How many Republicans should Kerry appoint?

[quaoar]

Let's face it -- this is a badly divided nation.

President Kerry will have to do something to reach out to the other side to try to unite the country again. Otherwise it is going to be four years of open warfare with a hostile Congress. One way to reach out is to appoint some folks from the other side to jobs in your administration.

Clinton did it when he made Bill Cohen secretary of defense. Bush kept Clinton appointees Norm Mineta and George Tenet (bad choices) but never appointed a Democrat to his cabinet.

But there are moderate Republicans out there who would do a good job in certain positions. Do you think it's a good idea? And, if so, who would you suggest?

[benburch]

1. ZERO

Take no prisoners. Only the utter destruction of the GOP will do.

[quaoar]

7. They can't be destroyed

Republicans are like fire ants.

[BlueEyedSon]

26. Yup, the big GOOSE EGG

[flowomo]

2. lots of Republican senators from states with Democratic governors....

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

hehehehe, good point.

[flowomo]

10. Rick Santorum for head of the Office of Dog Protection....

you know... to keep an eye on the "man-on-dog" thing.... then Rendell can apppoint himself to the seat.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

23. Rick Santorum for Ambassador to Hell.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. My heart says zero. My mind says one or two.

They didn't give a shit about uniting the country, and part of me says we should rule with the same vengence. However, that wouldn't be very good for the country, nor would it be pragmatic, looking at the results of what they did (their ouster in 4 years' time.)

[faithfulcitizen]

4. none, nada!!! nt

[nookiemonster]

5. A true moderate, perhaps

but keep it at a minimum. It will be seen as a good will gesture.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Should we risk pulling some from the House? Do those seats go up for a

special election in that case, or what?

[nookiemonster]

27. Don't know

but it would make for an interesting scenario, wouldn't it?

I hate to be negative, but I can't see us taking the House. The Senate maybe. x(

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. I wonder, if seats go up for reelection, could we find a moderate repub

that would likely be repleaced by a dem?

[sangh0]

57. Jeffords, Collins

we can help the Dems in the Senate by removing a couple of repukes with an offer they cant refuse

[GreenPartyVoter]

60. I would be THRILLED to see the back of Collins, and I think that

our governor would put someone decent in her place. Maybe not progressive, but still left of Susan.

But, I dunno that I want her to be heading up anything either. Where on earth can we put her so that she doesn't do any damage?

[Czolgosz]

66. Agreed! Jeffords should be rewarded for standing for his principles

against the hate-filled attacks of the Rove adminsitration.

[quaoar]

33. House seats that become vacant

Are filled by special elections. Senate seats are usually filled by appointment by the governor until the next scheduled election. So appointing a Republican senator from a state with a Democratic governor would likely mean the pickup of a Senate seat.

[GreenPartyVoter]

44. I wonder if Kerry can work this to his advantage?

[truebrit71]

6. None. Zero. Zip. Nada.

Fuck 'em.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. None. Lock them out. Period.

[TwentyFive]

9. How many Democrats did * appoint? n/t

[quaoar]

17. He kept Mineta and Tenet

But didn't appoint any new Democrats.

Bush failed miserably to be a uniter and he is about to lose. He thought all he needed was his base and he could say "Fuck off" to the rest of the country and look where it has gotten him.

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. NONE! Zero. Zip. Nada! n/t

[hatrack]

12. Is the White House barber an appointive position?

Other than that, I think maybe White House exterminator would be suitable for DeLay, but only if he has to wear an embarassing lavender coverall uniform, with a funny floppy hat.

[TwentyFive]

21. Keep'em away from sharp objects after 11/2! Roundy ended sissors? LOL n/t

[Career Prole]

13. Just Lieberman. ;-) n/t

[Czolgosz]

56. Not Lieberman -- only moderate Republicans

[omnithrope]

14. Uh, he's not President YET.

Question = moot.

[Bridget Burke]

36. You don't know what "moot" means?

Do you?

[bowens43]

15. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch.

fuck'em. It's a lousy idea. The only way to repair the damage done by these idiot's is to keep them as far away from the process as possible.

Divided? You bet. It was compromises during the Clinton administration that got us we are today. No compromises. When they see things our way we will welcome them.

[Love Bug]

18. NONE. They had their chance and look at the mess we have.

[Maiden England]

19. I honestly think it would be wise idea to appoint a moderate.

Give the moderate repugs a voice, and try and encourage power away from the neocons, who just need to be obliterated, full stop.

[BootinUp]

20. How about just a couple conservative dems

I just don't trust the republican party at all. After this loss, maybe some moderate in their party will assert themselves against the radicals, then we can work with them.

