Post your cabinet choices for the Obamadministration!

[newmajority]

I'll start off with the obvious ones....

PRESIDENT - Barack Obama
VICE PRES - Bill Richardson
SEC OF STATE - Joe Biden
ATTORNEY GENERAL - John Edwards

Discuss....debate.....name your own choices.

[MercutioATC]

1. Gore for, at least, Secretary of the Interior

[newmajority]

3. Excellent choice. And I wouldn't be surprised if it's been discussed

Barack did say that President Gore would definitely be "at the table" when it comes to environmental issues.

[cascadiance]

38. I was thinking of RFK, Junior for the Secretary of the Interior...

Maybe Al Gore for Secretary of Energy or Secretary of State...

[book_worm]

62. Gore will never take a cabinet post.

but it's a nice thought. He should be on the Supreme Court if anything.

[Bake]

73. Gore's not a lawyer, which kinda nixes SCOTUS.

That's one post he's not qualified for. And believe me, I LOOOOOOOOOVE Al!! The only post he should be in is President of the United States.

And he'll never take a cabinet position, I agree!

Bake

[Diane R]

2. Surgeon General, Dr. Howard Dean.

[dkf]

4. Wow. Good one!!!

[newmajority]

5. Now there's a tough call....

Dr. Dean would make a great Surgeon General, but if he leaves the DNC, we need to have someone who will carry on in his tradition there, and not revert to the Terry McUseless types.

[Ellipsis]

29. His term is over after the election. His position will fall to the new democratic president.

I agree he'd make a great AG

[tekisui]

48. Axelrod for DNC chair.

[fadedrose]

56. I'd rather see him in WH as a top advisor - political as well as policy NT

[cali]

42. Nope. Howard Dean for Secretrary of Health and

Human Services.

[Jed Dilligan]

6. Defense to Clark, Interior or Energy to Gore

Kucinich would be good in HUD or HHS but I really want him for Director NDCP! :evilgrin:

I would be happy with Boxer as Secretary of State.

[newmajority]

12. Clark is obviously qualified for SecDef, but isn't that currently impossible?

If I remember correctly, you have to be retired from the military for at least 10 years before you can take that job. Although given the complete failure of the most recent (PNAC) civilian leadership at the Pentagon, maybe they need to make an exception, and let a sane general in there?

[Jed Dilligan]

17. Forgot about that, but he's definitely the person I want in that office.

[elleng]

30. can be waived

by Congress.

[Jed Dilligan]

31. What they've put up with from Bush

proves to me that the US Military is not a threat to civil society.

:patriot:

[cascadiance]

44. We need to remember to be careful with sitting senators as nominees...

Folks like John Edwards or Tom Dsschle would be fine, but I'd hate to take out Barbara Boxer as our senator here in California, especially if Arnold appoints her replacement! Keep her in the Senate for now!

[leftstreet]

7. WH Press Secretary - Lewis Black n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

21. I'd prefer Stephen Colbert

[LatteLibertine]

WH Press Secretary

Paul Mooney or Dick Gregory IMO.

[Boz]

46. Bwahahahahah, ok that cost me a keyboard.........

The worst part is that would be awesome.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Mine....

PRESIDENT - Barack Obama
VICE PRES - Wesley Clark
SEC OF STATE - Bill Richardson
SEC OF DEFENSE - Chuck Hagel
SEC OF TREASURY - Mike Bloomberg
SEC OF ENERGY - Al Gore
SEC OF HOMELAND SECURITY- Richard Clarke
ATTORNEY GENERAL - John Edwards
SEC OF VETERANS AFFAIRS - Max Cleland
AMBASSADOR TO THE UN - Samantha Powers
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR - Anthony Zinni
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR - Roland Martin
SECRETARY OF LABOR - Howard Dean

[gateley]

10. Whoa -- you've got some great ones.

I love the idea of Max Cleland being Sec of Veteran Affairs.

[FrenchieCat]

11. Plus, mine leaves sitting senators sitting......

Where they belong. Hagel is retiring.

[gateley]

13. Good point -- you've given this a lot of thought. OR....

do you have inside info? :7

[TahitiNut]

52. Cleland headed the VA under Jimmy Carter.

:shrug: (Sometimes I think DU is quite young.)

[cliffordu]

14. You have it, exactly, FrenchieCat !!

Excellent choices!! - I hope the Obama people read these posts....What a great set of people!

