Bill Richardson For Secretary Of State

I know President Obama doesn't need my input to choose his cabinet officers, but I've never let that stop me in the past so I'm going to offer a suggestion. I think the best choice that could be made for the important position of Secretary of State would be New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

The Secretary of State is our ambassador to the rest of the world. He is the administration's point man. He is the one that will meet with foreign leaders and dignitaries and explain America's positions on the issues of the day. He must be loyal, intelligent, trustworthy and able to get along with all kinds of people -- both friends and enemies.

Bill Richardson is that kind of person. He has shown in the past that he is probably the most talented diplomat that our country has. A good example of this happened just months ago. The Bush administration was having a lot of difficulty communicating with the North Koreans, because they just did not trust Bush. Richardson met with them and got them to release the bodies of soldiers killed in the Korean conflict and ultimately to come to the table to negotiate their nuclear mess.

He has done this kind of thing time after time, getting recalcitrant leaders to release hostages or change their minds on matters important to our country. After the eight years of the Bush administration, we have many fences to mend internationally -- both with our friends and others. And we must once again put the Middle East on the path to peace.

These are not going to be easy tasks and will require someone with consummate diplomatic skills. Bill Richardson is that person. Let's put him to work for America.