[German-Lefty]

22. Only as many as endorsed Kerry.

If some republican says "I think Bush is doing a terrible job. I could do a better job, but they never listen to me.", let him endorse Bush and let Kerry promise him a cabinet level position. All this should have happened months ago, but it might still help.

Otherwise just like Bush, don't take any people in cabinet level positions. Besides most of the people Bush put there are worthless anyway. Even Powell in my opinion is now worthless.

If he would have resigned in protest and endorsed Kerry, I would definitely have made him secretary of defense.

[quaoar]

25. What about a senator like

Lincoln Chafee or Olympia Snowe?

That would also open a Senate seat to a possible Democratic replacement.

[German-Lefty]

43. Interesting strategy

Yeah, maybe if it would open up a senate seat.

My point is just that moderate non-neocon Republicans should have been given a chance to endorse Kerry or at least be critical of Bush. For the most part they haven't done so. Who needs fair weather friends?

It's been rumored that Kerry was going to offer McCain the Vice Presidency. I'm sure he's been gracious to others too. If any of them have been gracious back, well sure reward them.

If they cared more about staying in office and Bush's favor, screw up they deserve too burn. When Bush screws up it reflects on them.

[Czolgosz]

61. Definitely Chaffe or Snowe or both -- they are more reasonable on some

issues that many right-wing Democrats-in-name-only. Reward moderate Republicans with a chance to help fix what the Republicans broke under Shrub. Let the NeoCons take the Republican as far-right as they want while we build a new and lasting coalition of the reality-based.

[KansDem]

At least one...

Is there a need for "dog catcher" on the Federal level?

"President Kerry appoints Republican Elmo Mazie as new U.S. Government Dog Catcher"

[T Wolf]

24. Not a goddamn one!

Knowing the way that Dems do things, he probably will appoint a couple. And he will make plenty of statements about "putting division behind us" and other similar bullshit. We always weaken and that kills us. Goodwill gestures are always taken as weakness and just give the enemy more reason to fight harder.

But, all the pukes will do is sabotage any efforts to correct the wrongs done the past four years and giving them any access or power to do so will be suicidal.

Although, appointing repuke Senators from states with Democratic governors to meaningless ambassadorships would be a good strategy.

I agree that they are hard to kill, but the pukes should be purged from having any influence as much as possible.

[Rambis]

28. Some people say 0

It has been said that some of the republicans have been afraid to voice their opposition to their party for fear of being excommunicated from the party. All those that didn't speak out have no place in a Democracy! They didn't vote their principals or their conscious. Screw em!

[dogtag]

29. The appointment of Bill Cohen to Clinton's cabinet

really made an impact on those repugs, didn't it? I think it kept them from letting that impeachment thingie gather steam. NOT!

Kick 'em all to the curb.

[dolstein]

31. I think he'll appoint two to his cabinet

I'm pretty confident that one of the foreign policy/defense/national security positions will go to a Republican. I also think there's a good shot that Kerry will appoint someone like Warren Rudman to OMB, or perhaps he'll appoint a liberal Republican (several prominent Republican environmentalists are backing Kerry) to run EPA.

[Czolgosz]

64. I'd be surprised if Rudman didn't get offered a spot.

[Walt Starr]

32. Not a single one!

NEVER!!!!

[bill]

34. Tom Ridge for federal dog catcher n/t

[bill]

35. deleted

[yellowcanine]

37. McCain for Defense - not because he is Repub but because it is time we

had a Defense Secretary who knows the sound of whistling bullets with your name on them. My feeling is that he would not be so quick to send young people into battle as Rumsfucker has been.

[dogtag]

45. There are several other repug veterans, like Hagel

who haven't whored themselves for Shrub to the extent that McCain has played the part of Shrub's poodle.

McCain could have personally shut down the Swift Liars if he had taken a 'real' stand, not the namby pamby few words he deigned to utter.

[Czolgosz]

65. Hagel has been another moderate Republican -- Kerry should

reward that (why wouldn't he be a decent guy to run fatherland -- I mean homeland -- security where he could maybe change the name to make it a little less Nazi-sounding). Draft the moderates into the Kerry administration and leave the Republicans as the voice of the crazy right-wing nutfucks.

[sampsonblk]

38. NONE

Its time for them to do some compromising. For four years, they have ruled this country as though the Dems don't exist. They will still have the senate and the house probably. Let them meet us halfway.

[Angrillori]

52. Huzzah! They haven't extended an olive branch of ANY kind for

four years, and have ignored any sense of compromomise.