(Although I'll bet you get some grief over the lack of women.....)


:headbang:

[Ichingcarpenter]

24. Everyone except Clark and Hagel

I don't trust them, Dean as VP

Ralph Nadar as secretary of labor or consumer affairs
give this fucker a position and make him do something.

Everyone else I agree.

[tekisui]

49. I have never thought of Dean as Veep.

I like it.

:)

[cascadiance]

59. Hmm.. Would that move have Hillary head of the DNC?... Not sure yet

[cascadiance]

58. If you do Hagel as Secretary of Defense, make Kucininch Secretary of Peace...

Department of Peace should be created this time around like Homeland Security was created last time around. If you have Kucinich there, he'd be a good counterbalance to Hagel as a Secretary of Defense. Republicans might see that as a good gesture too that wouldn't have them stand in the way of creating the Department of Peace too.

[newmajority]

60. Sounds like a plan to me.

Another good one for Dennis would be the cabinet level position that Hillary recently proposed for ending poverty. Putting aside my own cynical suspicions about her motivations for doing so, the cabinet position itself is a great idea, and who better to fill it than a man who knows what it's like to live in a car?

[Ellipsis]

32. très bon!

[DAMANgoldberg]

34. My choices/2nd choice

Call me crazy on some of these choices, but I will not limit myself to Ds. Will not use any current Democratic Senators.

PRESIDENT - Barack Obama/HRC
VICE PRES - Gov. Bill Richardson/Gov. Phil Bredesen
SEC OF STATE - Sens. Sam Nunn/Richard Lugar
SEC OF DEFENSE - Sens. Chuck Hagel/John Warner
SEC OF TREASURY - Mark Warner/Mayor Mike Bloomberg
SEC OF ENERGY - VP Al Gore/Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
SEC OF HOMELAND SECURITY- Gen Wesley Clark/Lincoln Chafee
ATTORNEY GENERAL - John Edwards
SEC OF VETERANS AFFAIRS - Max Cleland/Colin Powell
AMBASSADOR TO THE UN - Douglas Wilder/William Cohen
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR - Anthony Zinni/Samantha Powers
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR - Soledad O'Brien
SECRETARY OF LABOR - Robert Reich/Gov. Jennifer Granholm
SECRETARY OF HUD - Rep. John Lewis/Gov. Ed Rendell
NASA ADMINISTRATOR - Miles O'Brien
EPA - Kathleen Sebelius/Christine Todd Whitman
FEMA - James Lee Watt/Gov. Mike Easley
SEC OF PEACE - Dennis Kucinich
SEC OF EDUCATION - Gov. Janet Napolitano
SEC OF INTERIOR - Gov. Brad Henry

running out of options for AG that will do the right thing. If I included current D sens. Webb, Biden, and Kerry would have places in my administration if we had a bigger majority.

[cascadiance]

41. Mine...

I too think Chuck Hagel might be a reasonable gesture to the Republicans for a mixed administration. And to make sure he is balanced out with someone that isn't really a hawk, Obama should follow through with a lot of the lobbying that has happened for Department of Peace and make Kucinich it's Secretary. A Hagel/Kucinich combination to help decide issues of national security and yet balancing it out with priorities of maintaining peace I hope would be a good one.

And if Ralph Nader plays nice and backs out once Obama and the Democrats add instant runoff voting to the Democratic party platform, reward him by making him head of the EPA.

President - Barack Obama
Vice President - Bill Richardson
Attorney General - John Edwards
Secretary of State - Al Gore or Susan Rice
Ambassador to the UN - Samantha Power
Secretary of Defense - Wesley Clark or Chuck Hagel
Secretary of Peace - Dennis Kucinich
Secretary of Energy - Al Gore, Kenny Ausubel, Nina Simmons, or Jerome Armstrong
Secretary of Health and Human Services - Howard Dean
Secretary of Labor - Lane Kirkland or Naomi Klein
Secretary of the Interior - RFK, Jr.
Secretary of Homeland Security - Ray McGovern or Sibel Edmonds (perhaps make one of these National Security advisor if not this position)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs - Max Cleland
Secretary of Commerce - Ravi Batra
Secretary of Treasury - Warren Buffett
Secretary of Education - George Miller
Secretary of Housing and Hurban Development - Cory Booker
Secretary of Agriculture - Patty Judge or Tom Daschle
Head of the EPA - Ralph Nader
FCC Chair - Michael Copps, Robert McChesney, or Jeff Cohen

Supreme Court nominees:
Erwin Chemerinsky
Anthony Romero

[workinclasszero]

50. Like your list

Although I like Bill Richardson for VP, he would be a good choice for SoS too.


