As a wartime veteran, let me say this:

McCains sense of fiscal conservatism kicks in every time a veteran's issue bill hits the senate. He is no friend of veteran's issues.

Obama will have a Republican work on the Military budget (along with a lot of accountants.) It has to be reduced, but it has to be seen as a efficiency/cost-effectiveness thing rather than a peacenik thing.

Appoint Lieberman as Ambassador to Israel. It'll give him more time to spend with his constituents.

GaryPDX: A token Republican.

The tokenism is annoying, if true.

If a Republican happens to be the best choice for some cabinet position, then fine, go for it. But announcing in advance that he's going to hire one just reeks of some gimmicky "see? I'm bipartisan!" schtick, I'm not such a fan.

I have heard rumors he intends to keep Gates on for a while, it would make some sense considering the fact that the military is engaged in two conflicts during this turnover.

I've heard Lugar in the discussion for a couple posts; maybe he gets the nod.

I can guarantee you, though, that it will end up being an elected official. That puts a seat in play that would not otherwise be. (This is the reason why Presidents don't like to go to that well too often- the more people in Congress they appoint to Cabinet posts, the more special elections and the more risks of a seat loss.)

Gosling: (This is the reason why Presidents don't like to go to that well too often- the more people in Congress they appoint to Cabinet posts, the more special elections and the more risks of a seat loss.)

Who is the favourite for Hillary's seat if she takes SoS?

Colin Powell for education.

Colin Powell, former secretary of state. Since leaving the Bush administration, Powell has been crusading for greater accountability in education. He founded America's Promise Alliance, an umbrella group of business leaders, politicians, and educators, which has brought attention to the nation's alarmingly high dropout rates, especially among high school minority students. But are these credentials enough?

TheOther

Who is the favourite for Hillary's seat if she takes SoS?


Bill Clinton

/joking, but hey, all you need is an intern and a dream

Ron Paul, right?

On the 'gain a Senate seat' idea, Susan Collins, current ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee to DHS?

I don't think she'd do it in a million years, though. What a wretched job. No one likes you or even pays attention. Until there's a disaster or attack. And, then you're the punching bag. Surprised anyone wants it.

sariq: 2wolves: Senator Clinton will not be Sec. of State.

So who will be? That's the more difficult question. Richardson?

I don't see what's so wrong with Richardson taking the position.

Collin farking Powell

He will keep Gates on for another year, then give out the job as an X-mas gift to some deserving Dem.

If he's just looking for a token Republican to stick on the cabinet, then he could always re-hire Elizabeth Dole as Sec of Transportation -- she's out of a job, she's done it before, she's old so she won't give too much trouble and she's a woman so it helps to placate NOW by bumping up the numbers.

nd that would leave HRC as Attorney General (at least temporarily), then the next SCOTUS justice.

Patrick Fitzgerald is going to take Attorney General

Powell, as much as I like the DoED idea, has said that's he's old and done. I think he's serious. Elizabeth Dole has been supremely mediocre in everything she's done... Transportation, Labor, Red Cross, Senator, NRSC. How 'bout no. Plus, I think Obama is going for a younger energetic administration.

Hagel could get a spot if he really wants. Lincoln Chafee will get some job, but probably not a full Secretary.

Lawnchair: Elizabeth Dole has been supremely mediocre in everything she's done... Transportation, Labor, Red Cross, Senator, NRSC. How 'bout no.

Transportation and Labor are both marginalized positions anyway. How good do you really have to be? If the stuff hits the fan and those jobs somehow become super-critical, Obama's going to step in and start making the decisions regardless of who he hires.

mheuss: As a wartime veteran, let me say this:

McCains sense of fiscal conservatism kicks in every time a veteran's issue bill hits the senate. He is no friend of veteran's issues.

Didn't you hear?

He was a POW for 5 years so he's allowed to treat Vets like shiat.

itazurakko: GaryPDX: A token Republican.

The tokenism is annoying, if true.

If a Republican happens to be the best choice for some cabinet position, then fine, go for it. But announcing in advance that he's going to hire one just reeks of some gimmicky "see? I'm bipartisan!" schtick, I'm not such a fan.

I have heard rumors he intends to keep Gates on for a while, it would make some sense considering the fact that the military is engaged in two conflicts during this turnover.

This is part of the reason the system is broken, they don't go with the best candidate for the job, just the best partisan candidate for the job.

DeathByGeekSquad: This is part of the reason the system is broken, they don't go with the best candidate for the job, just the best partisan candidate for the job.

Well, that's how elected positions get filled, too, including the Presidency. So it's not like it's a problem unique to appointed officialdom.

Hobodeluxe: Colin Powell for education.

Colin Powell, former secretary of state. Since leaving the Bush administration, Powell has been crusading for greater accountability in education. He founded America's Promise Alliance, an umbrella group of business leaders, politicians, and educators, which has brought attention to the nation's alarmingly high dropout rates, especially among high school minority students. But are these credentials enough?

TF do we know? It was your idea -- shouldn't you expand on your own doubts about what you've just said instead of asking us to?

67 Beetle: Transportation and Labor are both marginalized positions anyway. How good do you really have to be? If the stuff hits the fan and those jobs somehow become super-critical, Obama's going to step in and start making the decisions regardless of who he hires.

I disagree that they're anything less than super-critical right now. Any of the 'second tier'. Transportation - crumbling roads with low tax revenues, need to restore rail. Labor - dealing with unemployment and the death spasms of the unions. HHS - universal health care (and, yes, less-than-present health care) is coming. We can't afford today's system. Energy - the problems should be obvious.

