Your 2008 Obama Cabinet/Appointments Speculation Thread

there is a decent chance that Sonia Sotomayor would be appointed to the Court

Sotomayor. And, no. Sorry pal.

Chuck Hagel isn't running for re-election; he would be a good fit somewhere, maybe Sec of State.

Sotomayor

that's what I said

gore for EPA chief. would he take it? I'm sure he'd be asked.

I don't think he'd be asked, but he'd definitely be asked for a list of potential names.

http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/the-democratic-not-so-short-list/

if Clarke hadn't already made it clear he wasn't interested in going back into government, he'd be the new cyber security guy for certain. Karen Evans will most likely not be keeping the OMB spot. Look to senior CSIS tankers for other positions, they're apparently big with Obama. Most important to me: http://www.csis.org/tech/cyber/

I suspect Homeland is going to be gutted under Obama/Biden/Reid/Pelosi. Good riddance. This has big natl security and energy implications for the Treasury and Transportation appointments.

btw everybody who is all don't count your chickens can eat me. My main concern, because enthusiasm is cousin to paranoid, was the bobby scenario: I went to see him in Columbus at an open air rally with so many scary sightlines I thought the USSS must be crazy to let him do this. Then I saw how they handle shit. The man will not be taken down. Additionally, at this point, McCain could catch Osama Bin Laden alive in an open-field tackle next week at a football game, pick up the fumble and run it in for a touchdown against evil, and he'd still lose because 1. he looked unpleasant doing it and 2. WHUT ABAWT MAH JAWB.

McCain could catch Osama Bin Laden alive in an open-field tackle next week at a football game, pick up the fumble and run it in for a touchdown against evil

Yeah, I might still not vote for him, but that I'd love to see.

http://i11.tinypic.com/53ucxtl.gif

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09ejbGJ97l6Y4/610x.jpg

http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/google-ceo-eric-schmidt-report.html

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/the_obama_transition_dont_forg.php

I could pour out a thousand words about that Ambinder post, but I’ll settle with a few comments:

- Assuming Ambinder’s ‘rumint’ is correct: Danzig presents a bizarre choice for the post. However, it is not absurd to assume he would be asked. If I were to guess, I would say that Gates would stay on and I imagine that he would be on the top of an Obama administration's list. However, Obama will be facing an even greater Democratic majority who will undoubtedly include members who will insist a liberalization of the Pentagon. Danzig would provide this. I suspect Danzig’s name won’t be the only one we’ll hear in the next few weeks, or months to clutter the field.

- John Kerry should not be secretary of state. At this point, is this a debate worth having?

- A ‘CTO’ would be nothing more than a lobbyist for the Valley. Also, who would want Google baggage? Schmidt hardly adheres to the “no drama” policy.

- Deval Patrick’s name floating for attorney general is a nice gesture but little more.

- Buffet: this is real. He’s beginning to campaign and, while I’m only 24 I’ve never seen Buffet not get what he wants. I also suspect that he’d be a great choice.

- Ron Noble is an obvious and acceptable choice.

- Everything else is absurd. Cass Sunstein and Robert Sussman less so, but still absurd.

yeah I figure, I mean, Ambinder, lol.

Buffett for treasury would be fan fucking tastic.
also schmidt for CTO could be really highly entertaining/4 teh lulz. US GOVT BUYS TWITTER. think what he could do for cspan.

Danzig v. impressive in a recent campaign appearance, with solid answers on Africom & a whole host of issues. I played the ex-Marine card to buttonhole him one-on-one re Korea, and asked him straight up about SoD. His answer was political.

where does Chris Hughes go? He's a kid and an entrepreneur, does he found another business, go back to facebook or get a job in the DNC or the govt?

A fresh link for consideration:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4507&page=0

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/15142.html

The rumors out of Littauer are getting a bit out of hand. Two things that are being repeated: Summers is a shoe-in and his appointment will be announced this week (with a possible MTP appearance on Sunday).

is Henry Wallace dead?

Maybe beneath years of dogged political hackwork, HRC has published legal work that would put her at the level of George Sutherland, Hugo Black, and William O. Douglas -- three justices with long careers in the legislature and who weren't shy about flaunting their political affiliations -- but I doubt it.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, October 18, 2008 2:56 AM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

when was William O Douglas in the legislature?

Did you know he was responsible for breeding the breed of chicken that is the most commonly-used chicken for egg laying purposes?

when was William O Douglas in the legislature?

He wasn’t. He was at the SEC and served as an economic adviser to FDR. He was also chairman of the SEC for a year or two prior to being appointed. The point is correct however, he was a staunch partisan--an oddity considering his position.

Douglas semen made my breakfast???

oh God Almighty. (this thread)

Howe did that I Love Politics creation poll work out? plz tell me yer all going.

Joe Biden - Ambassador to Afghanistan

He wasn’t. He was at the SEC and served as an economic adviser to FDR. He was also chairman of the SEC for a year or two prior to being appointed. The point is correct however, he was a staunch partisan--an oddity considering his position.

Yeah, it was my mistake, but THIS was my point. Thanks.

god why are you doing this????????? too early!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, the fact that the bulk of this thread is about the alleged possibility of a legislator with no particular background as a legal scholar and zero experience as a judge and a CV that, law-wise, makes Harriet Miers look like a perfectly normal choice being nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States of America = CRAZYPANTS

^uh OTM. BBC reported yesterday that Rahm Emanuel shaping up to be Chief of Staff.

I fully support Glen Danzig as Secretary of Defense.

lol vikings fan

Here’s three more Littauer rumors I’ve heard today (prior to voting!!) that I found improbable but interesting: Summers will be appointed soon. Prior to November 15th when Senate resumes for their lame duck session; Jason Furman will be appointed to replace Jim Nussle in a similar timeframe; Obama will hold a joint press conference with the President to announce bailout policy that will begin immediately (prior to the inaugural).

I don’t believe in any of this but people are talking if this is last week’s news (i.e. people are weird).

I posted this in the other thread, but Greenwald frets about Beltway insiderism infecting Obama cabinet pics.

god why are you doing this????????? too early!!!!!!!!!!!

― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, November 3, 2008 10:45 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

cabinet_pic.jpg

Greenwald is not being realistic. Many cabinet positions require a high-amount of beltway and insider acceptance to properly function (e.g. Wall St. confirms treasury appointments and Iran, et. al. confirms Secretary of State and Defense appointments).

Obama is not an idiot. He saw the result of the President’s ABC policy and the setbacks it caused. I imagine he’ll do his best to attempt not to not make the same mistake. That said, Gates, Summers, and many of other names in the mill are, in some cases staunchly partisan but consistent independents. Gates for instance is increasingly apathetic toward American politics and Summers, while Clintonian in many respects served as Bill Clinton’s foil on numerous occasions.

There is a point where politics has to leave the debate and for many issues, that day is today. However, I do understand how the left will react and I don’t expect the best (I’m still insulted about ‘General Betrayus’).

For me the model of a successful first-term executive operation is Reagan's. If he appoints a troika as skilled as those guys (none of whom were insiders; those he left to the Cabinet), he'll avoid a Clinton and Carter-esque relationship with the Congress.

I agree ... to a point. Reagan did appoint Alexander Haig, Donal Reagan and James Watt.

I was about to say...

yeah david stockman was a real winner

tho i guess he wasn't a cabinet level appointee

tho i guess he wasn't a cabinet level appointee

The OMB is a cabinet-level office.

That said, I do agree with his point. By ’83 or ’84 the administration was far more functional than the President’s and Clinton’s.

It appears we have our first cabinet appointee: Rahm Emanuel.

Is that official? Cus he just won reelection?

...ya know?

i wish we had ILpolitics

lol judd gregg

Gary Locke for commerce?

(former WA gov)

not 100% sure what I think about that

Looks good on paper -- what's the rap against him, Rev?

in your answer to that question you actually have to rap, rodney

http://www.personadondada.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/dangerfield.jpeg

lol @ "instrumental version" b-side. Great song though, doesn't get enough respect around here.

Solis finally confirmed for Labor, good news.

happy?

Happier. That was my fave appt. so far, so no surprise it got the biggest and least justified partisan blockage.

Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, will not leave his television career to become the U.S. surgeon general, he told network officials, according to sources familiar with decision.

There was not immediate word to explain his decision.

dag

As the NY Times says:

The Obama Administration just got a lot less sexy.

Can't wait for Morbius's take on this.

wait more

(or see Capitalism: A Love Story)

Wait, Moore?

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/74723-michael-moore-on-dodd-retirement-i-told-you-so

John Bryson car/life crash