The Obama Cabinet
I've been thinking a lot about who I'd like to see in the Obama cabinet.
Of course, we all know that often cabinet positions are filled not with high profile people but with people we've never heard of, and so of course the odds are that anyone's list of who's likely will be wrong.
However, there are several people I'd like to see in there, and I'd like to list them here, for my own amusement.
Richard Clarke - National Security Advisor or Secretary of Homeland Security
Chuck Hagel - Secretary of Defense
Colin Powell - Secretary of Education
Howard Dean - Surgeon General
I had been pulling for John Edwards as Attorney General, but I'm afraid his recent scandal makes him untouchable, so I'm not counting on that one.
But the truth is that Obama had promised us during the campaign that he'd like to surround himself with advisors from all over the political spectrum, in order to make informed decisions.
By the way, I know Powell has already said he does not want a position, so he's probably out of the running.
Still, over the next few days or weeks, until the cabinet is announced, I'll probably be stopping in here occasionally to comment on this person or that whom I think would make a good addition to the cabinet.
Liam.
posted by Liam at 11/09/2008 06:57:00 PM
5 Comments:
Did Colin Powell say this before election night? Considering all the flak he got from Republicans for finally endorsing Obama, I'm not surprised he would say that then, about not taking a position. He probably didn't want to hurt Obama during the campaign by doing so, plus it would have been unseemly to assume. But I think he would accept a position, and it would be a good move to do so.
Howard Dean for Surgeon General? Um, he's not medical, is he? Don't you actually have to be a doctor?
You'll have to enlighten me on the others, especially Richard Clarke, as I embarrasingly admit to not knowing much about them.
As to the Justice Department (isn't there a position there?), I was thinking about that young fellow that had worked under Ashcroft. For the life of me I can't remember his name. Although a Republican, he defied Gonzales and others in favor of the law, and against certain signing statements involving our torture in Iraq. Gosh, can't remember his name.... Think he went back to teaching at some university.
Sunday, November 09, 2008 10:07:00 PM
Howard Dean was a medical doctor before he ran for Governor of VT.
Richard Clarke is the guy who was sort of the "Terrorism Expert" starting under I think Reagan, through Bush I and through Clinton, who was then unceremoniously dumped by Bush II in part for trying to push focus on al Qaeda before 9/11, when it wasn't fashionable in the W administration to think about it.
Chuck Hagel is a retiring Senator from the GOP side of the aisle, and he's a lot more socially conservative than I like, but he was the one and only voice on the GOP side who was consistently against the war in Iraq more or less from the outset. He's got a strong security background and would help give Obama some of that "dissenting opinion" that he said he'd cultivate.
My recollection is that Powell said he wasn't interested in a cabinet position on Wednesday, after Obama won and there were people speculating that he might fit SecState, SecDef or SecEd.
I also can't think of the name of the guy you're talking about, you mean the one who was acting Atty General while Ashcroft was having his operation, right? Yeah, he'd probably not be too bad a choice either.
Liam, who has a fever.
Sunday, November 09, 2008 10:18:00 PM
I'm going to edit the original post on this topic to make Richard Clarke "national security advisor or Homeland Security secretary".
Just FYI.
Liam.
Monday, November 10, 2008 6:14:00 AM
I think Colin was job hunting a week or two ago when he endorsed Obama publicly.
Monday, November 10, 2008 6:58:00 PM
I really don't, actually, but we'll see.
I get the sense that Powell is essentially retired and enjoying that life.
Of course, with politicians, you can never know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if his statement that he wasn't interested was an honest statement of his feelings on the matter.
Liam.
Monday, November 10, 2008 7:17:00 PM
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