Barack Obama and Bill Richardson

“ As a former Secretary of Energy, Bill understands the steps we must take to build a new, clean-energy industry and create the green jobs of the twenty-first century. Jobs that pay well and won’t be shipped overseas – jobs that will help us end our dependence on foreign oil.
And as a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Bill brings both international stature and a deep understanding of today’s global economy. He understands that the success of today’s business in Detroit or Columbus often depends on whether it can sell products in places like Santiago or Shanghai. ”

“ It's a member of my key economic team that is going to be dealing with the most significant issue that America faces right now, and that is how do we put people back to work and rejuvenate the economy?
Bill Richardson has been selected because he is the best person for that job, and is going to be outstanding in helping me strategize on how do we rebuild America; how do we get businesses moving; how do we export effectively; how do we open up new markets for American products and services? ”

“ And he knows that America’s reputation in the world is critical not just to our security, but to our prosperity – that when the citizens of the world respect America’s leadership, they are more likely to buy America’s products.
To this crucial work of restoring America’s international standing, Bill will bring a leadership style all his own. Bill has never been content to learn just from briefing books – never satisfied with only the official version of the story. During his time in Congress, he held more than 2,500 town-hall meetings, so he could hear directly from constituents. ”

“ President-elect, America will once again be a forefront of innovation, especially in the new frontier of energy independence and clean-energy jobs. We will create technologies the world is seeking while creating millions of new jobs that can never be outsourced. ”

“ There are some who speak of a team of rivals. But I've never seen it that way. Past competitors, yes, but rivals implies something harder-edged and less forgiving. And in the worlds of diplomacy and commerce, you open markets and minds not with rivalry but instead with partnership and innovation and hard work. There's a vital role for the Department of Commerce in our economic recovery.
The official role of the department is job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improving living standards, the same goals of your economic plan, Mr. ”

“ But more importantly, they're going to say these are all people of outstanding qualifications and excellence. So, you know, one of the strong beliefs that I've always held, and has proven to be correct throughout my career, is that there's no contradiction between diversity and excellence. ”