OBAMA CABINET SPECULATION

[NewJeffCT]

These were my guesses from a thread in June of this year, but not my preferences.

I have not made any changes, but have seen little on actual speculation. Please note, I am going by Obama's word that he will appoint political rivals (Republicans and Hillary supporters) to key positions. My preference would be for people like Barbara Boxer, Russ Feingold, Kucinich, etc, but I am pretty sure that will not happen.

Sec of State: Bill Richardson
Attorney General: Eric Holder
Sec. of Defense: Chuck Hagel
Sec. of the Treasury: Michael Bloomberg

Nat’l Security Adviser: Dr. Susan Rice
Chief of Staff: Tom Daschle or Rahm Emanual
Homeland Security: Richard Clarke
FEMA James Lee Witt from the Clinton years.
Veterans Affairs: Tammy Duckworth
OMB Chief: Austan Goolsbee (will take Bloomberg’s spot when he leaves…)
Sec. of Labor: Linda Chavez-Thompson (not the RW author Linda Chavez!)
Sec. of Health & Human Services: Elizabeth Edwards - if healthy enough
Sec. of the Interior: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Sec of Commerce: Laura Tyson
Sec. of Transportation: Earl Blumenauer
Sec. of Energy: Shirley Jackson
Sec of Education: Bob Wise
HUD Secretary: Federico Pena
Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Vilsack or Patty Judge (Lt Gov of Iowa)

First appointment to the SCotUS: Sonia Sotomayor

[lonestarnot]

1. I can't wait!

:applause:

[MsTryska]

2. I would love for Warren Buffet

to be Secretary of the Treasury. Would definitely prefer him to Bloomberg.

[NewJeffCT]

6. Buffet would be a good choice as well

it will be a tough job. I'd love to see Krugman, but I think Obama might appoint him to the Fed down the road.

[nbsmom]

36. Buffett will help vet -- not do the job

He probably is sitting on a TON of resumes from all the people who applied to run Berkshire Hathaway

Krugman should be running the Reserve --

Secretary of the Treasury really should be someone who can carry LOTS of water, and that's not something you ask a Warren Buffett to do.

What's wrong with Reisch? Or Summers, for that matter?

[CADEMOCRAT7]

55. I agree. Buffet will advise. I say, Summers, with all his energy :) nt

[donheld]

63. Paul Krugman!

[book_worm]

3. speculation is that my governor, Jim Doyle of WI, an early Obama supporter is going

to get a cabinet post. This would elevate our Lt. Gov. Lawton, as the states first female governor (if it happens). I'm not sure what cabinet post Doyle would get but he was a well liked attorney general for three terms before becoming governor.

[kwolf68]

4. This one

After the last 8 years nearly makes me cry

Sec. of the Interior: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

--A better man can't be selected for this job. Bobby Kennedy is one of my political heroes. His son, I am quite sure, is making him so proud.

After 8 years of wise-use pricks like Gale Norton, we may have Bobby Jr in place. Sweet Jeebus.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

56. I agree. nt

[BOSSHOG]

5. There's got to be a place in the administration for General Clark

[NewJeffCT]

7. I love Clark and was hoping he'd be the VP nominee

but, I'm not sure where he fits into the mix? Sec of State or Defense?

[BOSSHOG]

8. I suggest SECSTATE

I do not believe he can be SECDEF because he hasn't been retired from active duty for ten years. He'd be an outstanding SECSTATE as would Richardson. Hell, compared to kindasleezy I'd be a great SECSTATE.

[shanti]

27. yes!!!!

must have clark in there somewhere!

[carnie_sf]

50. Yeah

I was thinking Gen. Clark as Sec of Defense. Edited to remove stupid autocompletion

[TuxedoKat]

9. I love the idea of

RFK, Jr., as Secy. of the Interior. We need someone in there who will really protect and defend the environment.

[blonndee]

10. I can't imagine a better pick for SOS.

I'm going to be SO PROUD and happy to see my man Bill back on the national stage. I'll miss him as a governor, but what good he can do for the nation! :loveya:

[coffeenap]

11. Department of Peace: Dennis Kucinich

Naive, maybe, I don't care.

