As the Denver Post reports, confirming earlier discussion (before the Ag Secretary rumor heated up):
U.S. Rep. John Salazar will accept an appointment to the powerful U.S. House Appropriations Committee, signaling that he is not President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for secretary of agriculture.
Salazar’s office confirmed late Wednesday that he would take a seat on the Appropriations Committee, which makes decisions on federal spending in the House.
Two people close to the process, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak, said Salazar’s acceptance of one of the coveted spots on appropriations was a clear indication he was unlikely to end up as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Eric Wortman, Salazar’s spokesman, said an announcement about the appropriations appointment was scheduled for today. Wortman said the Manassa Democrat still might end up in the Obama administration…
That is increasingly unlikely according to sources, and most people say it’s fine–Rep. Salazar on the powerful Appropriations Committee is arguably better for Colorado as a whole than Salazar as Ag Secretary, the highest-profile committee assignment for a Coloradan since Bob Beauprez sat on the Ways and Means Committee.
And given the poor performances by Democrats in several special elections since Obama’s big win last month, keeping Salazar in his CD-3 seat has a value all by itself.
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He should thank Nancy Pelosi, who made the decision. Polis had nothing to do with it. Right, Jared?
Pelosi has a lot of power, but these decisions are made by secret ballot vote of the Policy and Steering Committee, and Jared is on that committee. So yes, I imagine Jared championed John and voted for him.
successfully getting one of his colleagues on Appropriations. I’ll say it again – Jared Polis is the complete antithesis of Doug Lamborn.
John Salazar came out very early in support of Jared.
Giving up that seat never made sense for us and this committee assignment is the best alternative we could possibly have hoped for. Whoever we have to thank, thanks! My west slope brother is particularly relieved to see Salazar staying in congress.
If anyone thought to challenge Salazar in CD-3, it’s going to be even harder now. This is a great assignment for Salazar, for the people of CO-03, and probably for rural citizens around the country.
Anyone from Colorado in line to be an Assistant Secretary of something? Or to head a non cabinet agency or to be an Ambassador?
Is Mayor Hickenlooper up for a job? Is Michael Bennet in the running for Education?
What are people talking about out there?
That is so last term.
Bob Ewegen is well regarded and knows the press. He’d be a very capable press secretary to any cabinet member.
I hear no rumors about Pena taking a job. I wonder if any of the rumors about Salazar, Bennet and Ritter came from the Obama camp.
Bob’s great, but the skills of a press secretary and the skills of a reporter have very little overlap. One side sifts through the junk to find news, the other side works their damnedest to polish up their junk and make it news.
One of my pet peeves is the notion that people can jump from one side of the media circus to the other no problem. As a flack who’s gone the other way, I know from personal experience that it’s really, really hard.