IT'S OBAMAGIC:

Gary Locke's ties to China may be selling point: But critics of corporate globalization say the nominee will be closely watched (Andrew Zajac, March 1, 2009, LA Times)

When Davis Wright Tremaine, a Seattle-based law firm, sought to publicize its deal-making capability in China, it issued a news release trumpeting the clout of one of its newest partners, former Washington Gov. Gary Locke.

Locke, the June 2005 release said, "has the star power and connections necessary to successfully do business in China."

Locke, a Democrat who was the nation's first Chinese American governor, had nurtured those connections during two terms as Washington's chief executive, leading four trade missions and promoting major corporate constituents, such as Boeing Co., Microsoft Corp. and Starbucks Corp.

President Obama last week cited Locke's promotion of global trade in nominating the 59-year-old to be secretary of Commerce.

Presto-chango, he's qualified precisely because he's a special interest lobbyist!

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Posted by Orrin Judd at March 1, 2009 9:46 AM