The new president believed it would be easier to get statehood for California and New Mexico than to create territorial governments for them.

VOA: special.2009.03.12

"My take on this is that when you are enforcing law, more and more people should be on the side of law, and it becomes easier.

VOA: standard.2009.04.08

"I think these things can move in parallel. Obviously,it would be easier if these things had come out in a different way, and been conducted without the kind of irregularities that have been identified,"

VOA: standard.2009.10.20