Instead of having you respond to someone from post 6 we're going to do something different. You'll answer this post, respond to someone's post, and then you'll respond to a post that someone wrote to you. We'll keep doing one a week so it's not an increase of posts just a change in our format. Thanks for being flexible.
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Barack Obama has been announcing his picks for his top posts for his administration. What do his picks mean for his administration? What action/direction do you predict his team will take? What do his picks demonstrate about his commitments to his campaign promises? Do you agree or disagree with his choices? Are there key people or constituencies that you feel have been overlooked? Be sure to discuss at least one of his picks more in depthly. As usual cite your sources and do some research!
30 comments:
Barack Obama has very high expectations regarding his cabinet choices. Constituents and politicians alike are evaluating his picks and deciding how they will effect the Obama administration. In a recent CNN opinion poll, 75% of the population approve of Obama’s cabinet choices (1). The people that he has chosen all have a strong background in Washington politics; this will make the change he promised in his campaign more difficult to successfully implement (1). A few of the picks served in the Clinton Administration and the majority are people of congress or high-level state politicians. They all have substantial experience, although this will help make good decisions it will also hinder Obama’s plan for sweeping changes and new policies to improve America (4). Obama is relatively new to Washington in comparison to some of his cabinet members; this fact could hurt his ability to lead the group effectively. Many of the politicians in the cabinet will feel the need to make their own paths and stray away from a united goal hand in hand with the president (4). I feel like his team will want to take a more traditional direction and hurt Obama’s fresh ideas. Despite these negative evaluations, I believe that the President’s choices are very wise and will help America move in a more positive direction. He has chosen Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. This choice was very important, Clinton was his main opposition within the Democratic Party and she plays a significant role in the U.S Senate (4). Clinton is a strong leader, which although helpful for her own career, could prove harmful to Obama’s presidency. Only 57% of the nation believe that she will strictly follow his orders, 41% think she follow her own policy (1). These numbers equate to half the population who do not think Obama and Clinton will work as a strong united team. If this analysis proves to be correct, Obama could face a frustrating four years with a Secretary of State unwilling to closely follow his policy direction. Another major concern that the nation has voiced regarding the cabinet is the level of diversity. So far, he has a decently wide range of representation, however a lot of people want more. One group in specific are Latinos who believe that naming New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Secretary of Commerce is “not enough after all the support they gave Obama in the campaign” (2). Richardson is of Mexican-American heritage and many are disappointed that he was not named Secretary of State (2). Despite these concerns, most American’s are satisfied with the diverse set of political beliefs included in the cabinet. Obama has only chosen two white men, one of them a Republican, to serve in the inner circle. I think that his choices, which so far include three women, two African Americans, and one Hispanic, are a decent representation of the American population (3). I believe that Obama could expand his diversity with more representation by Asian Americans and homosexuals. I think that in order to be more committed to his campaign policies, Obama should have chosen less prominent politicians that will fight for change as strongly as he promises to. I like seeing Clinton in the mix, however I think there are plenty of people who could have worked more efficiently within the Obama campaign. With his wife acting as Secretary of State, I have no doubt Bill Clinton will get involved some how (1). I think this will have a positive effect on the presidency.
1. Obama Cabinet Pick get Kudos: http.//www.boston.com/news/politics/politicianintelligence/2008/12/obam_cabinet_p.html?s_campaign=8315
2. New York Times: Obama Names Richardson as Commerce Secretary
3. Star Tribune: Obama on the Road to Making Good on Diversity Pledge
4. CNN.com: Obama’s White House
With the pressing times that we are currently experiencing, Barack Obama has been under pressure to make good choices about who will be in his cabinet. He has done well, as 75% of Americans approve of the choices he has made thus far according to a CNN poll(4), and the appointments he has made are definitely qualified (2). He has been moving faster to fill his administration spots than any other modern president (1). Already, he has named almost all of the high-ranking white house staff and half of his cabinet (1). His choices have had significant experience in Washington. He has looked to Clinton’s former Chief of Staff John D. Podesta, Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton, Timothy F. Geither (the former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York), Robert Gates(at the Pentagon), and others to work with him and help with the transition into the Presidency (1). I think it is good that he has chosen people with so much knowledge and skill in their areas, because Obama lacks it himself. These advisors will be able to keep a check on his ideas. However, it could slow that change that Obama promises to bring because of the fact that these experienced workers won’t be so quick to jump the gun, knowing already what would be realistic. I don’t see how we can expect much difference with Obama’s cabinet than what we have had in the past, because most of them have been there in the past (2). In addition, his appointees are all pretty centrist (2), which hopefully will lessen the worries that many have about a Democratic Congress in addition to the Presidency. I don’t think his team will act as quickly as everyone thinks. I think they will have a plan for change in areas such as the Iraq war and domestic issues, but I feel that those plans will be carried out slowly and carefully as all of the cabinet members that have been chosen have already been there (2). Because his picks are a hodgepodge of people that have worked for the Democratic campaigns and the Republican campaigns in the past (2), I think he will be able to keep the commitments he made in his campaign. He will be able to bring about the changes in the war and the economy that he promised, but will be able to do it in a smart way because the members he has chosen all know what they are doing and how to do it well. Next week he will choose his energy and environment cabinet officials, which will ensure his promise of having the energy crisis as a top priority (3).
I agree with his choices of cabinet members because I think it is very important that there is so much experience among them in such a tough economic time. I also liked that he chose a group of centrists, because I believe that Bush’s choices of many Conservatives was just too much. Even 52% of Republicans approve of Obama’s choices (4), and I think that shows he is trying to do what is best for everyone in our country. However, I don’t think he will be able to implement the many promises he made with such a moderate cabinet, which could come as a disappointment to many. I think it is cool that Obama has chosen Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State, considering both Obama and Clinton are completely qualified to run the country. If she is confirmed by the Senate, she will quickly have to transform herself from a politician to a diplomat (5) and take on a new role in foreign policy. Many are worried about whether Clinton will push her own policy ideas or go with Obama’s (4), but I think she was a good choice nonetheless and will work well with Obama, as they both favor leaving the wars in Iraq in Afghanistan (5). As a former first-lady and Senator, she knows the ropes and will be able to advise Obama well, especially since he has no time to learn. I don’t really feel that any key people have been overlooked because I think Obama has been making good decisions with his cabinet choices in trying to include different views.
1.) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/politics/05obama.html?em
2.) http://www.galesburg.com/opinions/x1720681594/ROUNDTABLE-Obamas-cabinet-picks
3.) http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200812051756DOWJONESDJONLINE000967_FORTUNE5.htm
4.) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/?iref=mpstoryview
5.) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/04/clinton.analysis/
As we all know, Obama was criticized for his lack of experience during the election. He still won the election, but the country is angry over the war, economy, and various other issues. Although this may not be fair, people expect a lot of change to come from Obama so he needs a reliable cabinet that can make up for his lack of experience and help him make good informed decisions. He also needs to make sure that his choices are approved by the public though, because without public support, he will not have the political clout needed to fulfill his campaign promises (3).
Obama does propose rapid change, saying that he will do “whatever it takes to address the problem of the economy.” He plans to spend his first 100 days in office fixing up the economy through fiscal stimulus. Based on his descriptions of his plan, I think we can expect his team to head in the direction of a modern-day New Deal program (4).
Some of Obama’s choices so far include Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State, Robert Gates for Secretary of Defense, Eric Holder for Attorney General, Tim Geithner for Secretary of Treasury, and Tom Daschle to head the Department of Health and Human Services (2). His picks for cabinet members come from surprisingly diverse backgrounds, including Democrats, former Bush-appointees, and other Republicans as well (5). Normally a president would go with friends and members of their own party, but the diversity here shows that Obama is looking to solve the issues with advice from the experts like Daschle on health care, and not strictly surrounding himself with people he agrees with on everything.
I was not surprised with his choice of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State. Obama knows that he will need public support to be successful, and there were many Hillary Clinton supporters during the Democratic presidential primary. He obviously does not want to alienate those supporters, so he is getting their support by making Hillary Clinton his Secretary of State. This approach has worked too since 71% of those polled support his nomination of Hillary Clinton (1). Based on some other polls conducted, 72% of the public support Obama’s choices for his cabinet so far (2).
It is good that Obama is choosing smart and well-recognized people for his cabinet, because without public support of Obama, we will see too much policy gridlock in Congress, and therefore the change we want will not happen.
Since he is picking people based on their expertise rather than party affiliation, I support Obama’s choices for cabinet members so far. I don’t think there are too many people he has overlooked, but I think it would help Obama if he were to work with John McCain, because McCain’s support of Obama would bring more public support to Obama as well. Also, McCain’s experience in Congress and fighting corrupt practices would make him an even more beneficial ally.
