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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump Still Hasnt Named a Democrat to His Cabinet
WASHINGTON President-elect Donald J. Trump campaigned on an unusual mix of policy positions that pulled from both Republican and Democratic orthodoxy. He drew support from the mostly white working class of rural America that once leaned blue. And he said he would gladly work with the rival party to strike deals once he took office.
But with the top positions in his administration mostly filled out, it looks as if Mr. Trump could well pass on an early opportunity embraced by nearly every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to reach across the aisle: appointing a member of the opposing party to his cabinet.
So far, of the 20 or so cabinet and other top-level advisory positions Mr. Trump has announced, not one has gone to a Democrat. With only a few seats left at the table, Democrats hope it will stay that way.
The reason is that an appointment from Democratic ranks particularly from the Senate would be more than just good optics for the Republicans. If Mr. Trump were to nominate a red-state Democrat, there would be a better than average chance that the nominees replacement would be a Republican, padding the G.O.P. majority in Congress.
Democrats know the strategy well. Working in an earlier, Democratic-dominated era, Mr. Obamas staff used cabinet positions and other top jobs, like ambassadorships, to the same effect.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-still-hasn%e2%80%99t-named-a-democrat-to-his-cabinet/ar-AAlExC1?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp
TSIAS
(14,689 posts)If he did name a Democrat it would be someone very conservative like Joe Manchin or Heidi Heitkamp.
msongs
(67,199 posts)napi21
(45,806 posts)want to work for the Con!
La Lioness Priyanka
(53,866 posts)dubyadiprecession
(5,623 posts)Surely trump can find a job for Joe?
duffyduff
(3,251 posts)Liberal In Texas
(13,453 posts)And she's as DINO as they come.
milestogo
(16,829 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Just before the election, there were several thumb-suckers about how a presumptive president elect Hillary Clinton was going to have to appoint some Republicans to high positions, even cabinet positions, in order to reach across the aisle, and not make the ghost of David Broder cry, and make sure that everyone felt included and welcome, and be all bipartisan and stuff. She just had to do that, or she'd be, like, divisive and partisan, and all those icky things.
Now that it's Trump filling out his dance card? Nary a peep out of the popular media about an Executive Branch that looks like America.
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)it will be someone like Tulsi Gabbard--a former Republican, a Clinton-hater, and an Islamophobe.