¿Como se dice, "Secretary of State"?

Hola, Señor Smiley.

Hispanic leaders are loudly calling for Barack Obama to pick New Mexico governor Bill Richardson for his Secretary of State. (No word whether they are also swigging tequila and firing their six-shooters into the air.)

Speculation about Barack Obama's cabinet has been swirling since the election, and while Richardson hasn't commented on the rumors, smart money says he's the top choice for the job. You probably already knew that Richardson sought the Democratic nomination for president, and that se habla español, but what else do you need to know about the man who may soon be attempting to rebuild America's reputation? Read on and find out.

Age: 60. He turns 61 on November 15. Don't forget to send a card!

Astrological sign: Scorpio. Known for their wisdom, Scorpios may seem to know all the answers while at the same time, they often have difficulty finding what they need to develop their own happiness. Scorpios are driven by passion and a desire for power, and coincidentally is also the name of the Mexican gang Richardson ran with as a mixed-up adolescent.

Current job: Governor of New Mexico. Passed several important laws regulating the interstate sale and transport of turquoise jewelry.

Last seen: Running for president. Dropped out of the race on January 10, 2008. By all accounts, extremely qualified and should have done better in the campaign except for, jeez, the guy is just so goofy looking.

Handsome?: See above.

Why he might get the job: Latino voters put Barack Obama over the top in several key states, so as a gesture of gratitude, hiring one probably won't hurt. Keep an eye on him, though.

Why he might not: With a black president and a Jewish chief of staff, the White House sounds enough like the setup to a bad joke without adding a Latino to the mix.

Duuude: As governor, Richardson signed a law making New Mexico the 12th state to legalize medicinal marijuana.

Killjoy alert: In 2007, Richardson outlawed cockfighting in New Mexico. Since then, bear-baiting remains the state's most popular leisure activity.

Fun fact: During his 2002 campaign for governor, Richardson set a Guinness world record for most handshakes in eight hours by a politician, breaking the previous record held by Theodore Roosevelt. At the time, Richardson also held the title of most babies kissed by a politician, though that record was shattered by in 2006 by former Congressman Mark Foley.

Isn't it amazing that: We got through this entire piece without making a joke about Hispanic cleaning women and/or gardeners.

Thank you

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"Richardson Gets Backing For Secretary of State Post" - WSJ