Sources:
1.http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/12/obama_cabinet_p.html
2. http://www.pollingreport.com/obama.htm
3.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/opinion/10ehrenhalt.html?pagewanted=all
4.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/17/obama-nixes-new-new-deal/
5.http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/11/as_obama_fills_his_cabinet_opinions_come_down_on_his_picks.html
I think it's really interesting that Obama is appointing Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. I say this because of how Hillary was badgering Obama towards the end of the nomination period of the Democrats to pledge that whomever became the presidential nominee would make the loser his/her vice presidential candidate. At a glance, then, Obama's selection of Hillary may look a bit like a consolation prize, but for some reason I'm satisfied with it. I think that it's good the two most popular Democrats will be at the head of the state, supposing they get along. According to hotair.com, though, they look like they believe that if Hillary is appointed as Secretary of State that she and her husband will have a big hand in controlling the country (1.) I would like to refute this idea by suggesting that Obama will be able to watch more closely over Hillary by giving her such a prestigious position; it will also satisfy her for the moment and hopefully undo any damage done during the nomination campaign season. It actually reminds me a little of the saying "Keep your friends close, but keep you enemies closer." I think it could be possible that Obama is a believer in that theory, even though I really doubt Hillary would ever organize a coup d'etat. Anyway, chances are that Obama is just listening to suggestions from the rest of his party. The appointment of Hillary as Secretary of State is probably just a reward/consolation for being a good sport after losing out on the Democratic nomination.
I also think that the appointment of Eric Shinseki as chief of Veteran Affairs was smart, because it counterbalances the appointment of Hillary Clinton, who was for invading Iraq, and Shinseki was actually fired for speaking out against the war. His appointment wil also gain the support of those liberals who were not originally for Hillary (2.) I think that Obama is also making good on his campaign promise of ending the war by appointing Shinseki. The New York Times is certain that whomever Obama chooses for the education sector of his administration will create discontent among constituents because there are so many people up for selection with opposing views. So no matter what he does,a large group of people will be unhappy. Klein and Rhee are reformers who support rewarding good teachers and charter schools, while other groups are more focused on teachers' unions and smaller class sizes (3.) I think that education reform is what we need now, as a student who has had at least one teacher who should not have had his job in the first place, but who was still able to keep it for three years after I left middle school.
As to key people/constituencies, there aren't going to be very many moderates on Obama's administration. I think he's going to milk this Democratic victory for all it's worth, especially since Congress is currently Democratic as well. Obama won't feel a need to appoint many moderates or Republicans to his staff because there would be less of a chance that they would support the propositions he comes up with, not to mention that outsiders from the Democrats might suggest things Obama wouldn't support in the first place.
(1) www.hotair.com
(2)http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/08/barack-obama-george-bush-iraq-war
(3)http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/opinion/05brooks.html?_r=1
With so much going on in the United States today, it was extremely important for Obama to pick a strong cabinet to support him and help him make decisions. Luckily, 75% of Americans believe he did just that. (1) Even 52% of Republicans think he made wise decisions (1) The majority of his choices have a lot of experience in Washington and were even in President Clinton’s cabinet, (1) and three of them were former presidential candidates. (3) I believe that it was crucial for Obama to pick Washington insiders to teach him the ropes. He has so much to worry about right now with the economy, wars, Social Security issues, and everything else going on, that he needs a lot of help and support.
Obama chose Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, to be the Secretary of Commerce. (2) Richardson was the ambassador to the UN and the Energy Secretary in Clinton’s administration. (2) It looks like his main job will be to bring about the much-needed jobs and businesses to this country. Bush’s current Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, agreed to stay on the job. (3) He was reluctant to stay at first due to policy differences with Obama, but decided against leaving because he is impressed with Obama and his potential. (3) Obama calls for the troops to be withdrawn from Iraq within the next 16 months. One of Gates’ main focuses will turn to Afghanistan soon. Obama said he has “complete confidence” in Hilary Clinton, which is why he picked her to be his Secretary of State. (4) I think that these choices show that Obama is very confident, because he chose his former competitors and rivals to be his new teammates. Although these people may not always agree, they will be able to offer a lot of advice to one another. I think that because Obama has chosen such a strong-willed and intelligent cabinet, they will be able to accomplish a lot. They will be a “team of rivals” who will challenge each other, which is something I think that a good cabinet must be. (1) They will be able to help one another without agreeing with each other all the time. It is necessary to have them stand up against one another to ensure that they are doing what is best for the country. These picks demonstrate that Obama is living up to his promise of change, because all of these choices have verified their dedication, experience, and creative ideas.
I believe that Obama did a very good job picking his cabinet. He reached out to a lot of different people and constituencies. Richardson represents the Latinos, Gates represents the Republicans and a bipartisan government, and Clinton covers the women along with Susan Rice and Janet Napolitano. (5) Rice and Eric Holder Jr. also represent the African American population. Overall, it seems as if Obama carefully thought out his decisions to ensure that they will make up a diverse and productive cabinet. Obama has done a good job in covering all aspects of America’s population. Hopefully a cabinet so diverse will not have problems working together and making decisions.
1. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
2. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/transition.wrap/index.html
3. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/02/gates.defense/index.html
4. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/01/transition.wrap/index.html
5.http://www.cnn.com/interactive/allpolitics/0811/interactive.obama.white.house/index.html
With Obama’s top picks for his administration being announced, 75% of the public have been found to support them as a group according to a poll done by boston.com (2). He has picked, without surprise, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. 71% of the public approve Obama’s choice of Clinton (2), although some were hoping to separate completely from the Clinton era. Many democrats were excited about his choice because of Hillary’s talent and experience with things like Israel (5). This position would make Clinton one of the most influential players on the world stage, which means that Obama is serious about wanting to become more involved and informed with the world as a whole (5). Obama’s pick for the head of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs also shows his commitment to change. Retired Army Genera; Eric Shinseki is best known for speaking against Bush’s administration by questioning the Pentagon’s Iraq War strategy (1). This shows that Obama is trying to separate from Bush administration and get a new perspective on the war (1). He also picked Shinseki because he believed that they held the same respect for veterans and troops. He was quoted saying that Shinseki will be “sure to honor the troops when they come home.” (1). The most liberal of Obama’s choices is Susan E. Rice, who he has named UN ambassador (3). He decided to make this position part of his administration for the first time in United States history (3). While many progressivists are excited about her liberalism, they also disagree with Obama’s decision to station her in New York, claiming that proxmity is a necessity for power (3). Some less liberal decision he made was to keep Robert Gates as the Defense Secretary. While 83% of the public support this decision, he is also part of “old Washington”, which makes people question Obama’s promise of change (2). His rather conservative choice of James L. Jones for National Security Adviser also adds skepticism to his push for change, many people claiming that he also would have ended up with McCain if he had become president (3). When asked if his “old Washington” appointments mean there is no significant change on the horizon Obama said, “What we are going to do is combine experience with fresh thinking. But understand where the -- the vision for change comes from first and foremost. It comes from me."(3). I think that while Obama didn’t create much of a radically liberal cabinet, that was never to be expected in the first place. Although it seems rather centrist, there was no other choice he really had in order to please as many Americans as he could. While many of his cabinet members are moderates, people like Hillary Clinton and Susan E. Rice will have a significant say in the process and I think Obama will be able to keep his promise of change. Many of his people differ from Bush’s cabinet, and many of his choices indicate that he is ready to move on from that era, referring to Eric Shinseki, Clinton, and Rice. While I do believe that change is still possible, I will agree with progressivists that Obama’s choices could have been a little more out there. He kept it a little too safe because many of his supporters were on the extreme side, voting for him because they thought he was capable of creating an entirely new system.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/07/AR2008120701487.html?hpid=topnews
2. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/12/obama_cabinet_p.html
3. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120502602.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
4.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/us/politics/22obama.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Hillary%20Clinton%20+%20Secretary%20of%20State&st=cse
According to a new national poll, Americans are pretty happy with Obama’s cabinet picks, especially Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates (1). The poll, conducted by CNN/Opinion Research Corp. suggests that 75% of those polled agree with his picks, and 71% approve of Hillary Clinton (1). The same article that cited the poll also referenced Tracy Crews’s prediction that Obama’s cabinet choices prove that “either can't or has no intentions of [fulfilling] the many promises he's made to the American people.” (Crews is a republican iReporter from iReporter.com) (1). But others aren’t as skeptical. Several GOP consultants are pleased with Obama’s cabinet picks and seem content to trust his judgment concerning who will fill his cabinet and they are especially pleased with Obama’s decision to keep Robert Gates (originally a Bush administration pick) as the defense secretary (2).
As to what this new cabinet means for Obama’s campaign promises, his administration, etc. I really think it is too early to tell. There have been presidents throughout America’s history that have relied heavily upon their cabinets, and others have barely even given them a second thought. I think before passing judgment on Obama’s cabinet choices we should wait until he is actually in office and see what his presidential style is.
