The institution of the president’s Cabinet is not mentioned explicitly in the Constitution, but the constitutional authority for the Cabinet is found in Article II, Section 2, which says the president “may require the opinion, in writing of the principle officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.”
There Cabinet traditionally includes the vice president and the heads of the 15 executive departments the people who, along with the Speaker of the House and the president pro tem of the Senate, are in the legally mandated order of presidential succession.
Beyond that, presidents at their discretion may elevate other officials to Cabinet level rank. The heads of the EPA and the Office of Management and Budget, along with the U.S. trade representative, are generally accorded such rank.
- CQ Weekly
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No Colin Powell
Former Sen. Chuck Rob for Defense. Richard Hallbrook for Sect. of state. Rom Emanuel Chief of Staff. Bob Rubin & D Andrea for Economic Treasury and Volker for Greenspan's old job.
Gov. Bill Richardson for State; Sen. Chuck Hagel for Defense; Rep. Artur Davis for Attorney General; Former Sen. John Breaux for Treasury; Chief of Staff Tom Daschle
Sen. Jeff Bingaman for Interior; Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for EPA; Dick Lugar for National Security Advisor; Rep. Jane Harman for Homeland Security
Please see http://puredem.wordpress.com for another angle on democratic cabinet picking.
These choices are very limited. My picks would be: Attorney General - Patrcik Fitzgerald Commerce - Mike Bloomberg Defense - General Wesley Clark Education - Neil de Grasse Tyson Energy - Al Gore HHS - Hillary Clinton State - Bill Richardson Treasury - Warren Buffett VA - Jim Webb EPA - Arnold Schwarzenegger I know some of these people might be reluctant to serve... but your country needs you. FYI, new post: Secretary of Awesome - Stephen Colbert
None of the most important cabinet positions have good choices available. Secretary of state-Bill Clinton Energy-Al Gore NSA-Dick Lugar commerce and treasury-anyone of his amazing economics team on the campaign now. The rest will mostly come from either chicago or the midwest with a couple minor positions going to New England and the west coast. Hillary will stay in the senate to help lead congress. There is a new day coming in liberal politics and Chicago is one of the only places where the left maintains the strong roots of men like FDR. Oh and the south will suffer.
As much as I would love Warren Buffett in an Obama Administration at Treasury or two years from now as Chairman of the Federal Reserve, he would not, and could not take the job, way, way, way too many conflicts of interest, simply because of the sheer size and diversity across so many industries of Berkshire Hathaway. Paulson continuing or the return on Robert Rubin would be even better! T. Boone Pickens at Energy would be incredible, while working alongside Al Gore at EPA, which is finally either upgraded to a full executive department as it deserves, or even better, gets merged with Interior, so that government does not get any larger and the name would become Department of Environment and Interior. I would keep Gates on at Defense, I think that he is doing a bang up job. Former Senator and VA Administrator (before it was an Executive Department) Max Cleland at Veterans Affairs. Bill Richardson at State, of course. Kathleen Sebelius at Commerce. Former Governor Frank Keating at Homeland Security. Governor Janet Napolitano at Justice. Donna Brazile at HUD. Former Florida Education Commissioner Betty Castor at Education. Former US Representative Jim Leach at OMB.
Not enough names to pick from many glaring omissions!
For Education: Caroline Kennedy For Defense: Chuck Hagel For Veterans Affairs: Tammy Duckworth For Commerce: William Dailey For Supreme Court: Lawrence Tribe and (if she consents) Hillary Rodham Clinton
What is so fascinating about these choices, is that both campaigns are talking about change and all the choices are the same old people!
i agree with spincycle--why would Obama want a bunch of Clinton's hand-me-downs? he didn't want hillary for VP. though for sec. of energy: Al Gore. he'd have more power than as VP to affect what he's passionate about.
Add two more choices (Oregonians): 1. Rep Earl Blumenauer for Transportation 2. Former Oregonian Governor John Kitzhaber for Interior (or Health and Human Services)
You should have included the National Security Advisor position. Anthony Lake should have been a candidate for Sec. State and Chuck Hagel would be a candidate to head Defense.
OBAMA WILL WIN
Where's Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense?
I think Warren and Jimmy Buffett need an economy/entertainment spot as well.
What, no Paul Krugman for Treasury?
Even though it might be difficult to convince him to take it, Richardson did a great job at Energy before, and now that Energy is as critical as it is, it would be good to have an experience hand on that tiller.
KRUGMAN FOR TREAS.+ HILLARY FOR STATE + RICHARDSON FOR ENERGY + - General Wesley Clark FOR DEFENSE + RICHARD CLARK FOR NSA + RICHARDSON FOR LABOR + WEBB FOR HOMELAND SECURITY = DUCKWORTH FOR VETERANS ENERGY - GORE -
I think Gates and Paulson should be held over becuase of the respective ongoing crises each department is handling. As crazy as it sounds Bill Clinton would be excellent for Secretay of State. He would love it. Besides that will give him the platform to be UN Secretary General. Make Al Gore the Secretary of Energy or as EPA Adminstrator. bill richardson would be good as Secretary of State or U.S Trade Represenatative. Eric Holder might finally get his shot to be top cop. And Tammy Duckworth is a timely choice for VA Secretary. That is all I have for now. I definitely think that the practice of selecting a good manager to run a cabinet department should stop. These people should be qualified to run the department they are the head of. No more Bodman going from Deputy Secretay of the Treasury to being Secretary of Energy. Doesn't make sense.
WHERE IS POWELL?
The reason Obama needs former Clinton Appointees as well as new blood, is that he needs experience as well as new energy. Without some experiences Clintonites, he's start out just like Clinton did and much up the first two years. This time we want to keep our new, stronger Majorities in the House and the Senate.
