Bill Richardson held, over the course of his career, the offices of U.S. Congressman, Secretary of Energy, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and Governor of New Mexico. He is documented in John Kiriakou’s 2025 Dalton Fischer interview as one of “half a dozen people in Washington” to whom Barack Obama promised the position of Secretary of State in exchange for political support during the 2008 Democratic primary.[1][2][3]
The 2008 endorsement
In February 2008, Obama visited Richardson’s home for the Super Bowl. Per Richardson’s account to Kiriakou: “At halftime we went for a walk, put his arm around me, and he said, ‘Bill, if you can endorse me and you bring the Hispanic vote — Secretary of State.’” Richardson endorsed Obama and offered Kiriakou the position of his deputy chief of staff at State.[1][2]
The Commerce offer and withdrawal
After Obama’s November 2008 election, Richardson was offered Secretary of Commerce instead. Kiriakou: “I go, ‘Mr. Secretary, congratulations.’ He goes, ‘What the fuck do I know about commerce? Tell me, what the fuck do I know about commerce?’” Richardson initially accepted on Kiriakou’s advice that the role could be reshaped via the foreign-commercial-service portfolio, but soon withdrew his nomination: “I just couldn’t do it. I honestly have zero interest in trade. Nothing.”[4][5][6]