I think Obama’s decision to keep Robert Gates was a very wise one for two main reasons. Originally picked for defense secretary by President Bush, Gates will help to bring some balance to Obama’s cabinet and help to ensure both political ideologies (democrat and republican) are represented. By taking on the post in the midst of a very controversial war Gates earned respect from members of both parties (4). The bipartisan support, as well as his own conservative views should provide a helpful perspective for Obama’s cabinet. The other main reason I feel that Gates was a wise choice is because of his experience. Obama will be the eighth president under which Gates has served (5). Gates began working for the CIA in 1966 and left in 1993 after having been the director for two years (3). He also served on the National Security Council during the Ford and Carter Presidencies (4). Recently, Gates was a member of the Iraq Study Group – a group who analyzed the war in Iraq and reevaluated tactics (5). Gates clearly has decades of experience and is knowledgeable about the current defense crisis we are facing, and for that, I think Obama’s choice was an excellent one.
(1) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
(2)http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/01/obama-dales-cabinet-picks/
(3)http://www.whitehouse.gov/gove rnment/gates-bio.html
(4) http://www.time.com/time/spe cials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733757_1735600,00.html
(5) http://foxforum.blogs.foxn ews.com/2008/11/28/unlikely-allies-barack-obama-and-robert-gates/
President-elect Barack Obama has wasted no time in beginning to name his picks for top administration positions. The uncertain state of American affairs has made this quite necessary. He seems to be off to a good start, with 75% of people in a CNN poll saying they approve of his choices (1). Instead of having a strictly liberal cabinet, similar to Bush’s strictly conservative cabinet, Obama seems to be finding a healthy balance (1). It is interesting to note though that “Many of Obama's choices for his Cabinet, his White House staff and other high level positions in his incoming administration are people who have ties to Washington and the Clinton administration” (1). Is this really the change he promised in the general election?
Some people are nervous that many of his picks have ties to the former Clinton administration, one woman in the CNN article I read went so far as to say that, “The men and women he's chosen these past few weeks ought to be a warning to all the Obama supporters out there. He either can't or has no intentions of [fulfilling] the many promises he's made to the American people” (1). I think though that this is fairly extreme although I do agree to some extent that the amount of change he promised will be hard to achieve. Many picks are Washington insiders, but they seem to be committed to bringing new ideas to the table. 88 % of Americans believe that his cabinet will be able to work together successfully (1). I think the sheer amount of promises made during the campaign already makes it though trying to fulfill them all. Some issues and departments will take precedent over others, and this is what will shape his administration. One can only hope that new economic policies are high on his priorities!
It is reassuring to me that Obama picked his economic and national security team with “lightening speed” (2). It shows he is focused already, even before taking office. The lack of controversy surrounding his appointments has been unusual but a positive (2). I think it was smart of him to have some continuity in the area of defense secretary and reappoint Bush’s Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, to the post (4). Obama needs his advisor in defense to be as up to date as possible and Gates is well qualified for the job. One selection which I heavily disagree with is Hillary Clinton being named Secretary of State (4). It wasn’t that long ago when Obama was saying “Hillary Clinton's foreign policy experience amounted to little more than drinking tea with ambassadors while she was first lady” (3). While I know this is an exaggeration, I do worry about her experience level. She will certainly challenge his opinions on military, diplomatic and security matters (3) which will affect his presidency. Her diplomacy skills will be tested from day one on the job and I am afraid they won’t be up to par. Obama and Clinton’s bitter primary battles seem to be forgotten and his appointment of her a gesture of goodwill (4). I think he is maybe trying to appease some Democrats who original wanted her to be the candidate. Other than Clinton, I really have no objects to his other appointments. It will be exciting to see who fills the remaining spots in the cabinet and what actions they take when the Obama administration will begin.
1. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
2. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/01/obama-dales-cabinet-picks/
3. http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=a4e3184a-0708-4dc0-9248-b6d87b3a4fc7
4. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Dec08/0,4670,ObamaAppointees,00.html
So far, Americans are satisfied with Obama’s choices for his administration. A CNN poll shows that 75% of Americans approve Obama’s picks for his cabinet. First of all, it is important to look at some of the people who he is selecting for his administration. Among them are Hilary Clinton and Robert Gates (1). Obama’s choice of Clinton for Secretary of State is supported by 71%. His choice of keeping Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense is supported by an overwhelming 83% (1). Bill Richardson accepted the offer to become commerce secretary. Janet Napolitano has agreed to become the homeland security secretary (2). He named Rahm Emanuel, a veteran of the Clinton administration and a fellow member of Congress, as his White House chief of staff (4). He chose Tom Daschle to be his secretary of health and human services and he chose Eric Holder as his attorney general (4). What Obama’s picks mean for his administration is that his administration will have tons of experience. His first four picks have more combined Washington experience than Bush and Clinton’s early nominees combined (4). Most of them are Washington veterans of over 10 years.
I think Obama and his team will continue on like this leadership has started. Obama started picking his administration officials very early, showing that he is very motivated, like he promised America all throughout his campaign. I think they will continue this by addressing issues that will benefit the majority of Americans first and foremost (3). Some of these top priorities are the economy, health care, and Iraq (3). His picks for his administration will help him fulfill his campaign promises because they have the experience and wisdom to guide his policies through the process faster and start benefiting the country. I agree with his choices for this reason. I believe that picking administration members that have many years of experience was an extremely smart move on Obama’s part. They will make up for the experience he is lacking and then some.
One group that is unhappy is the Latinos because they believe they have been overlooked. They are disappointed because so far, they believe they are underrepresented (5). They had been hoping that the change would bring about even more slots in the administration for those of the Latino background, but it does not look that way. They were disappointed that Bill Richardson lost secretary of state to Hilary Clinton, and they are controversial on the choice of Janet Napolitano as homeland security secretary (5).
Obama’s choice of White House Chief of Staff is Rahm Emanuel. He believes strongly that Israel has the right to exist, which resolves any question about Obama’s commitment to Israel (6). He has been apart of two of the most powerful democratic teams, one of them being Clinton’s. He supports free trade and military intervention. He was a member of the House of Representatives from the fifth district of Illinois. He became a successful chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2006 election cycle, which was his biggest political achievement (6). This is because he was a key player in the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives (7).
(1) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/?eref=rss_topstories
(2)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/25/obama.cabinet/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
(3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-hildebrand/a-message-to-obamas-progr_b_149089.html
(4) http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/20/obamas-cabinet-picks-heavy-washington-experience/
(5) http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081130/pl_politico/15967
(6) http://www.informativepost.com/2008/12/03/Who-is-Rahm-Emanuel-2318.htm
(7)http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0653969820081208?virtualBrandChannel=10112
Obama's choices for his administration are being well received by the public. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey shows that seventy-five percent of the people surveyed approve of Obama's administration picks, especially Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates (1).
Other staff choices include Timothy F. Geithner, former New York president of the Federal Reserve Back, as his Tresury Secretary (3). Geithner has recently worked with current Tresury Secretary Paulsen to plan responses to the current economic crisis (3). He has also chosen a former competitor in the bid for the Democratic nomination, Bill Richardson, as his Secretary of Commerce (4). Tensions presumed to still be high between Richardson and the Clintons (4). As a close friend of Mr. Clinton, he backed Obama while Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were still campaigning for the Democratic nomination (4). Now, they will both be serving in Obama's administration. This weekend, Obama has named Shinseki as head of Veteran Affairs (5). Shinseki was Army chief of staff before and briefly during the Iraq War, he publicly denounced The Bush administration's and Pentagon's war strategies in Iraq (5). Currently, the debate over who will become education secretary is heating up as teachers and reformers fight over how to reform our education system (6).
Personally, I like most of Obama's choices. He has chosen former opponents from the democratic nominee race, people who are willing to stand up to him and fight him. Also, while most of his staff choices are from the Democrat pool, Obama has pledged to add Republicans to his Administration, and might chose Arnold Schwarzenegger as his energy secretary (7).
Many analyst believe that Obama's staff choices are right, because he is creating a diverse administration that will be willing to stand up to him and tell him he is wrong (2). This is a major turm-around from the Bush administration's yes-men(women) (2). Without dissent from his views and opposition to his actions, Bush has become one of our history's least popular presidents (2). With a staff of conflicting views, it may be hard to get work done, but different views will open up new perspectives and challenge Obama to think about other points-of-view. The one problem analyst have found is that most of his staff choices are from the elite (8). Many have college degrees from Ivy League colleges or other elite American and British colleges.
Actions Obama is preparing to take include reversing trends in the current political system. Many people have noted that Obama is choosing former Clinton administration staff, but this is still a change from the status quo with Bush. He will also use his administration to try and keep his campaign promises, such as healthcare and a middle-class tax cut.
Hillary Clinton is a popular decision with an overall approval rating of seventy-one percent (1). As his former opponent for the democratic nomination, many Americans feel closer to her as they have learned her political stances from the primary season. They also like the experience she brings as a former first lady and a Senator.
