Talk Elections

Election Archive => 2004 U.S. Presidential Election Campaign => Topic started by: MAS117 on November 01, 2004, 04:04:25 PM



Title: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: MAS117 on November 01, 2004, 04:04:25 PM
Who would be in his cabinet?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: YRABNNRM on November 01, 2004, 04:06:57 PM
I posted this in a thread that got drowned out in the 2004 General Election section so I'll post it here...

http://nypost.com/news/nationalnews/33068.htm

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October 31, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - President Bush is expected to undertake a major revamp of his Cabinet if elected to a second term, with Secretary of State Colin Powell and Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge tipped to leave Washington.
If Kerry wins the White House, he would like to include New York's high-flying Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and independently minded Republican John McCain in his lineup, sources said.

Although Bush and Kerry are gripped in a fierce electoral contest, key advisers for both sides are spending some time considering the makeup of their potential Cabinet teams.

On the Bush side, one of the most likely departures is Powell, whose stature has been diminished substantially since the invasion of Iraq and whose wife was never eager for him to enter politics anyway.

Aides say Powell, one of the few top-level advisers known to have differed with Bush on foreign-policy issues, is eager to leave the administration.

"If Powell leaves, there goes the one voice that has been dissenting. It will be interesting to watch whether Bush appoints a neo-con like himself, or gets someone like Powell," said Clyde Wilcox, a government professor at Georgetown University.

Bush could decide to move one of his closest aides, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, into Powell's slot.

Former Republican Sen. John Danforth, a diplomatic trouble-shooter for Bush and the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is also considered a top candidate to replace Powell, particularly if Rice decides to return to academic life in California.

Sources told The Post that if Ridge leaves, one of the front-runners to replace him could be former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who helped the president by doing hard yards in Iraq this year.

Despite criticism over Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expected to stay on, at least for part of a second term, to continue his reshaping of America's military capabilities.

 

Bush seems likely to allow a graceful exit for Treasury Secretary John Snow, particularly after getting the president in hot water in the key swing state of Ohio by saying job losses were a "myth."

The job could go to White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, or U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.

Some say Rudy Giuliani would be a natural to replace John Ashcroft as attorney general, although the former New York mayor may prefer to concentrate on planning a 2008 presidential run.

Kerry quietly appointed Jim Johnson recently to help him look over resumes to create a transition team and a brand new Cabinet if he wins.

Johnson has been meeting occasionally with Kerry and is said to have developed a short list of potential candidates.

Some Democratic insiders say a Kerry presidency could see former Colorado Sen. Tim Wirth as secretary of state, while others say veteran diplomat Richard Holbrooke will take the job he has long coveted.

Kerry remains hopeful he could convince Republican Sen. John McCain to take on the defense-secretary job, although the wily former POW has tried to throw cold water on the idea.

Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a sharp critic of how Bush handled the war in Iraq, is also a possibility for the job under Kerry.

Former Clinton administration spokesman Jamie Rubin is seen by sources close to the Kerry campaign as a likely candidate to step into the national-security adviser's role.

Spitzer, who has built a sterling reputation taking on Wall Street, has the credentials to sign on as Kerry's attorney general, although he may be eyeing a 2006 run for governor.

Chairman Alan Greenspan is expected to depart the Federal Reserve Board when his board term expires on Jan. 31, 2006. Democrats see Clinton's highly regarded treasury secretary, Robert Rubin, as a Fed chair.

If Bush wins, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, William Donaldson, may stay on for a few months, but many say he will resign in 2005. If Kerry wins, a Democratic SEC commissioner, Harvey Goldschmid, could move up.
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Thoughts?



Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Erc on November 01, 2004, 05:29:08 PM
I heard a rumor about Joe Biden as Sec'y of State a few weeks back...


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: The Duke on November 01, 2004, 06:17:35 PM
Spitzer as AG, a pledge to revoke cap gains and dividend tax cuts, protectionism, and railing against "outsourcing".  Sounds like Wall Street will love this guy. :P


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: J. J. on November 01, 2004, 06:24:48 PM
Spitzer as AG, a pledge to revoke cap gains and dividend tax cuts, protectionism, and railing against "outsourcing".  Sounds like Wall Street will love this guy. :P

Welcome to the Great DEMOpression.  :-)


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Dave from Michigan on November 01, 2004, 06:26:37 PM
I heard Carl Levin as a possible Secretary of defense


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Bogart on November 01, 2004, 06:56:53 PM
Possibles for Kerry:

Joe Biden-State
Richard Holbrooke- National Security Advisor
Carl Levin-Defense


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: No more McShame on November 01, 2004, 10:50:42 PM
Why have this discussion... Kerry is going to lose.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: shankbear on November 01, 2004, 11:03:18 PM
I am sure John McCain would fit in rather nicely in a Kerry administration. 


