WHO should be in President Obama's Cabinet? Powell at Defense (not State, because he

[ProgressiveEconomist]

lied to the UN for Dubya)?

Here's my Dream Team. What's yours?

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?

Treasury: Timothy Geithner, NY Fed Preisdent
Defense: Colin Powell
State: Bill Richardson

National Security: Samantha Power
Homeland Security: Richard Clarke
Attorney General: Eric Holder

Energy: Jeff Bingaman
Education: George Miller
Commerce: Olympia Snowe

HHS: Julie Gerberding
HUD: Shirley Franklin
Labor: Dick Gephardt

VA: Tammy Duckworth
Interior: Christine Gregoire
UN: Caroline Kennedy

EPA: Lincoln Chafee
Council of Economic Advisers: David Cutler

See also http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-nickolas/what-might-a-president-ob_b_130747.html for a comprehensive list of multiple top candidates for each position.

[AZBlue]

1. Good list. I also like Kerry for State.

[cyclezealot]

3. all these fine choices.. Do we think who will replace them.?

Example.. Gov. Napolitano of Az.. She resigns the governorship, will the new governor be a Republican .?... We want Democrats to be in certain positions.. Remember, congressional re-districting is only a couple years away.. Kerry goes to State. Massachusetts might unfortunately, soon have two new U.S. Senators.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

7. "Who will replace them"? That's why Holder is my AG pick, not Napolitano. I

I picked some sitting Congresspeople, along with Gov Gregoire of Washington, with that precise consideration in mind.

Olympia Snowe of Maine well might be replaced by a Democrat, like Shaheen who was elected this week. At worst, a special election for her seat might result in a Republican without her seniority. At best, Democrats get one seat closer to guaranteed cloture.

[AllegroRondo]

16. I like Bill Richardson for State

he has a good bit of experience working with other nations.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

17. Plus he's been vetted in the primaries and hasn't the political baggage of a Kerry or

other more well-known figure. And with his experience, he's "ready on Day One".

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

32. Excellent choice. Just wish he was VP.

[cyclezealot]

2. Powell said last night he's still a Repuke..

So, some moderate Republicans can be ... moderates.. I think.. Powell , might as well say his good bye's. They will never forgive him... He did lie at the UN at Bush's insistence... But, then Moore welcomed Powell and said redemption can be a Democratic thing.. I'd think after Rummy's poor treatment of Powell, he'd love to sit in Rummy's old chair.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. There's no question he'd have the respect of ust about every officer, lobbyist, and contractor

Plus, he's a bipartisan" pick. I'll never forget that one of his first recommendations as Dubya's Secy of State was to wind down the "no Fly Zone" and embargo of Iraq. Just think how many hudreds of thousands of lives would be different--and would still exist--today if Dubya had listened to him.

[MercutioATC]

5. Brian Schweitzer: Sec. Of Energy (or Agriculture).

Energy would be better.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

8. I agree--he'd be GREAT at Energy. But see post #3. Bingaman knows how to get

legislation through Congress and has many colleagues there anxious to help him--that's why I picked him instead of Schweitzer.

[WatchWhatISay]

6. Whoever Obama wants

I trust his judgement so far, so let him pick whoever he wants.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

20. What fun would that be?

[Algorem]

9. Powell should fade away.

What the hell,he lied us into war,let's let him run the Pentagon as consolation prize.Jesus H.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

11. Defense is at the heart of the GOP money machine. Powell would not rile them unnecessarily,

and is virtually unassailable in their eyes. Yet Powell's instincts are spot-on (see post #4 above), and of the available strong "bipartisan" candidates, Powell is most likely to be in sync with what President Obama wants to do at Defense.

No candidate is perfect in everybody's eyes. Possible Defense Secretaries who would be "ready on day one" are few. Whom would you put at Defense instead of Powell?

[Algorem]

12. Powell should be in prison along with Bush,Cheney,Rumsfeld...

But you want to make him Defense Secretary.

[leftofcool]

13. You are right, Powell is a murderer

[ProgressiveEconomist]

21. You didn't answer my Q: Who'd be better at quietly bringing change to the bloated

DOD than Colin Powell?

Who else would be so well accepted by the Rs while applying a sharp scalpel to the huge DOD budget, mission creep, and abuse of the National Guard and Reserve?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. Right again - batting a thousand.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Exactly right. The guy has zero credibility with me.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

10. Eric Holder: A President has to TRUST his AG more than he has to trust any other Cabinet officer

Holder already is a senior legal adviser to Obama, plus as a former Deputy AG he'd have no learning curve--"ready on Day One."

See http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20081106/NEWS01/811060328/1002 .

