Repeat: Can we please stop these calls to move people from the the Senate to the Cabinet.

[Perky]

Clinton, Kerry. Whitehouse, Webb et al

First of all

They are vastly different roles. while all these senators have policy chops, a great bit of the role of Cabinet offices is administrative. Simply because they are smart people does not mean they are suited for jobs,=.

Secondly, Smart people can advise a president without being part of the cabinet. Policy can be developed on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue. We need the people in the Senate to push through the Democratic Agenda in the Committees and on the floor. Besides Senators have large egos by nature, While Obama does not need sycophants, he also doe not need the headaches of controlling the message and people "going rogue". Remember ALL SENATORS WANT TO BE PRESIDENT...SOMEDAY.

Third, it drains the Senate of Democrats, even if they are in relatively safe seats. There is a pecking order on the Hill and the value in moving the people down the street is in the greater scheme of things rather marginal.


Finally, if you want to pull anyone out of the Senate we should be talking about GOPers. Voinovich is a short-termer given ho Blue Ohio is turning. Make him something Manufacturing or Infrastructure Czar. Ask Mel Martinez to run the Commerce Department. Ask Lieberman to be in charge of, I dunno....Make him Postmaster General.


Look I understand this is a parlor game, but the idea of asking Democratic Senators to serve in another way is just a bad idea all around. I don't think we need them, any of them, to join the administration.

In fact, I don't know if there is much precedent for it/

[Mid_FL_voter]

1. I get your point, but I disagree.

It isn't globally wrong or right, especially if a Dem will be the senate replacement.

Get the right person for the Cabinet positions. Period.

[glowing]

2. All of these seats are "safe" seats. They would be replaced by Dems.

Some of these Senators have been in the Senate for a while and want to be part of this historic time. AND why not move them aside. These people have been in for so long.. Sometimes you need fresh blood in Legislating side.... These Senators have been around for a while. Someone more progressive Dems in the Senate might help the entire country out just a bit.

AND we hired President Obama to do the job, let him pick the people he beleives will serve his administration and the country. I'm sure he takes into consideration a lot of advice. He picked a great team so far, and he's going to need the best team to steer us out of this mess Bush and the RepubliCONS have gotten us into.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. no

[Perky]

4. kicking for more dialog

[mtnsnake]

5. So if Obama thinks a certain senator happens to be the best suited person for the job...

then we're supposed to tell him his judgment is flawed?

[Perky]

6. There is a difference between Obama selecting someone

and this rush to drag half the Senat into the cabinet, by the well-intended but politically naive.

Very few Senators want to move to the Cabinet for any number of reasons.

[kevinds13]

7. Depending on the Governor,

you may get a more progressive politician into the Senate by taking some people out and putting them in the Cabinet, so don't make a blanket statement that its all bad.