Who Would You Pick?

[Meenah]

Department of Agriculture

Department of the Interior

Department of Commerce

Department of Justice

Department of Defense

Department of Labor

Department of Education

Department of State

Department of Energy

Department of Transportation

Department of Health & Human Services

Department of the Treasury

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Veterans Affairs

Department of Housing & Urban Development

[Meenah]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

I wouldn't know where to start, I would have to do a lot of research!!!!!

[Sheherezade]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

Bipartisan was the word last night after his speech. Bipartisan, diverse and not people from previous administrations (Bush/Clinton years). :huh: I think they are planning to go all Lincoln on us. I would strongly support a bipartisan cabinet as well.

How long till the news networks have up "The Road to the Cabinet!" ? Of course, I'm the sucker that will read all the articles and follow all the debating....so I guess I'm their market.

I saw a published list of guesses a few days ago, but the names I am hearing now are not the names I heard then. I guess we will know when we know. I wouldn't trust the leaks.

Re: Who Would You Pick?

I don't know, but if Obama is smart, he will try to recruit a few Republicans and have a bipartisan cabinet. Maybe that is too pollyanna of me, but I hope he does.

I would be absolutely floored if he doesn't.

[HouseofWool]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

I think he is smart enough to build a bipartisan cabinet. Honestly, the only repeater I would like to see is Colin Powell. He always strikes me as a very intelligent and reasonable man. If he won't have him as part of the cabinet, then I hopes he uses him as an advisor of sorts. I think Obama will need guidance in dealing with the mess in Iraq and how to safely and effectively withdraw our troops so we don't end up occupying the country forever like Korea.

Re: Who Would You Pick?

How long till the news networks have up "The Road to the Cabinet!" ? Of course, I'm the sucker that will read all the articles and follow all the debating....so I guess I'm their market.

Me too.

Re: Who Would You Pick?

How long till the news networks have up "The Road to the Cabinet!" ? Of course, I'm the sucker that will read all the articles and follow all the debating....so I guess I'm their market.

Me too.

Me three!

And I'd like to add to my original comment. I will be floored AND disappointed if he doesn't include republicans in his cabinet/advisors. I think Powell would be wonderful, but I know his wife is over his public service so he may have to stay as a sideline advisor.

[HouseofWool]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

And I'd like to add to my original comment. I will be floored AND disappointed if he doesn't include republicans in his cabinet/advisors. I think Powell would be wonderful, but I know his wife is over his public service so he may have to stay as a sideline advisor.

I can't blame her at all. I still would like to see his experience being utilized.

[DCJenn]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

Treasury- I'm liking the Fed guy from NY whose name has escaped me

State- Richardson

Defense- Keep Gates, at least for a while, then the General that endorsed him in the infomercial

Education- don't know, preferably someone who has actually taught in a classroom at some point in their lives.

Energy- I'd love to see Gore tackle it but I think he's too old news. Maybe whomever is one of his disciples.

Labor- NOT one of the union people.

I don't see HRC wanting to do anything except maybe a Supreme but she might be even more effective as a Senator.

It's going to be fun to watch- you know that they have a plan. If their plan is as well thoughtout and as well executed as the campaign was, I have zero concerns.

[Vanquisher]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

I don't know, except for

EDUCATION - My mom! She'd be perfect. She's been Teacher of the Year and Educator of the Year for her state and school district. She is a veteran teacher who has been in the classroom for several years, has her masters degree (nearly a Ph.D.) and cares about her job. She now is in charge of the intern program and helps new teachers become better teachers. She is very smart and understands all the ins and outs.

Re: Who Would You Pick?

Oh please oh please take Janet from AZ!

I agree w/ Jenn on Richardson for state and not a union person for Labor. I don't get the talk of HRC for Supreme Court -- it seems like HRC likes the public eye too much for that and she would do better to remain a Senator. Maybe have her for some healthcare role. I think the people he mentioned as advisors in the economy (Buffett and ....??...Fed chairman during the early 80s) are too old for a cabinet position.