[hlthe2b]

14. Julie Gerberding at HHS? WTF....?

Perhaps you should talk to some CDC folks before making that judgement... Good heavens...

[ProgressiveEconomist]

15. What's wrong with Julie Gerberding? While Obama crafts his health insurance plan

at the WH, who would be a better spokesperson for any medical science issues that might arise?

[hlthe2b]

22. She is widely detested at CDC (and not well respected at

her prevous institution UC-San Francisco.... She brought her Bush*-inspired crony circus to a much respected public health agency-- driving off the most talented scientists and administrators. The damage will require many years to repair.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

23. Thanks. Didn't know CDC had been so politicized. What high-profile administrator

other than Gerberding would be unassailable on comprehensive knowledge of the latest medical science research?

[dansolo]

25. Is that really necessary for HHS Secretary?

We are talking about an administrative position. I think Howard Dean would be a perfect choice for HHS. His medical background and executive experience would make him an excellent choice.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

34. Will just any MD do when "CHANGE" in a "broken healthcare system" is on the agenda?

IMO, health insurance plans coming out of the WH from economists like David Cutler need sign-off from an experienced, well-known, nonpartisan, professionally unassailable medical scientist to survive flak from a threatened healthcare industry that will hire hundreds of experts to shoot Obama's plans down.

Could Howard Dean be that person? If not the HHS Secretary, who would be the person in the Cabinet Room to provide that essential point of view?

[hlthe2b]

36. Head of HHS is an administrative position..... should have

understanding of NIH and CDC and the research and programmatic needs of both, but needn't waste the talents of a hard core researcher in that position--i.e., someone of the stature of Tony Faucci (NIH) would be wasted as Secretary of HHS, rather than being left to head NIH.

Arguably there are many who are influential in both Public Health and basic core research, as well as grounded in the needs of health care reform... Donna Shalala,(HHS Secretary under Clinton) after all, was neither a Public Health all-star, a prominent medical researcher, nor a medical leader--specifically in health care reform, but she had some appreciation for all from her previous position as Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin and was effective as an administrator and in advocating--i.e., "bringing in the money."

HHS Secretary should be the strong political advocate for the policies and agendas of the major health agencies, (CDC, FDA, NIH), but the Directors of each should be the subject experts that the HHS secretary calls upon as issues arise. Arguably having a Bill Foege or David Satcher at CDC, a Tony Faucci at NIH, and a David Kessler at FDA is far more criticial than having someone of similar stature as Secretary of HHS... We need a good political advocate and administrator in this latter role. Having said that, there is little doubt that Howard Dean could fill that HHS role, as well as aid in health care reform if this were a position he wanted to have... My guess would be that someone like him would prefer to work from outside the confines of a Cabinet position on the health care issue, however.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

18. Newsweek is handicapping that it is Kerry at State and Gates continues at Defense.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/166328?GT1=43002

[ProgressiveEconomist]

19. Thanks for the link. Kind of hard to sell those 2 as "change we need", isn't it?

I also like their "Transition Home" link and "Handover Horror Stories" at http://www.newsweek.com/id/167691 .

It seems like Papa Bush's choice of John Tower in 1988-89 exemplifies the worst that could happen after a bad Defense Secretary appointment.

[Mass]

31. Neither is Richardson,

who has been involved in the Clinton administration at several levels. Actually Kerry would be change we need, particularly after 8 years of Rice. He would give to the Middle East and Asia a face they know and who understand their problems.

Gates would be fine as a transition secDef, given that Obama is the one defining the policies.

[dansolo]

24. Your list is awful

Sec. of Defense should be a Democrat, period.

Dick Gephardt is a backstabber, and I don't want to see him anywhere near an Obama administration.

Why the hell are you mentioning Tammy Duckworth for VA? She doesn't have the experience to warrant a cabinet position.

Why would we want to lose a Democratic Governor for Sec. of the Interior?

Julie Gerberding has caused the CDC to collapse. Howard Dean would be a much better choice for HHS.

[ecstatic]

26. Powell is not being considered folks! nt

[Dinger]

27. Shhhhh, Do Not Mention This Guy:

Wes Clark. Shhhhhh. Don't tell anybody. After all, what did he ever do?

:sarcasm:

[damndude]

28. RFK, Jr for AG

[burrowowl]

33. CP is just as much of a war criminal as the rest

of the Bu$h Maladministration.
He kenw what he was saying at the UN was a lie and did not protest or resign. He is also a coward and don't forget My Lai!

[sniffa]

35. Republican Senators from states we can

almost immediately turn into Dem Senators (either by appointment or special election).