WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is moving quickly to fill out his administration and could name top leaders for his Cabinet as early as next week.
You’re off to a rousing start with Merrick Garland as Attorney General, Joe.
Keep 'em coming…
State: Kerry, again. World trusts him.
Defense: Jack Reed
AG: Sally Yates
DNI: Adam Schiff
Homeland Sec: Buttigieg (brief stint as he has a Senate seat to seek in Indiana)
CIA: Susan Rice
Dept of Education: Jill Biden
Not cabinet, but…
Head of DNC: Stacy Abrams
You see how it works?
“”""""“would almost certainly face difficulty in a confirmation process with a Republican-controlled Senate because of her past comments about the deadly 2012 attack on U.S. diplomatic compounds in Benghazi, Libya”"""""
That was TPM that published that crap. The “remarks” consisted of her saying the attack was based on a protest that turned violent. Leter it was determined that jihadists breached the Embassy and killed the ambassador. The GOP used that to paint Rice a liar. The final evaluation of the attack confirmed that Rice was correct. The initial protest in front of the Consulate was over an anti-Muslim video that was falsely attributed to an American source and that jihadists used the chaos of the protest as cover for the attack. Rice was correct but had she not been it was still a very acceptable position to take as there had been a protest at the American embassy in Cairo over that vid that very same day.
Over time the GOP has hammered in “she lied” even though there was no advantaged to be gained by lying if she had. And here we are now. TPM advancing the notion her remarks were controversial. They were not.
This applies here also.
“This isn’t a game,”
Biden needs every vote in both the House and the Senate. So current members of the legislative branch should be ruled out for cabinet posts.
Even if a Democratic governor names another Democrat to the Senate, remember what happened to Ted Kennedy’s replacement. And a House vacancy requires a special election, so even in a totally “safe” district there would be a vacancy for at least two months.
Why bother naming Cabinet Secretaries? Mitch won’t let anyone be confirmed. Who doesn’t see this coming?
Paul Kirk was appointed as the temporary replacement for Teddy K. until he was replaced in a special election. Kirk did not run in the special as the Dem but unfortunately Martha Coakly did. She ran the absolutely worse election campaign I have ever seen for a statewide position in the Commonwealth so she lost. Although your point is well taken your example is not.
Adults:
The Return
THIS!
Blah, blah, blah. I’m holding out for Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission. The fact that I’m not a veteran, to say nothing of being a combat veteran, shouldn’t matter. Looks like a cushy job, to me.
Personally, I think Yates would be a much better choice, and she doesn’t cost us a valuable seat on the courts.
This article talks about the potential pitfalls of naming Dem Senators to the administration, but if we don’t win both seats in GA, we have similar problem in naming Dem Judges.
Plus, I am far from convinced that Garland wants to give up a life seat for a 4 year gig.
Is there room for Beto?
Nope. His time has come and gone. Biden can nominate much better people to this position.
Agreed. She has been there, and can hit the ground running better than anyone I can think of. Which is going to be absolutely vital for this seat.
Meh. I am fine with keeping him where he is and letting him further his own political career. Like say, Feinstein’s seat in the Senate.
That seat is out of his reach. Relocating in Indiana to pick up a winnable House seat is very do-able (and something he should be seriously considering). But I wouldn’t have major heartburn if he ends up in Biden’s Cabinet. I just think his political career is helped more by winning elections, than serving in the Cabinet. And the dude definitely has a political career.
I’d love to see Rice as SoS, or even NSA again. But I am pretty sure she is the hill that republicans want to die on. So that largely depends on what happens in GA.
I agree. But I am also aware that several republican Senators have already laid the gauntlet down against her, including Cotton, who is just aching for a public spotlight to start his 2024 campaign for republican nominee. Does Biden want that fight early on? Or does he want to get someone to work on fixing our international relationships ASAP? I think its the latter.
Won’t happen. Joe isn’t going to get even close to any accusations of nepotism, after the Trump years. And as much as I like Jill, I am fine with her being FLOTUS as a full time job. Show the world what “Be Best” can really mean.
Technically, the President doesn’t choose the DNC head. But yeah, his endorsement carries a lot of weight there. I think she would be great there, but I also think she has her eyes on a rematch against Kemp in 2 years.
There could be; O’Rourke, Buttigieg and Castro all have the quality of not being in office at the moment. I doubt Castro has much interest in taking another Cabinet spot; as I indicated in the above post, I think Buttigieg is better off seeking higher office, but it wouldn’t kill him.
O’Rourke is a bit harder to fit, though. What Cabinet position is he clearly qualified for and aiming for? Generally speaking, Beto strikes me more as a politician, not an administrator.
How about Deb Haaland, (D) Representative from New Mexico, for Secretary of the Interior?
Noticed that also.
Coakley’s campaign was … awful.
Yes, agreed in general but SoS is hugely critical and needed. Kerry would be confirmed easily. This is a tactical move, likely no drama.
I know. But would be awesome.
I think she does too.
I agree, too much attachment to the national party may be a negative to that goal
She wouldn’t want to be DNC Chair for just 2 years (1 year really, when you consider she has to start campaigning early).