Obama's Cabinet

Nude_IHB

Nude_IHB

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Since I haven't found one yet, let this be the thread to document Obama's transition teams and cabinet choices. I'll update this post as the names are revealed. Feel free to debate, speculate, and comment.



Transition Team Co-chairs: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Podesta">John Podesta</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Jarrett">Valerie Jarrett</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Rouse">Pete Rouse</a>

Chief of Staff: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel">Rahm Emanuel</a>

Secretary of the Treasury: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_F._Geithner">Tim Geithner</a>

reported: Secretary of Health and Human Services: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Daschle">Tom Daschle</a>

reported: United Stages Attorney General: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Holder">Eric Holder</a>

reported: Director of O.M.B.: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Orszag">Peter Orszag</a>

rumored: Secretary of State: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton">Hillary Clinton</a>



I'm not here much, but I will continue to update the thread until the Inaugural.
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1225956454]This process used to take months. This particular Cabinet will (more than likely) be seated by next Friday. Stunning.</blockquote>


This is because Obama was pretty confident that he was going to win, and started planning out how he will transition into presidency long ago.
 
[quote author="skek" date=1225956039]I've heard Rahm Emmanuel has been confirmed. They offered him COS and he will accept as early as tomorrow.



John Kerry has nominated himself for Sec State. No response yet from Obama's team. I hear <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~slaughtr/">Anne-Marie Slaughter</a>'s name for Sec State quite a bit, too, but nothing official.</blockquote>
Kerry would be a mistake, and certainly would undermine Obama when possible ala Cheney. I'd like to think he'd ask Colin Powell, but maybe I'm just wishing for more healing than is possible in one administration.
 
[quote author="Nude" date=1225970216][quote author="skek" date=1225956039]I've heard Rahm Emmanuel has been confirmed. They offered him COS and he will accept as early as tomorrow.



John Kerry has nominated himself for Sec State. No response yet from Obama's team. I hear <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~slaughtr/">Anne-Marie Slaughter</a>'s name for Sec State quite a bit, too, but nothing official.</blockquote>
Kerry would be a mistake, and certainly would undermine Obama when possible ala Cheney. I'd like to think he'd ask Colin Powell, but maybe I'm just wishing for more healing than is possible in one administration.</blockquote>


He probably won't ask Colin Powel because of the UN speech he had to give for Bush. He no longer has any credibility on the International stage, and his ties to Bush would make him a liability. He would make an excellent foreign policy adviser, and Obama may invent some position to have him around, but it won't be anything official like a cabinet post.
 
[quote author="skek" date=1225974306]On what basis?



Emmanuel is a partisan pitbull, but there's no denying that he is smart as a whip and would be very effective as COS. I thought it was a good pick, although not a post-partisan pick.</blockquote>


-Partisan pitbull

-Not trustworthy (something about a Clinton era focus group that Emmanuel leaked)

-Self Serving

-Ambitious to a fault



and then he got mean.
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1225973849]Dick Morris just savaged Rhom Emmanual as "a horrible choice".</blockquote>


I have long figured that if you don't know what to do, do the opposite of what Dick Morris suggests.



I'm hearing various pros and cons as to Emanuel. He might be ok. He will be a pit bull when his boss wants him to be, and can be kept behind closed doors otherwise. I think it's much harder to take someone more milquetoast, snap your fingers, and have them be a pit bull.



But I'm hearing so many conflicting things, I really don't know if it would be a good pick or not.
 
[quote author="Nude" date=1225976132]There is a reason Dick Morris is on Fox.</blockquote>


He needs the retainer check to pay for strippers and blow?
 
So isn't Volcker a little old for SoT? Will Obama give Bernanke the boot? It really seems like the post-Hanky Panky Treasury seat may well be the second most powerful position in the country. Being in charge of a trillion dollar candy store is quite a job.
 
[quote author="no_vaseline" date=1225976429][quote author="Nude" date=1225976132]There is a reason Dick Morris is on Fox.</blockquote>


He needs the retainer check to pay for strippers and blow?</blockquote>
More like he has no credibility outside of "Fox & Friends"
 
[quote author="Hormiguero" date=1225976850]So isn't Volcker a little old for SoT? Will Obama give Bernanke the boot? It really seems like the post-Hanky Panky Treasury seat may well be the second most powerful position in the country. Being in charge of a trillion dollar candy store is quite a job.</blockquote>


I'm hearing either Summers or Geitner for SoT. Obama can't touch Bernanke for awhile, as Bernanke's term is five years.
 
[quote author="EvaLSeraphim" date=1225981507][quote author="Hormiguero" date=1225976850]So isn't Volcker a little old for SoT? Will Obama give Bernanke the boot? It really seems like the post-Hanky Panky Treasury seat may well be the second most powerful position in the country. Being in charge of a trillion dollar candy store is quite a job.</blockquote>


I'm hearing either Summers or Geitner for SoT. Obama can't touch Bernanke for awhile, as Bernanke's term is five years.</blockquote>


He should tap Summers. Geitner has his hands full.
 
Ouch.



<blockquote>The number one quality in a chief of staff is a recognition that it's not about him -- a quality Rahm "Hamlet" Emanuel isn't exhibiting.</blockquote>


<a href="http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/243256.php">Link.</a>
 
CoS was made official.



Edited to add: News conference on Friday, maybe more picks between now and then.
 
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