Why would any powerful Senator want to move a rung down the ladder and join the cabinet?

[ruggerson]

Face it, even SOS and SOD and AG are not in the same league as being a United States Senator.

A Senator is responsible to no one but their constituents. A senator can create his or her own agenda, write legislation and then lobby both other legislators and the executive branch to help write it into law.

A Cabinet Secretary is basically the underling of the President, working on the President's vision at the President's discretion.

I can see an older Senator, perhaps, who has served a number of terms wanting to cap off his/her career with a high profile cabinet post.

But for someone who is mid-career, and has ambitions to actually help change the country legislatively, it is a pretty large leap down the ladder.

[TayTay]

1. They covet the Secret Service protection?

The pension is better?
The upgrade in air travel?
Bigger Staff?
Shorter service time? (4 years is about average for a Cabinet Sec, right?)

LOL!

[ProSense]

4. But then there is this, in Kerry's case

JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

(Excerpted from Rules of the Committee)

Rule 1 — Jurisdiction

(a) Substantive. — In accordance with Senate Rule XXV.1(j)(1), the jurisdiction of the Committee shall extend to all proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the following subjects:

1. Acquisition of land and buildings for embassies and legations in foreign countries.

2. Boundaries of the United States.

3. Diplomatic service.

4. Foreign economic, military, technical, and humanitarian assistance.

5. Foreign loans.

6. International activities of the American National Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

7. International aspects of nuclear energy, including nuclear transfer policy.

8. International conferences and congresses.

9. International law as it relates to foreign policy.

10. International Monetary Fund and other international organizations established primarily for international monetary purposes (except that, at the request of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, any proposed legislation relating to such subjects reported by the Committee on Foreign Relations shall be referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs).

11. Intervention abroad and declarations of war.

12. Measures to foster commercial intercourse with foreign nations and to safeguard American business interests abroad.

13. National security and international aspects of trusteeships of the United States.

14. Ocean and international environmental and scientific affairs as they relate to foreign policy.

15. Protection of United States citizens abroad and expatriation.

16. Relations of the United States with foreign nations generally.

17. Treaties and executive agreements, except reciprocal trade agreements.

18. United Nations and its affiliated organizations.

19. World Bank group, the regional development banks, and other international organizations established primarily for development assistance purposes.

The Committee is also mandated by Senate Rule XXV.1(j)(2) to study and review, on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to the national security policy, foreign policy, and international economic policy as it relates to foreign policy of the United States, and matters relating to food, hunger, and nutrition in foreign countries, and report thereon from time to time.

(b) Oversight. — The Committee also has a responsibility under Senate Rule XXVI.8, which provides that “. . . each standing Committee . . . shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration, and execution of those laws or parts of laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of the Committee.”

(c) “Advice and Consent” Clauses. — The Committee has a special responsibility to assist the Senate in its constitutional function of providing ``advice and consent'' to all treaties entered into by the United States and all nominations to the principal executive branch positions in the field of foreign policy and diplomacy.

Plus all the other committees/subcomittees he sits (Finance, Social Security - chair, etc) on and has relative senority.

[MrMickeysMom]

2. So Andrea Mitchell can get an exclusive?

Makes about as much sense to me then anything I've heard tonight.

[David in Canada]

3. Well...

Some long-serving members might be tired with the job and looking at retiring from the Senate in a few years, anyway.

Two senators mentioned for cabinet positions:

Kerry - 63 years old and 24 years in the Senate. Will likely only quit for the Secretary of State post with a promise for staying on for the entire Obama administration. If he were to accept, there would be a free-for-all to elect his successor and he would likely never have a chance to return.

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) - He is 65 years old and a possible Interior Secretary. He was seriously considering retirement in 2006 but was persuaded to run. With an ascendant Democratic party and the NM GOP in a rut, it would be the perfect time to have a special election or have Richardson appoint an appointment so the seat stays in Democratic hands. The best the GOP would be able to rustle up is Heather Wilson (bwah hah!).

[wisteria]

13. Good points on age. Frankly, I would be suffering from burnout after 20 some years at anything. n/t

[wisteria]

5. It is the Executive Branch and it is a step up with certain positions being very prominent .

Many great people have been SOS. And former SOS's are often sought after because of their expertise and experience. A senator is one of 50 with very little recognition for leadership. Tell me, how many Senator's can you name that are remembered in history books? SOS's however,some prominent names, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, James Monroe, Daniel Webster, Williams Jemmings Bryan, John Calhoun,Henry Clay, James Madison,Dean Rusk, Colin Powell etc.
The SOS positron is powerful and full of promise. If the SOS shares the same world views and believe in them like the President they make a very powerful team that benefits the country and the world. Something that is out of reach from the Senate.

[w4rma]

6. I wonder that too. I can see Representatives doing it, but not a U.S. Senator. (nt)

[scheming daemons]

7. S.o.S. is FAR more powerful than Senator.... except for Majority Leader

It's really not even close.


Other cabinet positions... not so much.


But Sec. of State..... gives the person a staff of hundreds answering to him/her. A prominent high-visibility role.... Working with and meeting with world leaders.


Sec. of State works at the pleasure of the President... true. But as a senator, even a powerful one, she works at the pleasure of Harry Reid.... who ALSO is basically working at the pleasure of the President.