[book_worm]

12. The State Dept needs to be made the dept of peace--that's it's function.

[NewJeffCT]

16. It can be with the right people in charge

Richardson has gone to Africa and negotiated ceasefires as governor of New Mexico - imagine what he could do as Sec of State?

[Desertrose]

14. I was gonna say that!

Dept of Peace...Kucinich!!!!

[theboss]

73. That's comical

Thanks.

[galaxy21]

13. Hillary on the supreme court?

I've heard it tossed about. But it seems unlikely.

[NewJeffCT]

15. why unlikely? age?

I think she would be a near unanimous confirmation, and Patterson could appoint her replacement to the Senate.

[Cosmocat]

17. Political hari kari ...

There is NOTHING the right cherishes more than the SC - it is the holy grail. ANY BO nominee is going to be skewered, much less Hillary who is seen as the anti-christ by the right AND the meme that the right will advance with the MSM in tow, would be that putting her in the supreme court would be "backdooring the constitution" by placing a Clinton there.

It would be a blood letting, and there is not an R senator that would be able to vote to confirm her.

BO had a VERY, VERY big agenda, and he is NOT going to derail it by throwing a nuclear bomb on what will be a highly contentious SC nomination. A Hill SC nomination would jell the right, with the MSM gleefully in tow, into full out war against a BO presidency.

[NewJeffCT]

22. I honestly don't see it

She's gotten praise for her work in the Senate from both sides of the aisle, and Senators are often hard-pressed to reject one of their own.

And, when you do it like Bill Clinton did - actually consulting the judiciary committee ahead of time - things tend to go very smoothly. It's only when Bush or Reagan blindside judiciary and nominate radicals without consulting the Senate first do nominees generate controversy.

[Sebastian Doyle]

58. Age actually should be a factor in Supreme Court decisions

Of course Hillary is capable of the job now. But do you want her on the court for 20-25 years (God willing) or a younger appointee for 40-45 years.

Hopefully there won't be another Repuke in the White House for a long long time, but I hope Obama's judicial appointments are all about his own age or younger, for that reason. It's not ageism, it's long term preservation of a decent judicial system.

[OmahaBlueDog]

19. If we'd have gotten the 60 Senate votes, I could see it

...but not the way things ended up.

[Metric System]

40. Again, she's not interested in the SC.

[JaneQPublic]

60. I'd like to see her replace Reid as Majority Leader (nt)

[CADEMOCRAT7]

18. I want Tim Kaine for Attorney General. and Richardson for Secretary of State

Dr. Susan Rice for National Security would be fantastic, 21st Century Foreign Policy !
I like the idea of bi-partisan with Hagel for Secretary of Defense.
I do not think Bloomberg will be Treasury Secretary.
Rahm Emanual will be Chief of Staff.
Robert F. Kennedy for the Sec of Interior, YES!
Federico Pena for HUD, YES !
Sec of Health, oh if she could, Elizabeth Edwards !!!
Clarke for Homeland.

[CTyankee]

20. I think Clarke is making too much money in the private sector to go back to government

work. Been there, done that.

Other than that pick, I like your list a lot.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

33. You may be right. I think also Larry Summers may be Sec. of Treasury. nt

[CTyankee]

34. My Larry Summers encounter! At JFK airport waiting to board my flight to Spain Oct. 24th..

This brusque guy brushes past, talking loudly on his cell phone to an underling, asking "What is Treasury saying?" I gave my travel buddy a look and said "Who IS this loudmouth?" Then he says "I'm advising Obama on this so I need to know!" Buddy and I start to titter. Then he says he wants a document emailed to him and an email address that include "summers @harvard.edu." Then I sneaked a look at him and it was Larry Summers. What a bozo! He was obviously traveling First Class or Business Class. We got on economy class so we didn't see him on the flight. I wonder what he was doing going to Madrid...

