Barack Obama

N.M. transportation head honcho Rhonda Faught will retire at year’s end

Rhonda Faught, Gov. Bill Richardson’s transportation secretary from day one, is retiring at the end of the year, the governor’s office announced minutes ago.
NMI reported last month that Faught was seriously considering retirement. Gary Girón, Faught’s deputy transportation secretary, will replace her as transportation secretary, Richardson announced.

Last-minute Bush rule could limit access to birth control

The Bush administration has been trying for months to enact a rule that could severely limit access to birth control, emergency contraception and other reproductive health services. Now, despite fierce protests from doctors, pharmacy groups, women’s rights groups and congressional leaders, the Department of Health and Human Services has exhumed the rule—which some thought dead [...]

Sources: Richardson met with President-elect Barack Obama today in Chicago

Sources are telling the Washington Post that Gov. Bill Richardson met with President-elect Barack Obama in Chicago today. If so, that appears to confirm whisperings making the rounds in recent days.
Richardson has long been considered a candidate for a cabinet post in Obama’s administration. But the question is which post?
In New Mexico, the scenario bandied [...]

No time for timidity

Approaching two weeks after Barack Obama’s victory, it’s unclear if he will push a bold program or putter around. Opposition to a bold program, however, is already in high gear. From Republicans and Democrats high on the pyramid, we hear counsels of caution. Wrong! There’s no reason for timidity.

Did you catch that? Deanna’s going to DC after all

It sounds like Bernalillo County Commissioner Deanna Archuleta really is going to Washington to be part of Obama’s transition team—at least according to a leaked e-mail from one of her assistants. “Commish Puts Kibosh on Meals Pitch” was this morning’s headline on Dan McKay’s Reporter’s Notebook. (BTW, since when does the Journal let reporters show [...]

Richardson, Bingaman on Obama’s Cabinet shortlist?

In a flow chart (though one commenter notes it’s a org chart) that is making its way around Washington, D.C., and the Internet, there are two prominent New Mexicans who look to be on the short list for Cabinet-level appointments under President-elect Obama.

N.M. voters and pollsters didn’t quite see eye to eye

The average of New Mexico polls taken in the last week showed an 8.9 percent lead for Barack Obama over John McCain. The current election results, as of Wednesday afternoon, show a 14.9 percent margin of victory for Obama — a six point swing from the polls to the unofficial results.

Barack Obama’s Pentagon-in-waiting

The rumor started to spread last week that if Sen. Barack Obama won the presidential election, Michele Flournoy would resign from the Center for a New American Security on Thursday following the election. Friday at the latest.

What do you say after you’ve lost an election?

What do you say to your supporters after you’ve just suffered a rather sizable defeat at the hands of Barack Obama and the Democratic tidal wave?
Darren White, the 1st Congressional District Republican candidate who lost by 11 points to Democrat Martin Heinrich last week, chose congeniality in a message he posted on his Web site.

You say hello, and I say goodbye: Following the Obama-from-Bush transition

You can count the days until George W. Bush is history, or you can join 249,999 of your closest friends in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20 for the Barack Obama inauguration. And, much like the taxpayer-funded bailout, it’s free. Or seems like it.