The Kerry Cabinet ....

[Trajan]

President John Kerry ...

Vice President John Edwards ...

Secretary of State Albert Gore ...

Secretary of Defense Wesley Clark ...

Secretary of the Interior Dennis Kucinich ...

Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin ....

Secretary of Labor Richard Gephardt ...

Secretary of HHS Carol Mosley Braun ...

--------------------

Hmmmmmmmm ? ... not bad for a napkin sketch ...

[Padraig18]

1. How about Sec. of HHS Dr, Howard Dean?

If we're going to actually deliver some manner of universal health care to America in President Kerry's 1st term, who better to head up that effort than someone who has had experience in doing so already? Nothing against Carol, who I love, I'm just sayin'... :)

[Trajan]

14. I like that idea ...

Dean IS 'The Doctor', after all ...

[hippiechick]

2. Howard Dean for HHS ....

Kucinich for Labor Secretary

Clark for Veep

Edwards for AG


:hippie:

[Trajan]

15. I thought Gephardt a natural choice for Labor ..

Given his predeliction for Labor issues over the decades ...

I wouldnt complain about Wes as VP ... He is an FDR Democrat, according to his policies ...

And yes indeed: .. Edwards backround in Law would suit an AG position quite nicely ...

Think of it: .. an AG with a heart ...

What a concept ! ...

[progressiveBadger]

3. If Gore is in there...

I think he should be Sec of Interior. Anyone ever read "Earth in the Balance"?

[Trajan]

16. While Gore is well known for His environmental acumen ...

He is also known for His foreign policy experience ...

I also like Holbrooke as SoS .... both would be a great choice ...

Heck: .. Even Wes might fit the bill for SoS, given his expereince in international dimplomatic circles ...

[RoadRunner]

18. HI nosferatu, Welcome to DU!

Glad ya' found us! :hi:

[sangh0]

20. I saw make Gore the head of the Dept of Energy

.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi nosferatu!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Paradise]

37. Hi, Welcome! n/t

[KC21304]

4. Clark cannot be Sec. of Defense.

Has to be out of military 10 years.

Clark VP

Richard Holbrooke Sec of State.

[mzmolly]

5. Dean needs to be somewhere. Also I think Graham will get the VP

nod.

Why... Florida and he voted against the war. Kerry will want to even out his position on that.

[Scoopie]

10. I could vote for that ticket

But they really should put Wes somewhere important since it was his cojohnes that brought out the "Dems can be tough on National Security" issue.
National Security Advisor wouldn't be good enough - how 'bout Holbrooke there and Clark as SoS with Graham as VP?

[mzmolly]

24. Well Graham accomplishes that also. He was on the Senate Intelligence Com

among other things.

I would think Clark would be a good Sec of State?

[Hippo_Tron]

32. Chairman of the senate intel committee = bad thing...

Republicans can make it look like he takes partial blame for the intelligence failures.

[mzmolly]

36. Interesting thought. But, it was a bi-partisan committee so?

I don't know if they would want to open that can o worms? Also, if they do Richard Clarke comes up as well?

But, it's food for thought.

[lutherj]

6. Noam Chomsky Ambassador to U.N.

Okay, just wishful thinking.

[mzmolly]

30. I like it!

;)

[cosmokramer]

35. Hell no!

Hell no, hell no, hell no. Give we jews a friggin' break!

[gWbush is Mabus]

7. revise to

Gore EPA
Sec of State Dean (gives him badly needed foreign experience)
CMB - education

[Windy]

8. My picks

President - Kerry
Vice President - Edwards
Secretary of Defense - Wesley Clark
Secretary of State - Bill Clinton (?)
Secretary of the Interior - David Bonior
Secretary of the Treasury - Robert Rubin
Secretary of Health and Human Services - Howard Dean
Secretary of Labor - Richard Gephardt
Secretary of Energy - Jennifer Granholm (I'm from the Detroit area...good idea to have a Michigan official fill this post to get the auto workers and maybe (and its a big maybe) the CEO's of the auto industry behind the administration...and she's quite talented. I'd had to lose her as governor though)
Secretary of Transportation - Suggestions? Someone that would work well with homeland security...

Just my thoughts. Comments?
Secretary of Homeland Security - Gary Hart

[Windy]

11. As clark can't serve ( I forgot he's not been out long enough)

I would go with Max Cleland...or don't slam or flame me here.....
John McCain

[Zynx]

27. I endorse this list. That would be one hell of a cabinet.

[Scoopie]

9. How bout that Clark

cannot serve as Secretary of Defense since he hasn't been out of the military for more than 10 years.
Man...

Wes Clark - VP
Dick Holbrooke - SoS
Max Cleland - Def. Sec.
Dave Freudenthal - Interior
Robert Rubin - Treasury
Richard Gephardt - Labor
Bob Graham - National Security Director


Dean should be the new DNC Chair since he's fantastic at fundraising, bringing new people into the party and rabel-rousing. Edwards should stay a senator in the South since we're losing so many.

[Padraig18]

12. Edwards is not running for re-election.

This is the last year of his term.

[mr715]

13. My input

VP - Clark(?)

Sec of State - Bill Clinton

Sec of Treasury - Robert Rubin, Paul Krugman, Robert Reich

Sec of Defense - Max Cleland, Bob Kerrey

Attorney General - John Edwards

Sec of Interior - Al Gore

Sec of Labor - Richard Gephardt

Sec of Commerce - Olympia Snowe

Sec of HHS - Howard Dean

Sec of HUD - Al Sharpton

Sec of Transportation - n/a

Sec of Energy - David Bonior

EPA Admin. - Dennis Kucinich

[Trajan]

17. Given Kerrey's 'rehabilitation' this week ...

... during the 911 hearings, he may just fit the bill at DoD ... He was 'disgraced' somewhat a few years ago for some of his actions in Vietnam ... but he certainly looked prescient about US terrorism ...

I dont think Gore would accept a lower level portfolio like EPA .. yes: its up his alley, but he is also well versed in international diplomacy: a field we REALLY need to work hard on when the arse-in-chief is led back to Texas ....

Snowe ? ... Isnt she a ? ... ehem ... You know ...

I like your other selections as well ..

[mr715]

23. Yup

Yeah, Senator Snowe is a nominal you know. But she is more a democrat than Lieberman and Bayd, Breaux and Miller.

I say give her a nice job with some authority, but sufficiently less than her role in the Senate GOP caucus.


And Al Gore is the kiss of death. I think he'll do just fine as environmental watchdog . Its what he wants, too. Give him a position where he has authority over something he actually is passionate about. I dont think he has too much passion over other things.

M

[OKNancy]

43. For accuracy

no Snowe is not more liberal than Lieberman ( as much as I can't stand him) Her voting record is exactly the same as Breaux.

[Scoopie]

19. I know that

I'm saying he should have stayed there.

[Scoopie]

21. Wanted to add:

Hillary Clinton - Attorney General
Tom Harken - HHS

[mikehiggins]

22. Hillary will not be playing second fiddle anymore, or even in the

orchestra. She will stay in the Senate until/unless the time is right for her to run for the White House. Taking a position of working for someone else is past. As an elected official, she has power and position in her own right, not dependent on the whim or political necessities of an incumbent administration.

And from what I've seen of John Kerry over the years, he isn't IMHO at all averse to cutting people loose when it comes down to a question of him or them. Let Senator Clinton stay where she is until the time comes for the next President Clinton.

[sangh0]

25. Ridiculous. Clinton is ALREADY playing 2nd fiddle to Schumer

Clinton is the JUNIOR Senator from NY

[Finch]

28. Posted this before by I'll try and be comprehensive...

President: John F Kerry

Vice President: John Edwards

Sectary of State: Richard Holbrooke

Why: Exact reasons you’ve already stated plenty of experience, he would have the gravitas that would be need, has a history of supporting multilateralism but is also an exponent of America having a specific role in the world in terms of promoting democracy and challenging undemocratic and repressive regimes.

