, I wonder what Tax Ritter will charge to be appointed to Salazar's Senate seat?

    Scott

  • December 15, 2008

    12:03 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    paperboy writes:

    I'm with you Chipotle. But it's worth the risk to get one of Colorado's senate seats filled with someone more conerned with principles than political expediency.

    Ken Salazar voted to give immunity to the telacoms who conspired with the White House to break the law. (So did Obama.) Salazar supported Eeyore Lieberman against the Democratic nominee in the Connecticut senate race in 2004.

    Salazar glibly ignores democratic principles and the rule of law to take positions that avoid alienating the rural constituency he needs to get re-elected. He misunderestimates those people to his own moral detriment.

    He isn't going to screw up Agriculture any more than he's blown it as our Senator -- at least I don't see how.

    We get a NEW SENATOR! I'll take it.

  • December 15, 2008

    12:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    republinaziorcommucratNOT writes:

    Please take the job, you're a lousy Senator.

    Told you I'd never vote for you again after you supported "Torturing" Alberto Gonzales and I meant it.

    Plus, letting Ritter nominate someone who crawls way up the Retardanazi's backsides will be an added insult to add to their election humiliation.

  • December 15, 2008

    1:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Chacmool writes:

    Please take the job Salazar. You are one of the most unprincipaled, double-talking politicians this state has ever seen.

  • December 15, 2008

    2:05 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    danirobi writes:

    Oh great! We you can kiss energy development in this country goodbye.

  • December 15, 2008

    4:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HopiMedicineMan writes:

    The lower price killed oil development. That industry needs a lot of help, but isn't going to get it. By the end of the Bush Administration we'll be in a depression. By the end of the Obama Administration we'll be in the dark ages.

  • December 15, 2008

    5:47 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    snowhumanity writes:

    Here's an idea for Governor Ritter. In these uncertain times appoint Senator Allard or Armstrong or Campbell or Brown as an experienced care taker of the seat through 2010. Ritter avoids any Blogo references and the Democrats and Republicans have a fair battle for the open seat.