Garko the Man-Frog ([info]larpwriting) wrote,
@ 2008-11-05 13:36:00
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(Offtopic) Because people ask...
No particular ideas on Defense other than Jack Reed.  I think you could do a lot worse than that.  Reed is a veteran with cred and a certified expert, who can work closely with Joe Biden, who is probably going to be the Defense/State guy.

Treasury is obviously going to be very important.  Bob Rubin has been talked about a lot as well as Paul Volcker.  My personal guess is going to be Timothy Geithner (President of the Federal Reserve Bank).  He's worked for Rubin, who may well end up as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors rather than Secretary.  Geithner is already in the middle of the bailout, day-in/day-out and that's going to be enormously important.

[info]the_smith_e asked what Warren Buffet wanted.  I'd guess if anything a role on the CEA.  I'd guess Rubin or Volcker for Chair though.

State is a big one.  Madelaine Albright has been suggested, but she's something like 72, and I just don't think she could keep up with the pace.  I think she'll be an advisor of some sort, but someone younger will take State.  You do not want the health complexities inherent in a 72 year old derailing the delicate processes State needs to be responsible for.  A good realistic choice is Greg Craig.  Colin Powell has been suggested, as has John Kerry.  I think if we see that sort of "dream team" pick it would be in this slot, but my money is going to go on Craig or somebody like him.

At this writing, as far as I know Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Illinois) is a given for Chief of Staff and should be announced shortly.

No strong feelings about the other slots...



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[info]blackflame2180
2008-11-05 07:38 pm UTC (link)
Wonkette says inside scuttlebutt is Sheila Bair is on the short list for Treasury. Apparently she'd be Buffet's pick. Buffet's role is likely to be part of the transition team to pick people good for economics related positions. My prediction is that Buffet will actually eschew a government position beyond being one of the top-tier small committee on Treasury/Fed/etc. positions.

I expect actually that one of Defense or State will get a major Republican figure, actually. The Obama campaign has already said it's looking for a bipartisan cabinet, so I figure one of those two positions will go to a Republican.

AG and Homeland Security will be interesting picks.

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[info]larpwriting
2008-11-05 08:38 pm UTC (link)
Oh...err...yeah. I feel all proud or patriotic or choked up or something.

Let's be realistic. Obama is a nice guy but he's not the second coming. Let's hope he's Bill Clinton, not Jimmy Carter or John F. Kennedy. Yeah...Kennedy. Great guy. If he hadn't had his brains blown out, he'd be remembered as a fairly mediocre President like Carter who overreached. Lyndon Johnson did many of the things Kennedy got credit for. Just like Biden is a good backstop to Obama.

Obama's inexperience is going to be a big issue. However he works well with others and gets along with the Senate Leadership. It will be good to see a Senator, not a Governor, running the country for a while. This may make more of a difference than you think.

I think a lot of the guy don't get me wrong. But this is Washington. It's about politics, and there's precious little room for rosy views or romance in it. Obama has a tough road ahead.

Good luck...

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[info]doubleplus
2008-11-06 08:34 pm UTC (link)
Bill Richardson has been talked about for State since the primaries, and I think he'd be a good choice, but I have no special information on whether the idea has any actual support.

I'm in the camp that hopes he doesn't put a Republican at Defense, though I have no objection for other positions. The past few years and the Obama campaign combined have done a good deal to kill the idea that Republicans are somehow better (and Democrats "weak") on national security, and I'd rather not see it get resurrected by a cabinet pick.

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[info]the_smith_e
2008-11-06 11:09 pm UTC (link)
There has been talk of him asking Gates to stay on. I don't know if that comes from anywhere meaningful or is just a rumor. Even if it is true, you don't know whether the guy would want to stay or not. He might agree to do it for a shorter period of time.

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[info]doubleplus
2008-11-06 11:19 pm UTC (link)
I'd heard about the possibility of Gates being asked to stay for a transitional period, especially since there are currently active military operations. That's probably a good idea, and I don't think my political objections would apply to that case.

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