(1)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html?section=cnn_latest
(2)http://www.sharonherald.com/opinion/local_story_340195656.html
(3)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102811.html?wprss=rss_business%2Feconomy
(4)http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=1026933
(5)http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/07/AR2008120701487.html?hpid=topnews
(6)http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iT--F725ypsNTaNrulnuCGd8vt0QD94ULED00
(7)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/?iref=hpmostpop
(8)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28092935/
President elect Barack Obama’s team has broadcast about Cabinet picks, and that ethnicity and gender will not be the first considerations when filling the slots. (1) It’s surprisingly on how fast Obama has named his cabinet picks, and that the people he has picked has all been getting great approval ratings. 75% of those surveyed approved of Barack Obama’s Cabinet Picks. (2) That’s 16 points higher than those in favor of then President elect Bush’s Cabinet picks eight years ago. (2) 71% approve of Hilary Clinton as secretary of State. (2) 83% approve for keeping Defense Secretary Robert Gates on board. (2) iReporter Be Hicks said Obama’s choices represent, “ a food combination of conservative and liberal views.” (2) I believe that having an abundance of liberals or conservatives will just anger both sides and more arguments would arouse. Many of Obama’s choices all have ties to Washington. (2) I think it’s good to have his Cabinet be made of high-level people in Washington because they would make up Obama’s lack of experience. 88% feel that an Obama Cabinet should be made up of former rivals and opponents of the president elect will be able to work together. (2) Even 52% of Republicans approve of his Cabinet choices. (2) Obama’s picks for his administration is going to be filled with very respected high positioned officials in Washington, and all have great understanding to their jobs and the U.S. His picks all of experience something that Obama lacks, and having very experienced people surrounding Obama would probably balance the experience level. His intentions during the election were to break away from the Bush administration and go on a liberal road. The people are happy with Obama’s choices but the Liberals are growing increasingly nervous on Obama’s choices. Obama has reversed his pledges to repeal tax cuts for the wealthy and take on Big Oil (3). Obama has been surrounding himself with a centrist to right cabinet, and Liberals are angry that there has not been an authentic liberal appointment. (3) His party is concerned that Obama is backing away from his promises. (3). During the election Obama promised to tax the windfall profits of oil companies, but now as President elect, Obama says he won’t enact the tax. (3) Obama’s story is that he is asking for patience saying he’s only shifting his stance on some issues because circumstances are shifting. (3) I’m not that worried that Obama is not picking any authentic liberals, I think it’s find that he is surrounding himself from all side of the party system, because it would cause a sense of checks and balance. What I don’t like is that he’s backing out on the promises that he made during the election and changing them as president elect. I supported him on his change from the Bush administration but some stances now he is siding with the Bush administration. I think Obama’s pick of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense is a good idea. Gates served for 26 years in the CIA and the National Security Council and he is a bipartisan support, so that means he is equipped to work both sides. (4) He has also worked on the Bush administration for 2 years as Secretary of Defense, so he does have experience in his job and by still keeping his job, Gates could continue his efforts on the national security and the war of Iraq. The most prominent Hispanic leader, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson list the nomination to be secretary of state to Hilary Clinton. (1) Last spring, Richardson angered the Clintonistas by backing Obama over Clinton during the heated Democratic Primary contest, only to now see her being offered the top diplomatic post that he believed he should have deserved. (1) Richardson was energy secretary and ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton administration, and he helped free hostages in North Korea, Iraq and Cuba. (1) Though Richardson did not get the position at State, he is set to be nominated as commerce secretary, a vital position for the Latino group. (1)
(1http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081130/pl_politico/15967
(2)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/?eref=rss_topstories
(3http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081208/pl_politico/16292
(4)http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=115
I think that Obama’s cabinet decisions, like it is for all other president’s, set the tone for the administration and shows us what he is planning to do during his time as president. He has chosen his top ten cabinet members already, including Hilary Clinton for Secretary of State, Bill Richardson for Secretary of Commerce, and Robert Gates for Defense Secretary (4). Even though he is appointing many Democrats to positions however, he is also leaving many Republicans in their position, like Robert Gates (1). He says he has taken a lesson from the Bush administration, who was all Republican, and believes things will run smoother for the whole country if the two parties work together. I also believe that he is trying to keep the whole country on his side, especially the Republicans, by keeping a diverse staff. And according to polls, 88 percent of people believe that the diverse staff will be able to work together well (1). He also has such a diverse and favorable staff that even a majority of Republicans approve his appointments (1). I think that these selections for his Cabinet show that his administration is going to try to bring the country together to try and solve our major problems, and believes that we need some experience and diversity to accomplish it. I think that this combination will lead to a better decision on all issues, and will be better for the country than an all-Democrat administration.
As for his campaign promises, I think that he made very good selections, especially those that deal with major issues. His nomination of Bill Richardson for Secretary of Commerce was one example of how he is going to go through with his promise to fix up the economy. He ran for president, which means he is well qualified for politics, and he has been on business issues for his campaign (2). He also served as the energy secretary during the Clinton administration, so he will be knowledgeable in energy issues and can help us with our energy dependence and innovations (2). I also think that allowing Robert Gates to stay in as defense secretary was a very good idea, because he is experienced in the issues that we have now concerning national security, and I agree that it would be best to keep someone already in on the problem than to nominate someone new (1). Finally, I also agree with his nomination of Hilary Clinton to Secretary of State. She is very experienced in politics and foreign policy, and I think that it would be best to have experience in his Cabinet (3). Her foreign policy experience will be especially beneficial now in our crisis with the War in Iraq, and her skills as a diplomat will be greatly beneficial in solving problems like the conflict with Russia (3). Some say that she will take advantage of this position to serve her own agenda, but I disagree, and the majority of America also believes that she will cooperate with Obama’s policies (1). I also think that picking her will bring some comfort to the Democrats who wanted Hilary in office, because she will have a strong influence as Secretary of State, and can push for some of her policies as well as supporting Obama’s. Some say that an administration linked to the Clinton administration won’t allow him to fulfill his promises, but I disagree (1). I think that they will help get his ideas into policies for the betterment of all of America, and will benefit the country as a whole.
Sources:
1) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
2) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/transition.wrap/index.html
3) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/us/politics/22obama.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=Hillary%20Clinton%20+%20Secretary%20of%20State&st=cse
4) http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/01/obama-dales-cabinet-picks/
Obama has begun to name members of his team. Americans have been polled, and 78 percent are confident in the direction that Obama’s transition is going.(7)Some are disappointed in the direction. Progressives were disappointed to find Obama has chosen mostly centrists to his administration so far. Hoping that Barack would be the most progressive president yet, they were disappointed to find that he was keeping Bush’s defense secretary. There are still key positions to fill, and Liberals are hoping that they will gain more power in his administration. Obama commented, “What I was most concerned with was whether or not they can serve the interests of the American people,"(1) I believe that Obama will stick to his campaign promises. I believe that a good leader adds to his administration by keeping the interests of the people in mind. The question of which political party they associate with is almost unimportant to me. Republicans speculate that they could fill such positions as energy secretary, labor secretary, CIA director, and education secretary to come. (1) As the two parties seem to battle out how many members they can get in the cabinet, I believe that they should focus on policy.
Obama needs to focus on keeping his image up. While doing this he needs to make sure that his appointees are going to be a success. He is following suit of the Bush administration in a sense by constructing a centralized Cabinet of strong politicians. “The disastrous results of President Bush's effort to centralize and politicize major government decisions at the White House while ignoring or diminishing his own all-star Cabinet should be cautionary tale enough for Obama and his team. “ (2) To balance out this powerhouse of appointees Obama needs a successful National Security Council. The cabinet members in this council often work efficiently making important decisions. Obama has chosen Jim Jones to be his national security advisor. (2) If Obama chooses Arnold Schwarzenegger who has a successful voting record with energy as his energy secretary it is likely that he will follow through on energy promises. Obama’s new plan outlines energy plans quoting that“We will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient.”( 3) Energy is not the most pressing issue that he talked about on the campaign trail, more importantly was national security. With the nomination of Hillary Clinton of Secretary of State many are skeptical on her position in Iraq. “Clinton voted to authorize the war, and was bitterly opposed in the Democratic primary by anti-war groups on the basis of that vote”(4) This falls in direct disagreement with Obama’s plan which sounds like, “"I intend to end this war," he said. "On my first day in office I will bring the Joint Chiefs of Staff in and I will give them a new mission, and that is to end this war-responsibly, deliberately, but decisively."(4) At this point it is quite unclear what his picks will mean in the long run, and until all are decided it is hard to say what direction they will take. I do agree with Obama’s pick Hillary Clinton. She clearly has some popular support since she was the runner- up as the Democratic candidate. “Clinton, after all, did get approximately 17 million votes during the primary”(5) I believe that she deserves this important position and her hard work ethic will prevail. She is also very even tempered which will work well with this position. The fact that she was a first lady previously adds to her qualifications because she has been to many countries and met many people.
At this point it is hard to tell if people have been truly overlooked, there are still 15 or so positions to fill and it will be interesting to see how everything plays out. So far Americans have not been affected by the nomination of Hillary Clinton or Robert Gates as the confidence in Obama has stayed around 65 percent. ( 6)Yet it is hard to tell if this centralized Administration will be a flop like the Bush Administration or thrive. It could also balance out and achieve Obama’s campaign goals of creating jobs, achieving energy efficiency, helping middle class families, ending the war in Iraq etc. Currently Americans have shown that they are confident in Obama’s ability to reduce unemployment 67%, but are weary in his ability to reduce the federal budget deficit.(8) This all should be taken into account but it also goes to be said that we are experiencing the “honeymoon” phase of the presidency and only time will show how Obama’s administration and presidency will perform.
1.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/index.html
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503195.html
3. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16258.html
4. http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/12/04/for-barack-obama-breaking-a-campaign-promise-easier-than-ending/
5.http://www.desertdispatch.com/opinion/secretary_4958___article.html/analyzing_state.html
6. http://www.gallup.com/poll/112900/Cabinet-Picks-Not-Affecting-Overall-Confidence-Obama.aspx
7. http://www.gallup.com/video/112801/Americans-Favorable-Towards-Obamas-Transition-Far.aspx
8. http://www.gallup.com/poll/111853/Americans-Hopeful-Obama-Can-Accomplish-Most-Key-Goals.aspx
Some people think Obama made bad choices in his nominations. They say that there are too many high profile, independent people, and that Obama will be essentially overridden. Well, they are wrong. I saw a clip of Obama. He was speaking about his cabinet choices, but at the end, he made very clear who was in charge (5 @ 4:55). Another argument is that people argue Obama is not in fact bringing “change” when he chooses old “Clintonians” like Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson (3). First of all, I think we’re talking about change from the Bush administration. I don’t think anyone would say “no” if asked if they’d like to go back to the peace and prosperity of the Clinton administration. In addition, Obama has many fresh picks that have never worked in the Clinton or Bush administrations.
Obama’s campaign promises included working with both sides of the isle. Obama even said himself in his speech announcing his National Security team that the worst thing that can happen to a Whitehouse is that everyone gets caught up in “group think”, and there are no dissenting opinions. With his choices, Obama is welcoming such dissenting opinions and debates so that all the ideas for solving the problems our country faces are out there on the table and so that he as President has better options for making executive decisions (5).
I agree with all of Obama’s choices. Hillary was a good choice because she’s quite well qualified. PLUS, the head of the European Union said that he thought Hillary would make a good Secretary of State, which, considering what her job entails, is a good thing (1). Holder is also a good choice because he’s worked in a presidential administration in the past as deputy general and is well-qualified to be the Attorney General (2). His choice of Janet Napolitano for Homeland Security is also wise as she has past experience in Arizona with illegal immigration. She was quoted as saying "You build a 50-foot wall, somebody will find a 51-foot ladder." I like her already. Plus, Tom Daschle will work well with Obama to achieve his health care plans (3). The only thing I was a bit back and forth on was Robert Gates continuing on as Secretary of Defense. I do understand the choice, though, as a transition in that area would be very challenging. Also, I think Gates understands that his job is not secured, and that he needs to make intelligent and bipartisan choices to keep it.
1) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97327749
2) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97177239
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QYvHS3Y8dc
4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMAqAvT6C8
5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZeQHsEC_e4&feature=related
The picks indicate his administration will be more open to working within the political parties (4). Hillary Clinton is considered an especially important pick because she will have considerable power in the next administration (4). By choosing her, Obama was able to mitigate some of the Republicans skepticism about his diplomacy-based foreign policy (4). Clinton is known for her persistent tone that makes opponents feel confident about her abilities (4). I also think his administration will be more focused on discussion and trying to find compromise than Bush’s administration. Some people are calling Obama’s administration a “team of rivals” (7). However, I think this will not create gridlock but only lead to more informed decision making,
Obama seems to be taking a very practical course and I think his team will emulate him in that respect. He began by picking his economic advisers shortly after his election (1). Speculation about his selection of Secretary of Education says he is concerned with the practical issues (2). This practical way will be key to dealing with all the issues currently facing the United States.
He seems committed to his campaign promises of bridging division, getting things done and trying to change the current system. Obama has stated he wants Republicans in his administration (1). He has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to continue for at least a year (1). Gates has said he considers himself Republican and he represents some of the Bush administration (1). Speculation also exists about California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Some people are saying he might be picked as Obama’s Secretary of Energy (1). Obama has also tried to bridge divisions within the Democratic Party by reaching out to former competitors. Senator Hillary Clinton was his choice for Secretary of States and Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico as his choice for Secretary of Commerce (1). Both of these ran against Obama in the Democratic primaries (3). Obama also seems ready to get things done because of his practical goals. He has been very organized throughout the campaign process and into the preparation for taking over the office of president. Obama also seems ready to change the current system. He has decided to create a new position, the chief technology officer, to ensure the government is using the appropriate technology in the twenty-first century (1). Speculation lists Vinton Cerf, the vice president of Google, as a contender for this position (1).
I agree with Obama’s choices because I think all of his choices are very experienced and intelligent. Clinton proved to be a very qualified presidential contender indicated by the long Democratic primary race. Richardson served for fifteen years in Congress and is in his second term as governor (5). Richardson seemed very practical during the primaries. He is also known for having a broad base of support. When he was elected to the House of Representatives, he consistently received more than 60% of the vote with support from Republicans, Democrats and Independents (5). When he was elected to his second term as governor, he received 69% of the vote (5). I think it was wise of Obama to leaves in Robert Gates as Defense Secretary. It will help add continuity to what will be a very different type of administration. I also think James Jones was a good choice for his National Security adviser (6). Jones has had considerable experience in military force and has some experience in politics (6). While his experience in politics is limited, many said Jones was smart about politics (6). Jones is also another choice that seems to cross party lines (6). I think this is valuable for Obama to hear all the viewpoints. Even if this means that there is more arguing I think it will be key to trying to find compromise on difficult issues.
I don’t feel that any key people or constituencies have been overlooked at this point. Obama has not yet named all of his appointees but so far he seems to be trying to pick people who have a broad range of backgrounds.
(1) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/?iref=hpmostpop
(2) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iT--F725ypsNTaNrulnuCGd8vt0QD94ULED00
(3) http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSTRE4AT26E20081203
(4) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omid-memarian/selecting-hilary-clinton_b_149303.html
(5) http://www.governor.state.nm.us/governor.php
(6) http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1864142,00.html
(7) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122878176562589761.html
With the 2008 election one by Barack Obama, America waited to see whom he would appoint as his advisors. Obama wasted no time with his decisions however. His nominations so far announced are: Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary, Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Eric Holder as Attorney General, Robert Gates as the Secretary of Defense, Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Secretary, James Jones as National Security Advisor, Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary, and Lawrence Summers as National Economic Council Director (1). Looking at this list of his Cabinet choices liberals are asking themselves what are his intentions as he seems to be stacking it more towards the center of the political spectrum (2). Even though looking at the polls we see that America has a 75% approval rating of his choices even though the are more centralist to right (3). 71% support the choice of Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State, even though they both fought over the election only a few months ago (3). I think it will be interesting to see how these two work together as both of them offer up different ideas toward the issues specifically the war in Iraq. Americans say that they think Clinton will work with Obama rather than against him, but for myself I am still unsure and I will have to see how she reacts to Obama’s policies (3). Within the next few years I believe that America will see a change in its policies, and that they will be slightly skewed left. I think that Obama made the right choice in choosing this cabinet because of the experience it offers but also the different opinions brought forth because they all have different backgrounds in the American government (2). What can be seen already happening to the pledges made in his campaigned, one being the reversal to immediately repeal tax cuts on the “wealthy” and to fight the big oil companies (2). He has also made changes to his plan for a quick withdrawal of troops in Iraq, saying that he will look into the options given to him by the military (4).
Looking at all the choices he has made thus far I must say that I do in fact agree with them. I think that he has a large number of Cabinet members that are extremely experienced, along with members that will disagree with him and each other creating a different point of view for Obama. The only one that is questionable to me is that choice of Hilary Clinton. I think that she is more than experienced to do the job, but whether or not she is willing to work with Obama I am unsure. Less than 20 minutes after his election she stated "My fellow Americans, I admire Barack Obama, but in his first 20 minutes as president-elect, he has failed time and time again to deliver the change he promised," she also later said that he was unable to be real leadership (5).
1. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Dec08/0,4670,ObamaAppointees,00.html
2. http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081208/pl_politico/16292
3. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/?eref=rss_topstories
4. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/us/politics/02obama.html?_r=1&scp=7&sq=Obama's%20cabinet%20picks&st=cse
5. http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/hillary_clinton_resumes
Obama is quickly choosing people to serve in some of the most important jobs of his administration (6). He is picking a lot of Washington insiders like Clinton for Secretary of State, Daschle for Health and Human Services, and Gates as Secretary of Defense, all of whom are highly experienced in Washington (6). Obviously, many Americans expect Obama and his administration to reverse many of the Bush policies (4). Eric Holder, Obama’s choice for Attorney General is expected to reverse the politicalization of the Justice Department (4). Holder also promises to take a stance on human rights issues such as those raised about Guantanamo Bay (4). Therefore, he is thought to be a good pick for the administration because of his views similar to those of Obama and his promised policies (4).
Also, many of his administration members will fit in with his pro-environment stance (2). Clinton will oversee international climate negotiations and had a strong climate and energy platform as she campaigned for the presidency (4). Also, Richardson, the Secretary of Commerce, also had a climate and energy platform during his presidential campaign and has advocated for clean energy as governor of New Mexico (4). The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag also believes in plans to curb greenhouse gasses (4).
Because the economy was such a large issue in the presidential campaigns, Obama’s nomination for Treasury Secretary is very important (7). The nation seems hopeful with the nomination of Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary due to his familiarity with the stock markets as well as his work on plans aimed to rescue American financial institutions (3,7). When news reports began surfacing of his nomination, the Dow Jones went up 6.5% that day, which shows that investors seem to approve of this choice (7). Geithner is expected to take a hard stance against investment bank CEO’s (7). As Secretary of Treasury he will have to create a more coordinated to plan to aid the economy, make new regulations to oversee the financial industry, and create new trade policies with foreign partners (7).
Obama’s picks tend to have major policy stances similar to his, although Clinton does have a different foreign policy agenda (5). However, 57% of those polled felt she would follow Obama’s polices rather than her own when they disagreed (5). However, Obama also plans to keep Bush’s Defense Secretary Robert Gates (5). Although, 83% approve of this choice (5). However, some people are nervous that by choosing so many Washington insiders, that it will be impossible for administration to bring change, as Obama promised (5). However, 75% questioned approved of his cabinet choices, showing that the public overall supports his decisions and think he will be able to implement his policies with this group of advisors (5).
I think it was a good idea for Obama to pick very experienced Washington insiders as some of his administrators (6). This will help him quell some of Americans’ fears of his inexperience. However, I think this will make it harder for him to bring about drastic change as promised in his campaign. I think some change will come- change obviously comes with new leaders and new administration- but not to the extent he promised.
While Colin Powell did endorse Obama, he feels that Obama is overlooking education (8). However, many believe Obama’s administration will actually bring more oversight to education, which would also mean more regulation (1). With the budget so tight, many doubt that a lot of progress will be able to made in education (1).
1. http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_11933.shtml
2. http://www.grist.org/feature/2008/11/13/index.html
3. http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S675836.shtml?cat=10114
4. http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=5925
5. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
6. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97350108
7. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6196682&page=1
8. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2008/10/colin_powell_education_is_key.html
Obama has loaded up on experience with his first four cabinet picks. The four picks have a combined total of more than 60 years of experience compared to 30 years for the first four picks President Bush made and 58 years for the first four picks President Clinton made (1). I think it is wise to gather experienced politicians to help steer the country in the right direction. More experience doesn’t mean that the person will automatically be better than anyone else. There are more factors that affect decision making, such as creativity, handling pressure, communication skills.
Although many of the cabinet picks have been received with high approval, there are many citizens who disagree with the choices. The selection of Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State was met with a 71% approval rate (2). But the Latino community is none too happy with this nomination because Clinton was chosen over New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (3). They feel a little betrayed because Richardson “angered the Clintonistas” by backing Obama instead of Clinton in the primaries, but now Clinton is the Secretary of State (3). Richardson was the energy secretary and ambassador of the United Nations, and helped free hostages, so he had decent qualifications for the Secretary of State position (3). As a consolation though, Richardson was nominated to the position of Commerce Secretary and will have great influence in the economic well being of the country (3).
Obama’s nomination of Hillary Clinton was a clever choice if looked at from different angles. First, the nomination allays the discontent of many Clinton supporters that Obama was nominated and elected over her (4). Second, Obama is taking out some opposition he may have faced with Hillary Clinton in the Senate (4). I think this was smart and that they will cooperate to some degree to actually get a decent amount of work accomplished.
Obama has chosen an experienced group of people to take on the daunting challenge of turning the US in the right direction and then moving it in the right direction. The stock market has rallied to the highest level this month based on optimism for Obama’s economic plans (5). I think that Obama and his administration will provide change, but it won’t be quick absolute change but medium gradual change, in between slow and fast. Its kind of confusing and I don’t know how to explain so I’ll change topics. Over all I believe he made good picks and they will help him accomplish many of his goals and bring some change.
1) http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/20/obamas-cabinet-picks-heavy-washington-experience/
2) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
3) http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081130/pl_politico/15967
4) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97650279
5) http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSN02ELLSNA20081208
Obama’s picks definitely mean that his administration will be more diversified in opinions and that it will not be filled with only liberals. This is clear in that he chose Robert Gates for the Secretary of Defense position who was on President George W. Bush’s administration for the same role (1). In the past, we have had cabinets that consisted of members of all of the president’s party, George W. Bush having one of them. And from what we have seen, that didn’t work out too smoothly for him. I think that it is important to have some members of other parties on the presidential cabinet, because then there is input from another perspective that the president may otherwise have not heard. Some people worry that he is surrounding himself with a middle-right cabinet, however, I think it is a good thing for the country to have a diversified cabinet (1). Also, a CNN poll shows that a majority of people approve his appointments, with 71% of the American public approving of Obama picking Senator Clinton for Secretary of State and 52% of republicans approve his cabinet choices (3). This shows that the public is overall happy with his decisions.
Obama stresses that he hasn’t abandoned the things he said throughout the campaign, but some worry that his cabinet appointees will hinder those progressive policies he promised he would enact (1). One of the big policies people are concerned about is the economy and the tax cuts Obama was speaking of in the campaign. Some are unhappy that Senator Clinton was chosen for Secretary of State rather than New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, especially since it was Richardson who backed Obama in the campaign, not Clinton (2). Also people feel that he is just as qualified, and would bring more diversity to the cabinet (2). I think that Senator Obama has done a fine job of choosing his cabinet thus far, and I think that he has chosen people he trusts to do the job well, and that he has no overlooked anyone, he has merely chosen someone else he feels will do the job better.
1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081208/pl_politico/16292
2. http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081130/pl_politico/15967
3. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
According to a poll conducted by CNN 75% of Americans agreed with Obama’s appointee choices. Obama has been consistently criticized for his lack of experience in office, so making cabinet appointments is important for Obama, so he has an experienced team behind him. Critics however say Obama advocated for change, and instead he gave America the same old experienced team. I agree with this statement; I think Obama is taking a “baby step” back by appointing to “same old candidates”. I know he was trying to make strategic nominations, however he did promise change; and it might not come without appointees who have the same drive for change. Obama has many plans to change the direction of the country, but I don’t think it will be coming as fast as America thinks. I think some of his choices are going to slow down the process with their less liberal views on policies. Obama’s cabinet helps ease some American’s fears that a Democratic dominated Congress will be bad for America; most of his appointees are centralists which will help balance things out.
Obama chose Susan E. Rice for the ambassador to the United Nations. He made this selection because of her promise of “dramatic action” against genocide. Rice is going to hit the issue of Darfur hard, and is ready to take any military action necessary to stop the genocide. Obama also plans to work closely with the United Nations and wants to restore the ambassador’s post to cabinet rank. Ms. Rice is known to be blunt; some view this as a negative aspect since she is willing to take chances, and “mix it up”. Obama however views this as a positive attribute.
I’m split about how I feel about his choices. Like I said earlier, I think it could slow down the drastic change Obama campaigned for. However, I think it is also a good thing he balanced out his lack of experience with appointees who have more experience. Obama needs support from the people who know Washington inside and out. I just think that sometimes to much experience isn’t the best thing. Many people agree our country isn’t exactly heading in the right direction, and maybe what our government needs is “new” politicians with fresh ideas and less experience to experiment new ways of trying things.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/us/politics/01rice.html?_r=1&ref=us&pagewanted=print
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/?iref=hpmostpop
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/07/AR2008120701487.html?hpid=topnews
Already, this current presidential transition is going much more smoothly than the one made eight years ago. Many still remember the rush assembly of President Bush’s team, the result of an Electoral College discrepancy. This year, President-elect Obama has moved very quickly in naming his Cabinet and other top administrators. So far, his picks have generated a lot of public enthusiasm, as 75% of people approve of his picks [3]. This is already 16 points higher than the cabinet Bush hastily picked eight years ago.
The choice that has resulted in the most talk is his pick of Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State [2]. While polls say that 57% of people believe Clinton will follow Obama’s policies when she disagrees with him, I don’t think this is a good reflection. Considering that they just went through such a bitter rivalry in the Democratic primaries, I feel that it is going to be inherently hard for them to be able to work together as a fluid team. Also, Clinton’s past record has some liberals worried. She and Robert Gates make up part of the national security team; Clinton voted to authorize force in Iraq and Gates is Bush’s defense secretary [2]. On the surface, this shows that Obama is not making decisions that completely follow his many promises. I think that Clinton would have been better suited to a smaller domestic issues role. She is without doubt a very competent woman, and she has many ideas that I think can better our country. In all honesty, however, I am not thrilled at the thought of her being the face of America’s diplomatic entourage. Gates’ appointment also worries me because he was “reluctant” when he agreed to remain defense secretary [4]. While this appointment will make for a better transition, his statement that, “I spent a long time hoping the question would never be popped… and then yesterday, it became a reality” makes me wonder if Obama really couldn’t find someone who was much more sure in his conviction to be defense secretary and more in line with Obama’s plans.
