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Obama ribs Richardson with beard barb

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-12-04 11:02

WASHINGTON – Bill Richardson had the first close shave of his tenure as Barack Obama's commerce secretary Wednesday -- becoming the butt of the US president-elect's razor-sharp jokes about his missing beard.

US President-elect Barack Obama(L) introduces New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson as his commerce secretary during a press conference in Chicago, Illinois. Lt. Obama made a couple jokes about Richardson's missing beard saying among other things: ""I thought that whole western rugged look was really working for him. [Agencies]

Richardson was asked why he had dispensed with the facial hair which helped him cut an imposing figure through a string of election-year campaign appearances, as Obama made his nomination official here.

"I'm going to answer this question about the beard -- I think it was a mistake for him to get rid of it," Obama said.

"I thought that whole western rugged look was really working for him.

"For some reason, maybe because it was scratchy when he kissed his wife, he was forced to get rid of it -- but we're deeply disappointed with the loss of the beard."

Richardson was nominated to be commerce secretary after being passed over for the post of secretary of state which Obama gave to another former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.