It's time they learn.

[bacchant]

39. A dem only cabinet will try to represent issues and people of all stripes

Repukes are genetically programmed to rape and pillage. NO REPUBLICANS PLEASE.

[WyLoochka]

40. None

We voted for Democrats in order to get an admin staffed with Repubs? No way. I think it's makes sense to staff a a duly elected Democratic admin with Democrats.

Let's be vigilant though. We'll need to raise a ruckus of protest if any PNAC dems like Will Marshall get anywhere near an official position in this Kerry admin.

btw, there is only one real moderate Repub - Lincoln Chafee.

[BootinUp]

41. Couple Conservative Dems

No Republicans. Don't trust them at all. After their party restructures then maybe. Right now they are the party of lying and corruption to the 10th power.

[Flammable Materials]

42. They will need to be de-Ba'athified first. n/t

[sidwill]

46. Good question.

How many republicans should Kerry appoint?

Kerry should use the appointment of moderate republicans as a wedge to further divide the the Evangelicals from the traditional repugs.

[Czolgosz]

69. I fully agree, and I think Kerry misses a real opportunity if he does not

use his appointment power to further isolate the creepy NeoCons and faith-based loonies from the moderate elements who are already unconfortable with the right-wing bastards who have hi-jacked the Republican party.

[Hubert Flottz]

47. None!!!!!

He should treat them like they treated us! Let them see the other side of the coin on the "Golden Rule" thing! Do the same shit unto them, that they have done unto us! They can't take a tenth of the shit we have had to take! I pray that we win back the Senate and the House!

[Progressive420]

48. John Warner as SOD

just because if he would except Mark Warner the governor of VA could appoint a Democrat to Warners senate seat.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

49. Good God, NONE!!!!!

How many times does this have to be repeated? How many Dems did bush appoint to his administration?

Why in the world WOULD Kerry appoint members of a screw you party that has done more to destroy this country than anything I can think of.

Geez. None, not a single one. They need to do some serious work on straightening up their act and their party before anything like that should even be CONSIDERED.

[shadu]

50. Not a damn one.

[ShaneGR]

51. McCain

Secretary of Defense... he's a good choice not only because of his experience with foreign policy and the military, but that would open up a Senate seat for the taking in Arizona.

[Czolgosz]

55. McCain would likely decline and still Kerry would nevertheless get credit

for seeking to heal the partisan divide.

[AntiCoup2K4]

53. Only if it's the only way to get a Senate majority (states with Dem govs)

And even then, definitely no neocon Bush ass kissers.

[Czolgosz]

54. It depends on how close the Senate and House are. I would like to see

some moderate Republicans from Democratic-leaning states offered appointments in the Kerry administration. If they join the administration, we have achieved the uniting bi-partisanship that Shrub never delivered plus we open another position for a Democrat in the Senate or House. If they decline, we still get credit for reaching across the partisan divide and trying to heal the Shrub's hateful division of our country into two Americas.

[liberal N proud]

58. Asscroft in charge of cleaning the sewers in DC

[sangh0]

59. Of course he should

Pay no attention to the DU reactionaries

[funkybutt]

62. 0

[snippy]

63. I think President Kerry should make a strong effort to unify the country

and marginalize the Reich wing fundamentalists in the republican party. That effort probably should include appointing a republican or two, but he should not appoint a republican to either Defense or Homeland Security. Doing so would only help the GOP perpetuate the myth that democrats are weak on defense and national security. Ideally Kerry would appoint one or two republican Senators from states with democratic Governors.

[skip fox]

67. Heck, Kerry should be generous. Appoint them ALL

to posts above the Arctic Circle.

[Me.]

68. None, Unless We Take The House Or Senate

I am not willing to let them have any more opps to do more damage. And I also feel, that after the thuggish way they operated in congress towards the dems they should stew in their own juices. Let them clean up their party first, then we'll talk about sharing. And by cleaning up I mean the Frists, Hasterts, Delays, Goss, Neo-Cons of their party have all got to go.

In an ideal world it would be lovely if we could get along and share for the good of the country but unless they do a version of "Repub Rehab" I don't see how it will work.

[Zero Gravitas]

70. None

I was going to say Kerry should appoint a few sane moderates in the interest of national unity, but the insane right will hate those moderates just as much as they hate anyone who is not them. So fuck 'em.

[Mz Pip]

71. One

A Republican from a state with a Democratic governor. Maybe put Santorum at Transportation Secretary. That's at the bottom of the pack - where Bush put his Dem pick.

MzPip
:dem: