QOTD — Who Should Be In Obama’s Second Term Cabinet?

Filed in National by on November 29, 2012

So we know that there will be some departures from the first term — Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner is out; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is out (after doing a spectacular job); Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta; Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank (acting); Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar; Press Secretary Jay Carney; Attorney General Eric Holder (maybe not going for a year or so) look like they are at the top of the list to go. Other possibilities include:

  • Chief of Staff — Jack Lew rumors include Secretary of the Treasury and National Security Advisor
  • Department of Homeland Security — Janet Napolitano is a possible replacement for Eric Holder
  • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development — Shaun Donovan is a rumored replacement for Jack Lew, Chief of Staff
  • Secretary of Energy

Positions that look like they will retain their leadership:

  • Secretary of HHS — Kathleen Sibelius will be spiking the ball on Obamacare
  • Secretary of Transportation — Ray LaHood
  • Secretary of Education — Arne Duncan
  • Secretary of Labor — Hilda Solis is criticized for being too close to Labor, but doesn’t look like she is going anywhere

So who do you think ought to be the new cabinet? I am hoping that President Obama goes for competence, learns some lessons from the first time (Tim Geithner), and gives some young heads time in leading these departments. The latter is especially important for grooming the next generation — especially, I think for the DOD, State, NSA and Treasury Departments.  I provided a clean list of the positions, so you could cut and paste, then add your nominees. Pundits mulling over the rumor mill are all over the internet, so I’ll let you google that if you are looking for names. But this is a chance to think more progressively than we’ll likely end up with, so go to town.

Secretary of State —

Secretary of the Treasury —

Secretary of Defense —

National Security Advisor —

Secretary of Commerce —

Secretary of Interior —

Attorney General —

Department of Homeland Security —

Secretary of HUD —

Secretary of Energy —

Chief of Staff —

Press Secretary —

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"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." -Shirley Chisholm

Comments (7)

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  1. Jason330 says:

    This exercise gives us a glimpse at how well wingnut welfare works. If Romney had won, there would be well-known lunatics three deep for each cabinet position.

    Progressives (not named Paul Krugman or Rachel Maddow) just don’t have a similar level of national exposure.

  2. puck says:

    The truth is, I’m likely to think of well-known names, but in reality the best person for each spot is probably somebody I’ve never heard of.

    It would send a message to appoint a Treasury secretary not linked to Goldman Sachs, and also with clean hands in the 2008 crash. If such a person can be found.

    Paul “He was right” Krugman should get an advisor position but not Cabinet.

  3. Delaware Dem says:

    Secretary of State – John Kerry (it was going to be Susan Rice, but once the news leaked yesterday about Hagel (see below), I am convinced they have given up on her)
    Secretary of the Treasury – Sheila Blair.
    Secretary of Defense – Chuck Hagel
    Attorney General – Deval Patrick
    Department of Homeland Security – NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
    Chief of Staff – Jack Lew will stay on.
    Press Secretary – Jen Psaki

  4. socialistic ben says:

    regarding Susan Rice….. What state is she from? is there a vulnerable Repuke senator (or even rep) there that she can run against? You know the GOP is regretting keeping Senator Elect (love sayin that) Warren off the CFPB. Maybe Ms Rice can re-teach those fart-bags the same lesson.

  5. Delaware Dem says:

    She is from D.C. So no luck there.

  6. socialistic ben says:

    ah. too bad. the GOPers have unfairly and baselessly destroyed a lot of good people just out of spite…. but this one is particularly awful. Even if we give DC the same rights as the rest of the country, she would have to contend with Eleanor Holmes Norton… and from what ive seen of her Colbert appearances, she is not a lady to be challenged.

  7. cassandra_m says:

    Paul Krugman should be head of the Council of Economic Advisors.

    I’d like to see Michele Flouroy as SecDef — this is about bench building for Dems. It annoys me that we pick Repubs for this job. Although I was a fan of Bob Gates.

    I heard Warren Buffet yesterday plump for Jamie Dimon as Secretary of the Treasury. Love ya Warren, but NO. Sheila Bair would be awesome for all of the reasons why the business community would want Jamie Dimon.

    Secretary of State — I wouldn’t mind a fight for Susan Rice. If anything, someone needs to remind John McCain and the other one that they bought the Iraq lies hook line and sinker. And those *were* lies, meant to get a nation into war. Rice’s issue was taking on talking points before everyone knew what had actually happened. No one can impeach the storyline that the State Department has finally put forth. So now we have the Iraq War cheerleaders faulting Rice for having a too early version of the tale.