Obama’s team has also caused much controversy and some flip-flopping ideas between the liberals and conservatives. I found an article from a socialist website that stated that many right wing figures are applauding Obama’s selections [5]. This source is clearly very biased, but there is some truth that can be gleaned from it. For example, it is true that Obama’s economic team is very centrist, which conservatives are happy about. In fact, people such as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, the New York Federal Reserve president, and Lawrence Summers, the former Treasury Secretary under Clinton, who will be the chair of the National Economic Council, really cannot be viewed as liberal or pro-labor [5,2]. I think that Obama did a good job in assembling his economic team, especially in regards to the speed of it. With the current economic crisis, the worst thing that could’ve happened was for politics and indecision to get in the way of any qualified person getting the authority to start mapping out a game plan.
I am also glad that Obama has made good on his promise to have a diverse cabinet. I actually don’t find diversity to be that important an issue, as I think qualifications matter much more in a position like this. Thus, I think that it is ridiculous for Latinos to complain that Richardson’s nomination as commerce secretary is not enough, and for gays and Asian-Americans to push for representation in the Cabinet [1]. Diversity is important, but I don’t think race should be a deciding factor in who gets the nomination. These constituents apparently feel overlooked, but I don’t think there is merit in that. Also, diversity really is not a new issue, considering the past two presidents have had gender and racially diverse cabinets [1].
I am excited for Obama’s administration to take office so I can see how his promises play out. Many of his picks seem to point back to a Clinton-era administration, but I really do not see much wrong with that. Obama has assembled a bipartisan, centrist team that I hope will be able to cooperate to unify our country and make decisions that will move the United States in a forward direction.
[1] - http://www.startribune.com/politics/35512379.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU
[2] - http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081208/pl_politico/16292;_ylt=AtXqPnrSURNhUI1mgcjSfylB5494
[3] – http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/
[4] – http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/02/gates.defense/index.html
[5] - http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/dec2008/obam-d01.shtml
Obama chose very well for some of the positions in his administration, but he could have chosen someone better for other positions. I think it will be pretty diverse (as much as it can when they are all upper class or elites). Many are experienced where Obama may be lacking. The “profane, hyperactive attack dog”, Rahm Emanuel, a Democrat Congressman from Chicago, was given the position of Obama’s chief-of-staff. His rude and somewhat frightening personality gets to the point, which will make things run more smoothly and effectively (1). He’s also Jewish. A woman named Valerie Jarrett, will be a senior advisor (2) and Sen. Hillary Clinton, is going to be the new Secretary of State.
Hillary Clinton is a very well known and liked person among foreigners. She already has experience from her previous years as the First Lady and some of her other political roles.
Some of the choices Obama made didn’t seem very popular among the liberals. Some women’s rights activists stated their concern of a possibility that they’d get less representation in the cabinet than in the previous two administrations (2). Other liberals were upset because the change that they were hoping would be happening soon has been delayed a bit (3). He’s keeping Robert Gate (Bush’s appointed Secretary of Defense) in his position. Obama is also going back on some of the promises he used for his platform (3). Now, some people are starting to think he’s not as progressive as they previously thought (4).
1) http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1856965,00.html
2) http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15635.html
3) http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081208/pl_politico/16292
4) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/us/politics/09obama.html?_r=1&ref=politics
Secretary of State, Treasury Secretary, Commerce Secretary and Attorney General have already been given to Hillary Clinton, Timothy Geithner, Governor Bill Richardson, and Eric Holder (1). We all know Hillary Clinton, who will be appointed to the position of Secretary of State once Obama is inaugurated. She ran against him in the primaries and they battled mostly over, of all things, foreign policy during the long campaign. This is a foreign policy position that she is getting. Some suggest that Obama is only following the part of the phrase “…keep your enemies closer,” but I think that it speaks to his willingness to hear a wide range of views as he said during the election. Geithner, meanwhile, is a young, relatively unknown who has accepted the position of Treasury Secretary. He has been President of the New York Federal Reserve since 2003, and has been closely working with Alan Greenspan, Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke. This guy is a little bit scarier because his experience can be called into question, but Americans are looking for a change of pace and Geithner may be the guy for the job. Bill Richardson also ran against Obama in the Democratic primaries, although he chose to endorse Obama before the end. As Governor of New Mexico and as the Ambassador to the U.N. and Secretary of the US Department of Energy under Clinton (3), Richarson looked like a fine pick for either the Secretary of State or Energy Secretary. But Obama decided to give Richardson even wider experience by making him, Commerce Secretary, a job that he may have some experience with having been Governor of New Mexico since 2002. It was suggested before Obama picked Hillary for the job of Secretary of State that he may hold a grudge for all the nasty things that she said about him during the primaries, and Obama would give the job to Richardson. Once again, I think this speaks to Obama’s ability to look beyond past disagreements and reconcile differences in order to create a bold future. Eric Holder, deputy Attorney General under Clinton, will be the first African American to lead the Justice Department, accepting the position of Attorney General in the new administration. He has a lot of experience, having been given positions by Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush (4). This pick made a lot of sense because of his experience but it is also a way to increase diversity by giving an African American the position.
Some may wonder why the vocal Al Gore has not been given a position in the new Obama administration in energy or environment areas. But it takes two to tango, and Gore, who has made millions of dollars since he left the Vice-Presidency and lost the 2000 election, says he is not interested. Despite this fact, speculation is again heating slightly as Obama is meeting with Gore to talk about energy and environmental policy creating jobs for the economy (5).
With Obama promising to reach across the aisle during the campaign, it can be expected that he would have the best minds in his cabinet, regardless of political affiliation. Robert Gates, the current Defense Secretary, has been asked to stay and is the only Republican given a cabinet position thus far. But Obama promises more. It is speculated that Obama may offer Energy Secretary to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (5) who is reported to have a strong energy record and all those kind of things. It would be interesting to see who he would pick, that is, who is a Republican, and how he would justify that to his fellow Democrats.
I think that his picks will work together to do what they think is the best thing for our country. They will surely conflict on certain issues, but they will do their best. Obama is the boss, and nobody will want to lose their jobs so they will respect his authority on issues. Hillary Clinton, should be a positive Secretary of State, having traveled the world so often with Bill, and thereby being a very well-known figure across the globe. I can’t disagree with his choices, although I would have been happy if Obama had given Bill Richardson either Secretary of State or Energy Secretary. Obama is bringing change like he had promised, although much of it is a change back to the Clinton Administration.
(1) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grbkxsqgj1jgjmex2KaPC-9FtE4wD94UNCJO0
(2) http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1861895,00.html
(3) http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=26964
(4) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/18/eric.holder/index.html?iref=newssearch
(5) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.gore/index.html
(6) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/index.html
As of december 8th Obamas presidential cabinet includes treasury secretary timothy geithner, president of the federal reserve back of new york, hillary rodham clinton senator of New York, attorney general Eric Holder former deputy general, homland security Gov janet Napolitano of Arizona, National secruty adviser retired Marine General james jones, commerce secretary Gov bill richardson of New Mexico, National economic counsel director Lawrence Summers former treasury secretary, and office of management and and budget director peter Orzag director of congresional budget Office. (http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Dec08/0,4670,ObamaAppointees,00.html. Accordoding to cnnpolitics.com 71 percent of americas approve of President elect Obamas cabininet positions while 22 percent disapprove. I think that Obamas choices are not only the right choice politically but the right one for the country. his choices were mostly on experice and people and fairly moderate. his choice of hillary clinton was also a great way to unify the disgruntled democrats angerd by the nomination of obama over clinton. but the best choice was the nomonation of treasury secretary timothy geithner, the former federal reserve bank of New York, he will bring a great insite to the new administration and further backround to the current economic downturn. i think that the new cabinit will be a great help toward the administration. but most of the people have been great choices. but i think that the current treasury secretary paulson should be a closer aly with obama and bring a better and personal insite with todays economy.
Obama has made some interesting choices so far when it has come to who he wants to have with him in the white house. While CNN/ Research Corp. survey showed a 75% approval rate for his choices which is 16 points higher than Bush's picks from eight years ago. Senator Hillary CLinton being one of his cabinet choices was definetely interesting with a 71% approval rating on the CNN polls.(1) I don't necessarily agree with the choice since her and Obama didn't see eye to eye on many different topics and it will be interesting to see how that goes in the long run, also there's the fear that Clinton may try to push her own foreign policy agenda though according to the CNN poll people feel that she won't push her own agenda or Bill Clinton's agenda. The reason I feel she may push her foreign affairs policies is because Obama has no foreign policy experience and with his attention focused on the economy currently he is going to need a secretary of state with foreign policy experience and a lot of it. (3) I think Obama appealed to a lot of republicans by keeping Robert Gates as defense secretary from the Bush administration. (2) Obama's picks are showing to be a lot like Bush's first picks when he was first accepted into office. Both of them picked people who they ran against in the primaries as their secretary of state. They also both stuck with experienced Defense secretaries with Obama sticking with Gates and Bush sticking with Rumsfeld. I think one of Obama's interesting choices was Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary since he will be prominent in Obama's plan to help the economy. Geithner currently is the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and once served in the Treasury Department under the man he beat out for secretary, Larry Summers.(4) Geithner does have some experience though becoming the ninth president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and serves as the vice chairman and permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee, the group who formulates the nation's monetary policy. He at one time worked as under secretary of the treasury for international affairs from 1999 to 2001. From 2001 to 2003 he was the director of the Policy Development and Review Department at the International Monetary Fund.(5) He clearly has experience in the Treasury and how it will need to function and hopefully he'll be able to help Obama fix the U.S. economy before it collapses or causes more businesses to shut down.