And, yes, Obama would step in. But, he's not an great expert in any of those. He needs as good a Cabinet as possible.

GaryPDX: A token Republican. I'd laugh my ass off if it was McCain.

/smirk

Actually, I doubt it'll be a token Republican. Take note, the Republican party has no idea what it is right now. So there are probably plenty of moderate Republicans who can be asked to serve, who will serve happily, and who will serve effectively.

Such as Colin Powell (knows he would, if asked), Condi Rice (bet she would, if asked, i think she is as much of a solider as Powell, just of a different type), and a variety of other Senators and Governors would not shock me.

McCain's best purpose is inside the Senate, working across the isle. Actually BEING the maverick that Candidate McCain wanted to paint himself as.

And yes, Congress and the Presidency and Judicial positions are Public Servants. Service to the Public and The Nation. The same thing as military service, just of a different type (Powell vs Rice). Hell we all take an oath of service to Constitution. Regrettably some use it for personal gain (Stevens)

Masso: Collin farking Powell

ole' Lieberman is a Republican. but he wants everyone to think he's an independent.

You know, Lieberman could say...

...no, wait. The governor of Connecticut is a Republican.

rathoth: Actually, I doubt it'll be a token Republican. Take note, the Republican party has no idea what it is right now. So there are probably plenty of moderate Republicans who can be asked to serve, who will serve happily, and who will serve effectively.

That's true. Basically any Republican who is not from the "obsessed with gays" side of the party would probably love a higher-profile role in government right about now.

Olympia Snow for Secretary of Lobsters.

It's going to be someone like Arlen Specter. Reason? The Senate will have, most likely, 59 Democrats--counting Lieberman. Specter would have a replacement appointed by a Democratic governor. Instant way to get to the magical 60 votes.

Lawnchair: 67 Beetle: Transportation and Labor are both marginalized positions anyway. How good do you really have to be? If the stuff hits the fan and those jobs somehow become super-critical, Obama's going to step in and start making the decisions regardless of who he hires.

I disagree that they're anything less than super-critical right now. Any of the 'second tier'. Transportation - crumbling roads with low tax revenues, need to restore rail. Labor - dealing with unemployment and the death spasms of the unions. HHS - universal health care (and, yes, less-than-present health care) is coming. We can't afford today's system. Energy - the problems should be obvious.

And, yes, Obama would step in. But, he's not an great expert in any of those. He needs as good a Cabinet as possible.

I can't really say ANY Cabinet position is token right now.

Run down the list and tell me what's the token position (assuming that Homeland Security ISN'T offed):

State (OMG Iran/North Korea/everyone else we've ticked off!)
Treasury (OMG economy!)
Defense (OMG Iraq/Afghanistan!)
Attorney General (OMG... well, nothing in particular offhand, but it's fourth in line, it ain't token in any case)
Interior (OMG Drill Baby Drill!)
Agriculture (OMG biofuels!)
Commerce (OMG national debt!)
Labor (OMG jobs!)
Health/Human Services (OMG Medicare/Social Security!)
Housing/Urban Development (OMG foreclosures!)
Transportation (OMG oil/highways/airlines/etc.!)
Energy (OMG oil/alternative energies!)
Education (OMG No Child Left Behind!)
Veterans Affairs (OMG there's a war going on for God's sakes!)
Homeland Security (OMG Al Qaeda!)

And even with the other people that get to sit in:
Vice President (oh, COME now, and already spoken for)
White House Chief of Staff (see above)
EPA (OMG global warming!)
Office of Management and Budget (OMG more national debt!)
Director of National Drug Control Policy (OMG meth!)
US Trade Representative (OMG China!)

So the Obama administration will be tainted with evil. Ok.

appoint all republican senators. Then ignore their advice, force their seats into runoffs, and dominate the world.

Gosling: Commerce (OMG national debt!)

That would fall under Treasury. In fact pretty much anything useful that might fall under Commerce is already under treasury.

Really, a good reorganization of the cabinet is long overdue. We've got way too many bullshiat departments that were created as political tokens.

State- keep
Treasury- keep
Defense- keep
Justice- keep
Interior- keep, but sell off all the obscene amounts of land the Federal gov't owns out west for no good reason
Agriculture- shove under Interior
Commerce- put under Treasury, which already essentially controls commerce policy, with some of the more legal stuff like patents going to Justice
Labor - ditto
Health/Human Services -the main thing these people do is write checks as part of Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security, so give it to Treasury. Spin a few things like the CDC off as independent agencies
Housing/Urban Development -no real reason Feds should be involved in "urban development", but the main thing these people do is hand out money under various programs. Give 'em to the bean counters at Treasury.
Transportation - would fit in Interior
Energy - the main reason for this was to maintain faux civilian control over nuclear weapons, and everyone knows it's a farce, so just stick it under the control of Defense, with the truly civilian parts like power plants going to Interior
Education - get rid of completely. Federalization does absolutely nothing to increase school quality. If you insist on keeping it, the main thing it does it handing out money in accordance to Congressional mandates, so give it to Treasury
Veterans Affairs - Defense. Duh. Or perhaps an independent agency, but there's no reason for it be a cabinet-level office with its secretary in the line of succession
Homeland Security- Abolish, giving relevant parts back to Justice, Defense, and independent agencies