President-elect Barack Obama today named New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as his choice for commerce secretary during a press conference in Chicago.
"With his breadth and depth of experience in public life, Gov. Richardson is uniquely suited for this role as a leading economic diplomat for America," Obama said. "He has seen -- from just about every angle -- what makes our economy work and what keeps it from working better. He will be an unyielding advocate for American business and American jobs, at home and around the world."
Read the full text of Obama's introductory speech here.
Richardson sought the Democratic presidential nomination this year, but eventually dropped out and endorsed Obama.
He is the first Hispanic that Obama has named to his rapidly forming Cabinet, which also includes two women, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano.
Clinton is another adversary-turned-ally Obama has selected, naming her to be his secretary of state.
Obama has moved quickly to fill out his Cabinet, having named more than half of it in the month since he was elected the country's 44th president.
Richardson's nomination has been all-but-announced for several weeks. He is one of the nation's most prominent Hispanic politicians.
An energy secretary and United Nations ambassador in President Bill Clinton's administration, Richardson was a contender for the State Department job, but Obama offered him the post as commerce secretary after choosing the former first lady as his top diplomat.
The upper echelon on his Cabinet is now in place.