1.http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
2.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97350108
3.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/10/AR2008111002478.html
4.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/27/obamas-secretary-of-treas_n_138312.html
5. http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/geithner.html
Obama’s cabinet picks have done a lot to both comfort Conservatives and frustrate Liberals. The American public, however, seems to overwhelmingly approve. Seventy-five percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey approve of Obama's Cabinet choices, with 22 percent disapproving. (1) Obama has done a lot to surround himself with experts in their own specific fields. He has also realized that despite a near filibuster-proof majority in the senate and strong majority in the house, he will also be able to accomplish much more with the cooperation of Republicans.
While some of Obama’s picks seem to stray from the progressive ideals of his campaign, many see them as an attempt to create an effective “team of experts.” His new plan to not immediately increase taxes for the wealthy seems logical as the new administration looks for any option that will help reboot the economy. Also encouraging is Obama’s newest plan for the war in Iraq. Obama told reporters Monday in Chicago that he still thinks 16 months is the "right time frame" for removing U.S. combat troops from the country. (2) While still planning to remove troops from Iraq, 16 months will allow the Iraqi government to make the transition gradually and hopefully most effectively. Obama has also considered moving troops to Afghanistan, rather than bringing them home. "To the American public, Afghanistan is the good war, and it's going badly. Iraq is the bad war, and it's going fairly well," CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider said. (2)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/04/poll.troops/index.html
From early on; Obama said he would choose members from both parties in his key selections. He has done just that; which in turn, as of this morning has given him a 79% approval rating by those polled by CNN (1). One reason may be that, "Bush came in promising to be a uniter, not a divider. That's a promise Bush failed to deliver -- as he himself acknowledged last week in an interview with ABC News when he said that one of his big disappointments is that the tone in Washington got worse rather than better," Schneider said. "Nearly 80 percent describe Obama as a uniter. So far, so good." (1). Right now, the American public seems to have more faith in Obama and his promise for change, because currently Bush only holds about a 28% approval rate (1).
One Republican appointed to Obama's cabinet is Defense Secretary Robert Gates (2). It is said he will stay in the Cabinet for at least another year. I think this is a good choice - because he understands the decisions that were made by the Bush administration. I think change is needed, but to change, we need to know how we can effectively change Iraq - and the best way to do that is with those who understand it best. Obama commented that he made his decision not based on his party; but because he will serve the interests of the people best (2).However, he is not the only Republican - John Podesta, co-chairman of the transition team, has said there will be "multiple Republicans" in the incoming administration (2). I think Obama is doing his best to create a Cabinet that will not all be "YES" men and women. He picked another opinionated person for secretary of Veteran Affairs--retired Army Gen. Eric Shinseki (3). "No one will ever doubt that this former Army chief of staff has the courage to stand up for our troops and our veterans. No one will ever question whether he will fight hard enough to make sure they have the support they need," Obama added (3). Again, Obama made a choice that serves the best interest of the people -- and not always his own interest. I think in the end Obama will have a diverse cabinet that will represent the needs of all people.
(1) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/09/Obama.poll/index.html
(2) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/index.html
(3)http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/07/obama.shinseki/index.html
Barack Obama has begun to make his selections for his cabinet during his presidency. He is pursuing a cabinet that is diverse, but generally centrist in its views. Obama is working to please those to whom he pledged a diverse executive, in terms of race and in terms of political ideologies (2). Of the announcements he has made so far, only two of the selections have been white men: Timothy Geithner for Treasury, and Republican Robert Gates at Defense (2). Three of Obama’s selections have been women: Janet Napolitano for homeland security, Susan Rice as United Nations ambassador, and Hillary Rodham Clinton for State. Two of his selections are African-American, and Susan Rice and Attourney General nominee Eric Holder. One of his selections is Hispanic: Bill Richardson for Commerce Secretary (2). Almost half of Obama’s 28 appointees have been women, and almost one third of the appointees have been a racial minority (2).
Obama is also pursuing a cabinet that is more centrist than is leftist. A December 2 USA Today column was headlined "Left behind: Obama's centrist Cabinet picks must have Democratic ideologues wondering what happened to the change they can believe in.", and conservative Jonah Goldberg wrote that Obama’s Cabinet picks have dismayed his followers on the left (1). In a December 3 Politico article headlined "Obama enemies are cheering," writer Jonathan Martin reported that Republicans are "heaping praise on Obama's national security and economic teams" because of their tendencies towards the center.
I agree with Obama’s picks for the cabinet. First of all, two-thirds of his picks have advanced degrees, and I find that intelligence should supersede race in his decision making process (1). But I also appreciate the fact that Obama has reached out to those who haven’t typically been reached out too for selections to the cabinet. It is refreshing to see a group of people who better reflect our country better in terms of race and sex than ever before (1). Obama has been doing an amazing job making sure that no group doesn’t feel overlooked, but Hispanics, gays, and Asian Americans want more representation none the less (2). I personally trust that Obama is selecting people that are qualified in terms of both competence and diversity.
One of Obama’s selections for the cabinet was Susan Rice as our United Nations Ambassador. I consider this pick very important because I consider international relations a very pertinent issue for America in the coming years. Rice was the former US assistant secretary of state on African affairs during the Clinton Administration (3). She has also been a strong advocate of military action to confront the genocide in Darfur (3). Rice called Obama’s election a signal to the world that America is on “the pack to chance” and must meet his new challenges (3). Rice’s goals are "To prevent conflict, to promote peace, combat terrorism, prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons, tackle climate change, end genocide, fight poverty and disease," I support Rice as the nominee because I appreciate her aggressive personality and willingness to defend United States positions at the United Nations. I also think that Rice is an amazingly hard-working woman with an extremely solid background in the fields of government.
1. http://mediamatters.org/items/200812030015?f=h_popular
2. http://www.startribune.com/politics/35512379.html?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU
3. http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-12-08-voa20.cfm
President-elect Barack Obama has been gradually filling high-level cabinet positions within his administration. According to a poll by Boston.com, 75% of the public approves of his choices for cabinet members as a group (2). Obama’s choice of Senator Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State and his decision to keep Robert Gates as the Defense Secretary demonstrates his willingness to keep certain Washington insiders as part of him main staff (1). Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State could represent Obama effectively in the international community. 57% of people believe she would represent Obama’s diplomatic policies while in foreign countries, rather than her own policies (1). Clinton has considerable experience in the realm of foreign policy given her lengthy residence in the White House (5). Her strategy is more militant than Obama’s; one article cited that Clinton once said the United States could “totally obliterate” Iran if that country performed a nuclear strike against Israel (5). Clinton has policy and rhetoric similar to that of the Republican party, which suggests that many Republicans will support Obama’s choice of Clinton for Secretary of State (3).
The picks demonstrate Obama’s willingness to work within both political parties; Robert Gates was appointed two years ago by Bush as the Defense Secretary (3). His choice of retired General Eric Shinseki can be seen as a commitment to his campaign promise to bring change; Shinseki is known widely around Washington for being a ‘truth-teller’ and for speaking out against Iraq war policies (4). Obama has also attempted to bridge gaps and solidify the Democratic party; his nomination of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State and of Governor Bill Richardson, both of whom ran against him in the Democratic primaries, demonstrates that he is willing to work with the competition (6). Speculation that Obama will choose Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger as energy secretary also shows that Obama is willing to work across party lines and choose cabinet members based on criteria other than simply partisan politics (6).
I agree with Obama’s choices for cabinet members. Unlike Bush’s cabinet, they represent a mix of liberal and conservative views that I believe America needs at this point in history (1). 88% of Americans believe his cabinet members will work well with one another, despite the fact that the cabinet contains former rivals and competitors (1). Hillary Clinton was an excellent choice for Secretary of State; her diplomatic experience and popularity within the international community will be an invaluable resource to Obama, who has little experience of his own (3). I do not believe that any certain constituencies have been overlooked; Obama has a nice mix of liberals and conservatives and has represented several minorities within his cabinet (4, 5, 6).
1. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html
2. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/12/obama_cabinet_p.html
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/omid-memarian/selecting-hilary-clinton_b_149303.html
4. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.shinseki/
5. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/04/clinton.analysis/
6. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/08/obama.cabinet/?iref=hpmostpop
OK so i just noticed that my last sentence was not copied so it looks like i actually believe in the onion...
Even though they have not verbally attacked each other such as in this way, they have expressed some differences they have, especially in foreign policy, so I would greatly like to see how they will work together.
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