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: CollectiveInterest on November 01, 2004, 11:15:27 PM
I would put Holbrooke ahead of the other Dem choices for SoS. Although Nunn would work. I'd like to see if Kerry can negotiate Hagel or Lugar into being SoS.

SECDEF. Nunn's the only one I can muster much enthusiasm for.

Bob Graham for head intel guy.

Howard Dean seems like he deserves a prominant role. UN Ambassador maybe?

Elliot Spitzer would be a good AG.

Dick Gephardt for Trade Rep.

Secretary for Vets Affairs should be someone who served in Afghanistan or Iraq.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: No more McShame on November 01, 2004, 11:19:44 PM
I am sure John McCain would fit in rather nicely in a Kerry administration. 

I think McCain has his eye on a 2008 run, joining the Kerry White House would destroy that chance.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: rbt48 on November 01, 2004, 11:21:31 PM
If Merrill McPeak were to be his SECDEF, the USAF and USN would lose many quality people.  They would retire en masse.

But Senators don't have cabinets and that is what Kerry will remain.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: ATFFL on November 01, 2004, 11:28:12 PM
I would put Holbrooke ahead of the other Dem choices for SoS. Although Nunn would work. I'd like to see if Kerry can negotiate Hagel or Lugar into being SoS.

SECDEF. Nunn's the only one I can muster much enthusiasm for.

Bob Graham for head intel guy.

Howard Dean seems like he deserves a prominant role. UN Ambassador maybe?

Elliot Spitzer would be a good AG.

Dick Gephardt for Trade Rep.

Secretary for Vets Affairs should be someone who served in Afghanistan or Iraq.

That is an incredibly sane cabinet.

Who are you and what have you done with CollectiveInterest?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: The Duke on November 01, 2004, 11:30:11 PM
I would put Holbrooke ahead of the other Dem choices for SoS. Although Nunn would work. I'd like to see if Kerry can negotiate Hagel or Lugar into being SoS.

SECDEF. Nunn's the only one I can muster much enthusiasm for.

Bob Graham for head intel guy.

Howard Dean seems like he deserves a prominant role. UN Ambassador maybe?

Elliot Spitzer would be a good AG.

Dick Gephardt for Trade Rep.

Secretary for Vets Affairs should be someone who served in Afghanistan or Iraq.

That is an incredibly sane cabinet.

Who are you and what have you done with CollectiveInterest?

Gephardt for Trade Rep and Spitzer for AG?  Sane?  Can you say "capital exodus"?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: ATFFL on November 01, 2004, 11:35:25 PM
I would put Holbrooke ahead of the other Dem choices for SoS. Although Nunn would work. I'd like to see if Kerry can negotiate Hagel or Lugar into being SoS.

SECDEF. Nunn's the only one I can muster much enthusiasm for.

Bob Graham for head intel guy.

Howard Dean seems like he deserves a prominant role. UN Ambassador maybe?

Elliot Spitzer would be a good AG.

Dick Gephardt for Trade Rep.

Secretary for Vets Affairs should be someone who served in Afghanistan or Iraq.

That is an incredibly sane cabinet.

Who are you and what have you done with CollectiveInterest?

Gephardt for Trade Rep and Spitzer for AG?  Sane?  Can you say "capital exodus"?

That is the one job Dick would be decent at.

Not a fan of Spitz, but look at his picks overall and consider the source.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: CollectiveInterest on November 01, 2004, 11:51:32 PM
Nat'l Security Advisor: Zinni or Wes Clark

Drug Czar: Judge Jim Gray

Homeland Security: Howard Dean? Rudy Giuliani?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: The Duke on November 02, 2004, 02:21:09 AM
How can you have a trade rep who doesn't believe in trade?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: ?????????? on November 02, 2004, 02:25:04 AM
No doubt a lousy cabinet.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: CollectiveInterest on November 02, 2004, 09:40:56 AM
Secretary of State Hagel (try to negotiate Bereuter as the person to be appointed to the vacancy)
SECDEF Nunn
Attorney General Elliot Spitzer
DHS Rudy Giuliani
UN Ambassador Howard Dean
NSA Anthony Zinni (Gary Hart on the Nat'l Security Council)
Energy Al Gore
Transportation Mike Dukakis
Trade Rep Gephardt
Intel Bob Graham
Drug Control Policy Judge Jim Gray
VA Jesse Ventura
Labor Ralph Nader
Ambassador to Iraq Max Cleland
Ambassador to Japan Joe Lieberman

special envoy to Middle East Bill Clinton

first SCOTUS appointee Wes Clark
second SCOTUS appointee Bill Clinton

The adults would be in charge.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Fmr. Gov. NickG on November 02, 2004, 09:54:13 AM