[CADEMOCRAT7]

37. Thank you for sharing.! Well, we need someone with lots of energy ! nt

[CTyankee]

41. Energy? I think it was massive ego! But it gave us a laugh...n/t

[CADEMOCRAT7]

48. It was my "positive re-framing" .

President-Elect Obama can help model for him a healthy ego :)

[NewJeffCT]

61. I think when most anybody gets up that high in public life

they probably have a pretty big ego, Republican or Democrat. Some are just better at hiding it than others, though.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

64. True. I just heard on Charlie Rose the idea of Colin Powell for Sec of Education. That I like !

I agree with you. It is very difficult to internally manage "power".
Though, I am incredibly impressed with the "lack of ego" President-Elect Obama has presented with.

[sandyd921]

71. Bad idea!

I cannot for the life of me see what Colin Powell brings to the Secy of Ed position. A novel idea: why not consider someone who has actually devoted their career to the complexities of schooling and education?

[NewJeffCT]

75. Leadership & inspiration, though

and, with Obama at the top, he'll make sure Education is reformed after 20 years of abuse by Republicans

[JCMach1]

21. Homeland Security- Gary Hart

Sec. of State- Bill Richardson

[Blue_Tires]

23. i guess that Rahm for Chief of Staff story has legs

i hope he remembers whose side he's on should he get the job...

[NewJeffCT]

24. I had heard earlier this summer

That Daschle wanted the job as Chief of Staff, which kind of suprised me.

[Blue_Tires]

26. well that didn't take long

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3584654

[OnyxCollie]

25. Ted Strickland for Sec. of Education. nt

[Gman2]

28. Is there any law against Elizabeth AND John Edwards?

for health and human? A husband that would if necessary continue his wifes legacy?

[NewJeffCT]

38. I think John Edwards is too tainted right now

to get any position in at least the first term... if he was a Republican, a little marital infidelity wouldn't be a problem, but Edwards is a Democrat.

[antigop]

29. Bernie Sanders for Sec'y of Labor -- we need him in that slot--he would be the best, imo. n/t

[sandyd921]

69. We need him to continue as "America's Senator"

He needs to stay right where he is and continue as one of the few genuine progressive voices in that body.

[antigop]

74. Disagree. We need a Sec'y of Labor who will fight for workers.

Bernie has a stellar record in fighting for workers and attacking corporate abuses.

[peace frog]

30. I like your choice

of Richard Clarke for Homeland Security. Now that would be so verrrry sweet.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

31. Sotomayor is a mortal lock when Justice Ginsburg retires next spring

Not sure who will fill Justice Stevens' seat. And a special shout out to these two justices for sticking around to make sure that the Chimp would not name their replacements.

[PRETZEL]

32. i most certainly like Richardson

in any capacity of the administration.

I think there might be a few concessions to Joe Biden also, hence I can see Sen. Hagel as a possibility (and fwiw, I don't think we should rule out Gates being replaced right away).

There may be room for some Gov's like Rendell.

[Coexist]

35. Here are my guesses from back in June

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/FLDem5/289

Secretary of State: (Susan)Rice

Secretary of Defense: Hagel

Secretary of the Treasury: Bloomberg

Attorney General: Fitzgerald or Artur Davis


Secretary of the Interior: Daschle

Secretary of Agriculture: Vilsak

Secretary of Commerce: Charlene Barshefsky

Secretary of Labor: Linda Chavez-Thompson

Secretary of Health and Human Services: Edwards

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Nicole Faison, or Vera Katz

Secretary of Transportation: Rodney Slater

Secretary of Energy: Federico Peña

Secretary of Education: Boxer

Secretary of Veteran Affairs: Webb, Cleland or Duckworth

Secretary of Homeland Security: Lugar


White House Chief of Staff: Rouse

EPA Administrator: Nader

Director of OMB: Napolitano

Drug Czar: Eliminate this position

U.S. Trade Rep.: Gephardt? I just don't know here - help me out.

UN: Gore or Powers


Bonus - Press Secretary: Olbermann (jk)

[NewJeffCT]

39. some good choices

but, maybe keep Napolitano in Arizona so she can run against McCain in 2010?