[DCJenn]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

From the WashPost:


Candidates For Obama Administration Positions

Post Business reporters have been working their beats, coming up with possible candidates for jobs in the Obama transition and administration.

Here's what reporter Sholnn Freeman has found out:

Transportation:

-- Mortimer L. Downey, who served as No. 2 at Transportation for eight years under Clinton, is expected to take a lead role in transition planning for the department, according to person close to the process. Downey served as the deputy in the department under both Rodney Slater and Federico Pena. Additionally, the source said Pena has been deeply involved in current transition work broadly and in departments in addition to Transportation.

And here's what reporter Steve Mufson has found out:

Treasury:

-- One leading candidate is Larry Summers, a brilliant economist who served in the Clinton administration as Treasury Secretary. He later became president of Harvard University, though his tenure there was marked by a dispute over a comment he made about women and academia. He has been very active in the past couple of months in shaping Obama’s economic message.

-- Another top Treasury candidate: Timothy Geithner, the youthful-looking president of the New York Federal Reserve. Geithner is highly regarded and is a former Treasury official. The New York Fed job is hugely important and has given him a lot of hands-on experience with big banks. But picking him means having to find someone else for the New York Fed job at a crucial time.

-- Another name mentioned is Paul Volcker, but that seems much less likely. The former Fed chairman is in his 80s and will probably end up playing a prominent but less formal advisory role. (During the first Reagan administration, Volcker got the Carter administration stagflation under control, though it was Carter who appointed him. -- Frank Ahrens.)

-- Laura Tyson, chairman of Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers and a Cal-Berkeley economics prof, is said to want the Treasury job, but is given less of a chance. She might fit in elsewhere, perhaps as head of the National Economic Council in the White House or at another cabinet post.

The National Economic Council job. This is a coordination job and it seems like a possible spot for one of the many people who have been helping to coordinate the campaign’s economic message.

-- Those people include Daniel Tarullo, a Georgetown law professor who was with Obama early and is well-liked.

-- Jason Furman, who joined Obama team after the senator won the nomination.

-- Or any number of Wall Street banker/financiers who have advised Obama from early on. They include people like Josh Steiner, founder of New York's Quadrangle Group and Clinton's Treasury chief of staff.

Energy Department:

-- A lot of people have mentioned Gov. Ed Rendell (D) from Pennsylvania as a possibility for the Cabinet-level job.

Other secretary candidates could include:

-- Ret. Gen. David Jones has done a lot of work with the Chamber of Commerce promoting energy plans. And:

-- FedEx chief executive Fred Smith, a Republican, has also been active on energy issues.

The Department of Energy mostly handles nuclear weapons and waste issues. The energy policy bit is smaller and largely about setting appliance standards, national labs and research. One new task it will have: promoting carbon capture and storage so that coal plants won’t emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases.

That might create a desire for a senior-level expert in that area, maybe someone like:

-- Ernie Moniz at MIT for an upper-level position. His expertise in carbon capture and storage might be a plus because R&D in this area is funded through Energy.

Once you get past the top couple of posts, there are still a lot of important jobs.

For most of the year, there has been a regular conference call that included Obama backers in the New York financial community, many of whom would be very capable at any number of jobs.

They include Lewis Alexander, Citigroup economist; David Lipton at Citigroup (former Treasury under secretary for international affairs); Robert Rubin's son James, now at private equity firm BC Partners; Eric Mindich, of private equity firm Eton Park Capital; and Michael Froman, who was Rubin's chief of staff at Treasury and who knows Obama from Harvard Law School. Jan Hatzius, Goldman Sachs economist and new partner, is also said to be interested in an administration job.

U.S. Trade Representative:

-- Former FCC chairman Reed Hundt is said to be interested in this job.

[Deebs]

Re: Who Would You Pick?

I must be tired. I honestly thought the question was, "What would you pick?" As in, what cabinet position would you like to be appointed to? Apparently, I should think on this after a bit of sleep.