SEC OF VETERANS AFFAIRS - Max Cleland, great!

I hope Howard Dean has a part in this somewhere too. The guy is too good to not have him in Obama's administration.

[gateley]

9. VP's a tough one -- there are SO many good possibilities.

Sec of State - Richardson (at one point I would have said Joe Wilson, but his support of Hillary went beyond that and he started the snarky attacks on Obama)

Atty Gen -- I'd be happy with Edwards, too.

I don't like the idea of Gore or Biden being shackled by any administration.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. As hard as it may be to do, good presidents put that behind them when picking a cabinet

If you just pick people who supported you, you are eliminating a lot of qualified people.

[gateley]

27. I know. And they're bigger people than I.

Good thing I'm not running for / being elected to President!

[Hippo_Tron]

36. Haha, it's understandable

And I'm sure it's hard, especially since a lot of the president's closest advisors are going to be people that worked on the campaign. But not being a sore loser when you appointing key positions is essential to having a good administration. Having the very best people is key to governing effectively. When you have an easier time getting your agenda passed and therefore an easier time getting re-elected, you will be thankful and by that point the primaries in the first campaign will be a distant memory anyway.

[crankychatter]

15. I think we need every single Dem Senator IN the Senate

Except Clinton and Lieberman

BUT

Bill Richardson - VP or Secretary of State

Edwards as AG, maybe (he did co-author the Patriot Act) but I know he'll pursue Corporate Criminals

Samantha Power - Secretary of State (yeah, I know - he he)

Kucinich should come UP - Department of Peace?

ALL departments need to be de-politicized - that's a REAL big deal

especially the GSA... that used to be our bastion of career Civil Servants and apolitical objectivity...

We need to get the old school OUT of the FBI and CIA

...those assholes need to have their hats handed to them.

[Blue-Jay]

77. I wouldn't be so willing to empty the Senate of so many good folks.

I think that Richardson is the best choice for SecState.

Edwards... It's really up to him within the next week or so to be considered for a position. That sucks, but politics is politics.

[boppers]

16. Secretary of Defence: Dennis Kucinich.

:evilgrin:

The right-wing brain explosions would be hilarious, if messy.

[Jed Dilligan]

19. Naw, I still want him heading the NDCP.

[boppers]

25. er..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDCP ?

[Jed Dilligan]

26. Office of National Drug Control Policy

Should have written ONDCP to be clearer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy

[crankychatter]

18. BTW, FUN thread, k/r

yup

I'm up late roasting green coffee beans... want to see what ppl say.

[quakerboy]

22. Its so hard

without decimating our good elected officials. Perhaps he could bring Lieberman in as Sec of somethinguseless, then fire him a week later, just to get him outa the senate and free up that seat a few years earlier?

[gateley]

28. Ha! Great idea! nt

[quakerboy]

37. Its a bit of a rough start, but if done well, could be a stroke of genius

Start with a "bipartisan cabinet" and pull out some key problematic repubs or even questionable dems that we can replace on our own terms. Then wait a short while as the economy keeps collapsing, declare them a failure, dump them, and replace them with some useful people, and slam in a new new deal, with the help of our 08 gains plus the gains via replacement of the first cabinet. I can see getting our 60+, and being able to pass some real legislation, changing the whole landscape. Granted, you could end up with a whole lot of ill will, but if played correctly, it could kick off a damn interesting political restructuring.

[gateley]

61. I hope they're thinking along

the same lines as you! Again - GREAT plan!! :headbang:

[Ichingcarpenter]

33. Great idea!!!!!!

Genius, way to work the system.!!!

