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Salazar says he's not angling for cabinet post

By Sara Burnett, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 5, 2008 at 1:43 p.m.
Updated November 5, 2008 at 1:43 p.m.

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Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer celebrate the election of Barack Obama as the new president of the United States in a victory party at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver.

Photo by Chris Schneider / The Rocky

Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer celebrate the election of Barack Obama as the new president of the United States in a victory party at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver.

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U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar said this morning he loves serving Colorado in the U.S. Senate, and isn't planning on quitting early to serve in Barack Obama's cabinet.

But Salazar, a close friend of Obama's who campaigned relentlessly for him here, stopped short of saying he would turn down such a job.

"Right now, my intention is to continue to serve well as a U.S. Senator, hopefully doing what my bosses of 5 million people in Colorado want," Salazar said.

Democrats and Republicans have speculated Salazar could be a candidate for Obama's Interior secretary, overseeing federal and tribal land, much of it in the West.

The former Colorado attorney general's name also has been mentioned for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Asked today about that possibility, Salazar noted there are currently no vacancies, but that there could be some after Obama's inauguration.

"When we get to that bridge we'll cross it," he said.

Salazar also said he has been talking with Obama's transition team, and will be suggesting names of Western leaders to fill cabinet positions.

"(Obama) will be looking for the best of talent, and we have our share of talent here in the West," he said.

Among the names Salazar said he may suggest:

*New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for secretary of state

*Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal or Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer for interior secretary.

*Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for attorney general.

Comments

  • November 5, 2008

    2:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    chickenlittle1234 writes:

    Angling, no. Trawling, well...ok.

  • November 5, 2008

    2:49 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SlouchingTowardBoulder writes:

    Actually, I think Freudenthal would make an excellent choice for Interior Secretary. Not Schweitzer though; he's a partisan through and through.

  • November 5, 2008

    2:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Scott writes:

    How can you tell when a lawyer is lying, its lips move. Or in this case they're probably surgucally attached to obama's backside. ;-)

    Scott

  • November 5, 2008

    3:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    chickenlittle1234 writes:

    I doubt if he'll offer anything to any sitting Democratic governor. Richardson, though, is a shoe-in for some post.