It's everyone's favorite parlor game!

Where will Gov. Bill Richardson land in the Obama administration? Ok, maybe it's not EVERYONE's favorite parlor game, be those of us in Washington are having some fun with the "Guess Obama's Cabinet" quiz. It's certainly more amusing than those glum auto industry execs. By the way, the auto industry bailout deal is dead on the Hill - at least for the moment.

So, I'm asking everyone I talk to about Richardson's chances, and for the past couple of days, people (including some whose opinion I really value) have been telling me he's a potential Commerce Secretary. We all know he really wants Secretary of State, but conventional wisdom says unless Hillary decides she doesn't want to be America's top diplomat, Richardson should expect something else. And maybe he should expect something else, even if Hillary doesn't take it.

Why not Commerce? It's not as sexy as Sec/State, but it's got a little more pizazz than Interior Secretary. And forget about that Ambassador to China speculation, say people who know Richardson well. He doesn't want it. United Nations Ambassador? Been there, done that, but he still might consider it, I'm told.

Special Envoy to Latin America? What, and answer to his boss, Secretary Clinton? Nah. One other thing to consider is that Obama isn't said to be considering any other high-profile Hispanics for his cabinet. You'd think that would bolster Richardson's chances for something, especially after he helped - at least to some extent - drum up some Hispanic support for Obama's campaign.

Of course, the only people who really know what's going to happen are Obama and his people.

But the Richardson for Commerce secretary speculation can continue unabated with the news that Obama's friend, Penny Pritzker, doesn't want the job.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/pritzker-withdraws-from-cabinet-consideration/