[Hippo_Tron]

23. Richard Clarke for National Security Advisor or Secretary of Defense

[Zachstar]

35. Department of ManBearPig = Al Gore

[PBS Poll-435]

76. Wow..

I have never seen RW people say that. NEVER


:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[2rth2pwr]

39. Head of Homeland Security- Cynthia McKinney

NASA Head- Dennis Kucinich

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms- Bill Richardson

Defense Secretary- Jay Rockefeller

Secretary of Veterans Affairs- Pastor Jeremiah Wright

Attorney General- Elliot Spitzer

Secretary of Transportation- Deval Patrick

Secretary of Labor- Jimmy Hoffa

Secretary of Commerce- Oprah

Secretary of Health and Human Services- Will.i.am

[2rth2pwr]

43. Forgot, Press Secretary- Keith Olberman

[cascadiance]

45. In this context, wouldn't Michael Moore work better for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms?

:)

[2rth2pwr]

81. Jane Fonda!

[Huge Ego Sorry]

40. Poet Laureate/Drug Czar...

Willie Nelson

[u2spirit]

47. ok

VP- Clark
Sec Def - Nunn
Sec State - Richardson
AG - Johnathan Turley

[MethuenProgressive]

51. Donnie McClurkin, Pastor Wright, Matt Drudge, Bob Novak, Mayor Bloomberg, Oprah.

Gotta pay back those who got ya there.

[newmajority]

57. And while we're at it, I have a great nominee for "Ambassador to Bosnia"

And I'll bet you can guess who she is. :evilgrin:

[Blue-Jay]

78. You forgot Olberman. He's dead to you, right?

[Prophet 451]

53. Clarke to Defence, Kucinich to Labour...

Few more (and forgive me if they're not possible, I'm a Brit):
UN Ambassador (would that be open) - Bill Clinton
Homeland Security - Richard Clarke

I think the first SCOTUS opening that comes up should go to Hillary because I actually think she'd be damn good at it.

If hell take it, Gore to Interior. Ted Kennedy to Education. Causing controversy, I'd suggest Colin Powell to Veteran's Affairs (give him a chance to redeem himself).

I'd also like to find a place for Daniel Levin on the simple grounds that anyone who voluntarily has himself waterboarded for the good of the nation loves his country in a way that should be rewarded and must have guts that come in a dump truck.

Oh, and I don't want to see Olbermann come in. I'd prefer to see him on the outside keeping everyone honest.

[Auntie Bush]

69. But who's going to keep KO honest?

He' been having a little trouble lately. And they say Hillary exaggerates!

[Prophet 451]

70. His viewers?

I actually think KO's partisanship has been exagerated. Granted, it's fairly clear that he's backing Obama but I actually don't think he's been quite as spiteful about Hillary as her supporters make out.

[Auntie Bush]

72. Everyone to their own opinion...but his bias has

been offensive enough to ME personally that I no longer watch him. He used to be my favorite and I watched his late show repeat faithfully...until I realized he was almost as bias as BillO. Now I will forever have to take what he says with a big hunk of rock salt. :cry:

[Alter Ego]

54. EPA Director--Al Gore.

You want him to do some real good? Give him the power of the EPA--that would pretty much give Al the keys to the city.

FEMA Director--Honestly? I have no clue. Do we have anyone currently in elected office who has disaster cleanup experience?

Abolish Homeland Security--this department is useless at best.

[Hepburn]

55. I like yours very much! n/t

[scheming daemons]

63. Interior: Al Gore

[totodeinhere]

64. Hillary Clinton for Secretary of Agriculture

[IndianaJones]

65. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John....and Paul. nt.

[Dr Fate]

66. I hope he offers something to the Clintons. I'll bet he will. n/t

n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

68. Hmm

President - Hillary Clinton
Vice President - Barbara Boxer
Attorney General - John Edwards
Surgeon General - Jocelyn Elders (She was right, after all)
Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy - Barack Obama
Secretary of the Interior - Sherwin Williams

[Dr Fate]

74. "Cliton"? - you may want to edit that. n/t

n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

75. Holy Crap....

Thanks!

[zulchzulu]

67. Dodd-Labor Kerry-AG Edwards-SupCt appt. Webb-Defense

That's a start...

[knixphan]

71. I dig your list

an alternative set-

Pres Big O
VP Biden/Boxer
SS Richardson/Biden
Defense Clark/Zinni
Peace Kucinich
Energy Gore
AG Edwards/Richardson

[Bucky]

79. Ambassador to Tajikistan

The Honorable Joseph I Lieberman

[cascadiance]

80. Part of the problem is that with an appointed replacement it becomes a Rethug seat...

Too bad we have to wait until 2010 until we can replace the Connecticut governor with a Democrat! Then this sort of strategy would have been perfect. Same thing for Diane Feinstein here in California. Name her to some spot in outer Mongolia and have a Dem replacement (but we can't with Ahnold instead of Angelides in office).