1 of 100 in the senate, even a powerful one, in no way compares to Sec. of State.

[ProSense]

8. "But as a senator, even a powerful one, she works at the pleasure of Harry Reid." Nonsense

Senate Majority Leader is mostly an administrative position.

Senators who chair committees actually have oversight and drive legislation in their respective committees. They have full control of these committees.

[wisteria]

10. But, not over final votes. They need the majority leader to persuade

and direct the other senators. I will never believe that being a chairman of anything is better than being in the executive branch of our government- especially forth in line to the presidency- not that it matter for more than linage and prestige. If Kerry ends up back in the senate it is a sad ending for a once great leader.

[ruggerson]

19. I completely disagree

A Senator can actually effect change based on his or her beliefs, answering to no one but the voters.

A SOS is an employee. A famous employee who looms large on the world stage for a few years, but an employee nevertheless.

[Skwmom]

24. You really think that Clintons are going to be treated as just another employee?

They will do what they want b/c they know Obama will never be able to replace her.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. It's very hard to do anything when you're 1 out of 100

And while some Senators (Ted Kennedy, for example) do accomplish more every year than an SOS, SOD, or AG, most of them do not. Plus I think you underestimate the power that these people have. Presidents do run the show but they have so many things that they only have time to give the broadest direction on all but a few major policies. The Secretaries of State, Defense, and AG get to fill in those gaps that the President has to leave by necessity. Additionally they are key advisers to the President and having the ear of the President comes with a huge amount of power in itself. Most Senators don't have the ear of the President.

Additionally you have to consider the pendulum shift between the Legislative and Executive Branches. Executive Power is at its higher point since the Nixon Administration and Legislative Power is at its lowest. Being in the Cabinet in this era is more attractive because Congress has ceded so much power to the Executive Branch.

[wisteria]

11. Good points. n/t

[cali]

12. uh, Hillary is a JUNIOR senator. She chairs no committee and she won't

in the next Congress. SoS is a very prestigious position. And yeah, Senators do leave the Senate to join an administrationa.

Hillary really does not wield much power in the Senate. It's simply the way of the body that seniority trumps all.

[4themind]

14. On the key issue for her of health care

Baucus has already repackaged hers/edwards idea and is trying to pass it through, him and Teddy will take up the oxygen in the room on the fight if only due to their position among colleagues and committee positions. SoS could allow her to leave quite a mark.

[ruggerson]

15. uh, I wasn't just referring to Hillary

every discussion on DU doesn't have to revolve around people's bizarre obsessions with Hillary Clinton.

You want to tell me the last few sitting Senators who took a cabinet position?

[onenote]

16. and yet, they sometimes do.

Off the top of my head:

William Saxbe, Ohio Senator, AG under Nixon

Ed Muskie, Maine Senator, S of State under Carter

Lloyd Bentsen, TX Senator, Secy of Tresury under Clinton

William Cohen, Maine Senator, Secy of Defense

Spencer Abraham, MI Senator,Secy of energy

A few governors have ended up in presidential cabinets

[ruggerson]

18. Hadn't most of those retired or were elder statesmen ready to move on?

[onenote]

23. Except for abraham, all were sitting senators when they took cabinet posts

Certainly Muskie and Bentsen were elder statesmen, and both had sought higher office, but they were giving up senior positions in the Senate to go to the cabinet. Cohen had served several terms in the senate, but he was only 57 years old when he left for the cabinet. Saxbe was in his first term and was 58. So it varies.

[Unsane]

17. Hillary wants to use SoS as a stepping stone to replace Biden in '12.

Crazy I know.

[Metric System]

22. WTF? How is she planning on slipping that one by Obama? I wonder, how do you Hillary-haters come up

with such delusions?

[Honeycombe8]

27. There starts the Hillary rhetoric again. The poster didn't say he hated Hillary.

And that's not a hillary-hating statement. It actually had crossed MY mind before that Biden probably would not want to be VP in Obama's second term. Age and health issues.

[totodeinhere]

20. Why would she do it? Because if her president asks her to serve her country...

in that capacity she could not say no. That's just the way it goes. She would have to face the fact that she would be out of a job after four or eight years at the very most, whereas if she stays in the Senate she might be reelected indefinitely, but she would join the cabinet anyway. At least, that's the way I see it.

[Firespirit]

21. Indeed, Arlen Specter in 05-07 was much more powerful than Tortureboy.

The Attorney General was nothing next to being Chair of the Judiciary Committee.

[Honeycombe8]

25. SOS is ABOVE senatorial position. It is a NATIONAL position.

NY senators have local coverage mainly, with some national exposure.

SOS's have much NATIONAL coverage. They don't formulate policy, but they have the appearance of more power inasmuch as they deal directly with foreign leaders and are directly responsible for forging deals and compromises and resolutions with foreign countries. She could also influence foreign policy by having direct contact with the President and other cabinet members.

Clinton, after being SOS, could still become a senator again later, and she would have more clout then.

But it's true that she wouldn't actually formulate policy or have any say-so in other areas, like healthcare. There's a trade-off. But in my mind, SOS is a much more visible and powerful position than being a junior senator.

[terrya]

26. William Cohen gave up a Senate seat to be Clinton's Defense Secretary

It's happened from time to time.