Former Denver mayor joins Obama campaign

DENVER, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Federico Pena, a former mayor of Denver, was named Saturday a co-chair of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

Pena told The Denver Post he will help bring Hispanics and their issues into the Illinois Democrat's campaign.

"I have been studying the positions of the candidates for some time now," Pena said. "I've concluded that the person who is best equipped with the skills to bring our country together is Barack Obama.�

Pena said many of the Democratic candidates are his friends, including New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is Hispanic, and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

Pena -- who headed both the transportation and energy departments in former President Bill Clinton's Cabinet -- is a managing partner at Vestar Capital Partners, working in Denver.