[CADEMOCRAT7]

44. I really like your suggestion here for Gore for the UN.

I want Dr. Susan Rice to have a key post. National Security Adviser ?
Bill Richardson for Secretary of State.
Lugar would be bi-partisan and they work together well...
I do not think Bloomberg will be Treasury, I think Summers will be.
I also am a big fan of Barbara Boxer and Jim Webb, like that a lot...
but...I want all the Senators and House Reps to stay put :)
I do wonder who will be Press Secretary ?
And, what role David Plouffe and David Axelrod will play ?

[NewJeffCT]

46. If Boxer left the Senate

Arnold would appoint her replacement, right?

[CADEMOCRAT7]

49. She would be so hard to replace. nt

[Coexist]

59. its hard to find non-senators, because they are the leaders I am most familiar with

but I agree - don't clean out the Senate. and that was from June, obviously, Edwards would not be a wise choice now! I think if they don't get specific posts, Plouffe and Axelrod will be behind the scenes all the time, like Rove was.

for Press secretary - I wish I knew.

back in June, Bloomberg wasn't running for a third term, and there were whispers he would endrose Obama, so I thought a post would be offered to him. Not so much now!

[NewJeffCT]

62. True, it is hard to look beyond Senators - however

a good method, I found, was also looking at the Assistant Secretaries from the Clinton White House - Deval Patrick, Eric Holder, etc.

[kwolf68]

77. NO on Daschle for Interior Sec

NO.

I don't mind Dash, but there are TONS of people who would be better stewards of our public land than he would be. NO, HELL NO.

[burythehatchet]

42. Al Gore should come back and head the EPA. Imagine what he could get done with the

power of the agency behind him, with a DEM congress and with O.

[NewJeffCT]

45. Would he want to do that?

it's a big challenge to administer an agency like that - especially after its been run down after 8 years of neglect.

[burythehatchet]

47. Just saw on another thread that Robert Kennedy is rumored to be EPA

great choice.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

54. I think this would be great ! nt

[CADEMOCRAT7]

51. Think what he could do as: The United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

A few post up this was suggested, and I think it is a very good suggestion.
He could bring the world together with his/our ten year goal !

[StreetKnowledge]

43. Bloomberg

Is running for a third term as mayor of New York. I don't think he'll have a spot, because he won't take it.

Warren Buffett, honestly, is my call for Secretary of the Treasury. A good businessman who had tried hard for decades not to lay off workers - and has 99% of the time succeeded. A good man, a Dem, and an ideal choice.

Hagel as SecDef? Doubt it. Wesley Clark will get that spot. He'll probably have Colin Powell to help him out, too.

[NewJeffCT]

52. Can Clark be SecDef yet?

Don't you have to be out of the military for at least 10 years?

[Lumpsum]

53. I'd like to see Tim Kaine have a job with Obama.

After all, he did help deliver Virginia to Obama big time.

[NewJeffCT]

57. True, but

would it be better for Kaine to continue as governor? wouldn't a Republican take over if Kaine left?

[Cogito_ergo_Democrat]

65. Wes Clark for SecDef

I'd like to see Wesley Clark as Sec of Defense.

Is Warren Buffet up to Sec of Treasury or too old?

Richard Clarke - Homeland Security...Great call
James Lee Witt - FEMA...another great call.

[NewJeffCT]

68. I love Clark

but, I think after all the mock outrage generated over his saying that McCain being shot down doesn't qualify him to be president, he might be out.

[LittleClarkie]

66. I'd like to see Kerry in there somewhere

Sec of State would be nice. He's qualified for it.

[NewJeffCT]

67. True - Kerry's been a great surrogate

and now that there is a Dem governor in Mass, we don't have to worry about losing his seat.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

72. Just saw in The NY Times that Kerry is a leading choice for Sec of State. nt

[slick8790]

70. Paul Volcker for Treasury Secretary! n/t

[CADEMOCRAT7]

76. Rahm Emanual is on board. I think he is the right man for the right time.

He will get things done and be a power house.

[NewJeffCT]

78. seems like a good start

now, who gets appointed to replace Obama?

[CADEMOCRAT7]

79. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. ?

David Axelrod is Senior Adviser in The White House.