My preference for Secretary of Agriculture would be Jim Hightower. Someone who has actually attempted to work with grassroots small producers and ranchers, and has experience as Commissioner of Agriculture in his (and mine) native Texas.
There are not enough choices! Defense: Gen. Wesley Clark State: Gov. Bill Richardson Energy: Vice Pres. Al Gore Treasury: Warren Buffet National Security Advisor: Sen. Chuck Hagel Veterans Affairs: Paul Reickhoff
As per the National Security Act of 1947, Wesley Clark cannot be Sec. of Defense until after 2010. That act forbids flag officers from serving as Defense Secretary for 10 years after leaving service.
As per usual, the possibility of an Oregonian working at the national level is left out in the rain (pun intended). Rep. Earl Blumenauer for Transportation. Former Governor (and doctor) John Kitzhaber for HHS.
If Obama (and I would have said this even if McCain had won) wants to unify the nation, then he should also select some Republicans - even John McCain. Abe Lincoln had his team of rivals and whoever is president should consider selecting cabinet members with expertise in their respective areas and forget about party affiliations.
Your options here are far too limited. You are missing some key people and on some you can only choose between a set of loosers I would not want to choose from to put together an "Real" and an effective cabinet
Hillary for Attorney General! She knows whats under the rocks....
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) would be an excellent appointee for the dept of Transportation.
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This game is sexist. Why do all the appointees have ties! Not like I am expecting much from the Obama campaign, after hearing that they are actualy considering Summers for a post.
I think he'll look to pull some more from the other side of the aisle. Christopher Shays, John Sununu, Elizabeth Dole, John Warner, Arlen Specter, Gordon Smith, Bobby Jindal would all be interesting in the right mix. While he probably wouldn't be interested in it right now, in a couple of years or so McCain would make a great head of Veteran's Affairs.
How about another Rice at State?
These are our only choices? Where's RFK, Jr? Where's Caroline? How about Hillary? Or Bill? Or Gore? Or Colin? Or Lannie Davis? Or Donna Brazille (SP?)? Or Zimmerman? Or Reich? Am I blathering yet?
The choices here suck.
lame choices, no republicans, few blacks and hispanics.
Keep in mind these are only suggestions. Though some prominent names are missing, we have to start somewhere. I'm sure by the time he's finished, President Obama will make the right choices.
Drag and drop photos are nice but more choices would be better. I'd put Jay Inslee or Bill Richardson for Energy sec. but they have been placed elsewhere. Robert Kennedy Jr. would be my real choice for EPA .but no place to put his name. Let us hope Obama looks at more than 3 choices for his cabinet positions.
Where is John Kerry for Sec. of State?
t boone picken- energy hilary- state patrick fitzgerald- attorney general bill gates(microsoft)- education
Choices are far too limited to be realistic. This is bogus. There should be an option to select other candidates from a general list and place them in positions.
Agriculture: Hightower, definately AG: Napolitano Commerce: Bloomberg (interesting idea) Defense: ?? (probably going to hang onto Gates for awhile anyway) NSC Advisor: Susan Rice Education: Tennenaum Energy: Richardson, but I like the idea of getting Pickens involved somehow, I just don't know how EPA and Interior: I like the idea of folding into one department, and heading it with Al Gore Homeland Security: Do away with it. Useless. HHS: Sebelius Labor: Andy Stern, 'bout time for a union man, don't ya' think? State: I like Chuck Hagel. All the others are wimps. Definately NOT Bill Clinton, are you nuts? Who's foreign policy would he be selling? Transportation: Bluymenaur Treasury: Paul Krugman, first choice, Nouriel Roubini, second choice. None of the others should set foot in the building. Trade Rep: Bill Gates.
Hey this was fun. Obama will need to move to the center which will require a number of pro-growth Chicago based democrats.
for my ap government class we are trying to predict obamas cabnet and the closes one wins i need your oppinions
shut up matt
Bill Richardson for Secretary of State!
Why is Wesley Clark never mentioned for Secretary of Defense?
Was hoping this chart would be updated w/the knowns as they were "announced."
We're updating this chart now. Check back soon!
The choices s/b expanded and allow for ad-hoc write-ins.
contact Ross Perot to find out what happen to GM
Former Governor of California Gray Davis should be Energy Secretary. He knows 1st hand how energy companies can conspire & rip off state & local governments and in so dueing, the citizens that comprise them. Michael Dukakis because of his work on transportation issues or House Transportation Chair James Oberstar should be Transportation Secretary. Max Cleland for VA. Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles for Interior
I have to do a project on this information and it helped so much with finding all the info I needed. Thanks!
I doubt Ed Rendell is interested in a cabinet post. When he was talked about as a potential VP for the Democratic Party, he said "I like to be my own boss."
It is shameful that despite the rhetoric of change this seems like more of the same. What happened to making Washington look more like the rest of the country. Latinos cotributed significantly, some would say were the tipping point in Florida, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona,Pennsylvania - never mind stalwart supporter in NY/Ca. Despite that look at this picture - where are we represented. Bill is the sole Latino so far - very shameful.
I am surpised that CQ doesn't have the Latinos that are being seriously considered for cabinet posts. The Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion has reportedly been interviewed for HUD Secretary and according to some reports been offered the job. US Rep and Vice Chair of the Progressive Caucus Raul Grijalva of Tucson, Az is in the top running for Secretary of the Interior. And Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus US Rep. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles has reportedly been offerred USTR. Whats up with CQ?
Maria Echeveste for Labor - with all the qualifeid candidates out there you couldn't come up with something better???