I doubt McCain would join the Cabinet.  He's already rejected the VP spot, and joining after the election would mean a Democratic pick-up in the Senate, so it would be a double betrayal of his party.  But we can always hope.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: CollectiveInterest on November 02, 2004, 10:18:12 AM
Secretary of State Hagel (try to negotiate Bereuter as the person to be appointed to the vacancy)
SECDEF Nunn
Attorney General Elliot Spitzer
DHS Rudy Giuliani
UN Ambassador Howard Dean
NSA Anthony Zinni (Gary Hart on the Nat'l Security Council)
Energy Al Gore
Transportation Mike Dukakis
Trade Rep Gephardt
Intel Bob Graham
Drug Control Policy Judge Jim Gray
VA Jesse Ventura
Labor Ralph Nader
Ambassador to Iraq Max Cleland
Ambassador to Japan Joe Lieberman

special envoy to Middle East Bill Clinton

first SCOTUS appointee Wes Clark
second SCOTUS appointee Bill Clinton

The adults would be in charge.

Ambassador to
Russia--Madeliene Albright
China--Colin Powell
India--Bill Bradley
Pakistan--Phil Jackson
Mexico--Victor Morales
Canada--Spencer Abraham
UK--General McPeak
Deputy Secretary of State--Cynthia McKinney
Undersecretary for Arms Control--Richard Holbrooke


Title: OMB Director
Post by: CollectiveInterest on November 02, 2004, 10:50:41 AM
Bob Kerrey


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Bogart on November 02, 2004, 12:52:34 PM
Possibles for Kerry:

Joe Biden-State
Richard Holbrooke- National Security Advisor
Carl Levin-Defense
Howard Dean-HHS

McCain will never join Kerry's Cabinet...Remember, he turned down VP, why would he take a mere Cabinet post?


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: PBrunsel on November 02, 2004, 03:40:19 PM
Tom Vilsack will be his Secretary of Agriculture I bet.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: The Duke on November 02, 2004, 04:15:14 PM
Wes Clark for SCOTUS?

I think not.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Brandon H on November 02, 2004, 06:14:43 PM
While I really hope Kerry does not win:

Howard Dean - surgeon general or HHS
Wesley Clark - Dept. of Defense or maybe Joint Chiefs of Staff (or do you have to be active and not retired for that?)
Dick Gephart - Dept. of Labor

Had someone else won the Democratic Nomination, Kerry or Edwards could have been Attorney General / Dept. of Justice.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: J. J. on November 03, 2004, 12:01:02 AM
I get the feeling that we won't be discussing this in the future.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: CARLHAYDEN on November 03, 2004, 01:18:25 PM
Wise point.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: shankbear on November 03, 2004, 02:20:04 PM
I would say the only cabinet Kerry is looking for is the liquor cabinet.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: dazzleman on November 03, 2004, 05:04:04 PM
I saw some articles written before the election that went into great detail about who Kerry would appoint to various positions after he was (presumably) elected.

Information at this level of detail could only have come from a campaign insider.  I think it was very unwise, and probably unlucky, to show that level of presumption in having such a detailed discussion about appointments before the election.  This went well beyond the usual superficial pre-election speculation about what a new president's appointments might be.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: ATFFL on November 03, 2004, 05:14:44 PM
I think he will go with teak for his new cabinet.

maybe rosewood.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: J. J. on November 03, 2004, 06:29:51 PM
It depends how much Theresa is willing to spend.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: NHPolitico on November 05, 2004, 09:45:32 AM
John McCain would not have been in Kerry's Cabinet.  He wants power and he has it in the Senate.  The Newsweek article also showed the strained friendship that Kerry and McCain had. I think Kerry annoys McCain.


Title: Re: Kerry's Cabinet
Post by: Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home. on November 06, 2004, 12:05:15 PM
Kerry's Cabinet is filled with BOTOX and tanning pills!