Is Richardson back on good terms with President Obama?

Posted at: 11/23/2009 7:00 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, Eyewitness News 4, and Kurt Christopher, KOB.com

Governor Richardson’s invitation to President Obama’s first state dinner has the political world spinning with speculation about Richardson’s future.

Richardson has had a hot-and-cold relationship with the president over the past year.  Speculation put Richardson on an initial short list of possible vice presidential candidates.  Richardson was offered the Secretary of Commerce position, but had to turn it down amid a federal corruption probe that wound up with no criminal charges.

The White House dinner Tuesday night is for the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh.  What does it mean for Richardson to join the table?

"Those who live by the crystal ball end up eating crystal most of the time.  This is really hard to forecast, but obviously at a minimum it's good news for Richardson.  There's only about 400 people in the United States going to the state dinner.  He's got two of the tickets,” said political blogger Joe Monahan.

"If everybody thought that Richardson was down for the count with Obama - that they wouldn't have anything to do with him - I think this sends a message,” Monahan said.  “The President says we're not quite done with Bill Richardson.  Does that mean he gets a job? Who knows?"

The last time there was a Richardson buzz was in August when a trip to Cuba had bloggers talking about a special envoy’s job.  It didn’t pan out.

Print Story