Sectary of Defence: Bob Graham

Why: Large amount of experience in Washington especially with matters pertaining to defence as he has been for some time a senior member of the senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He’s also a moderate and a hawk who despite this opposed the war on Iraq from the outset.

Sectary of Homeland Security: Gary Hart

Why: Would have been a good pick for SofS, however it is in the area of national security and the prevention of terrorism that he has been most active since leaving politics in 1988, having been actively involved with national security and international policy think tanks -- writing extensively and passionately on those topics. He also served on the US Commission on National Security, which had endorsed creation of a homeland security agency before the 9-11 attacks. He would bring a wealth of knowledge to the post and would be a competent reliable sectary of homeland security.

Sectary of Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland

Why: Because its right…any others reasons?...well he’s a moderate, a veteran and his record on social security (the area which arguably most effects vets) he has consistently supported the rights of older citizens and added to this he has always defended the rights of serving troops.

Sectary of Commerce: Robert Reich

Why: Plenty of experience under Clinton. Populist leanings on economic issues especially protectionism, remember that he left the Clinton Administration in 1998 over Clinton’s swing to the right, so a cabinet member with principles and an early backer of Kerry.

Sectary of Education: John Breaux

Why: Now this will seem unpopular, but if you look at his voting record on eduction…

Voted YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts. (Mar 2000)
Voted NO on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules. (Mar 1999)
Voted YES on education savings accounts. (Jun 1998)
Voted YES on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)
Voted NO on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
Voted NO on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)
Voted YES on national education standards. (Feb 1994)
Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice. (Aug 2000)
Three R’s: $35B for Reinvestment, Reinvention, Responsibility. (Jan 2001)

…added to this he is a moderate would get confirmed by the senate in a heartbeat and would make a high profile education sec and as a result raise the prominence of the area nationally…

Sectary of Health and Human Services: Jeanne Shaheen

Why: Plenty to boast about in the area when she was gov in NH… and added to this she is a moderate and would be confirmed by congress…

Sectary of Housing and Urban Development: Jennifer Mann

Sectary of Labour:? 2005-06, after that Tom Vilsack

Sectary of the Treasury: Robert Rubin

Why: Clinton’s economic chief, excellent record with the deficit heading to be even worse than it was in 1992 he’s the best man for the job…

Sectary of Transportation: Michael Coleman

Sectary of Environment: John Kitzhaber

Why: Great record when he was gov in OR, a big proponent of renewable energy and with experience of building bipartisan coalitions over certain issues especially ones pertaining to the environment. In addition his folksy manner is great almost Bush like and would make him a very likeable and affable national figure while not brash or uncouth.

Attorney General: John Conyers

Why: Conyers has fought long and hard for the solidification of civil rights on Capitol Hill, while gaining the admiration and respect of Democrats and Republicans alike. He has been a forerunner in bringing public attention to the necessity of election reform. Along with Connecticut senator Christopher Dodd, he co-authored the Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act of 2001, which outlines equal protection standards for voting rights and methods in federal, state, and local jurisdictions, and supports those standards with a grant program and a voting rights commission to prevent disenfranchisement in regard to ballots and voting procedures. He has been a major force in legislative efforts in many different areas including terrorism and immigration both important contemporary issues that as AG he would have to tackle.

National Security Adviser: James Rubin



And that’s my rather long winded analysis….

[leyton]

38. Nice analysis.

I don't really know who most of these people are - most people just toss names on a list and I'm like, who?

In the event that Edwards is not VP, I think he should be AG, maybe if just for political reasons. We need to keep this guy in office so that he can one day run for governor of North Carolina, or President again. Although I'm not so sure that he's qualified to be AG, since his brilliance as a lawyer seems to be more based on the ability to absorb medical information and talk to juries. There are probably other lawyers in Congress who would be better suited for the AGship, and perhaps more confirmable than a trial lawyer.

[NewJerseyDem]

29. Some ideas

State: Richard Holbrooke
Defense: Sam Nunn
Treasury: Jon Corzine
AG: Thurbert Baker (Georgia AG, pretty conservative though)
Homeland Security: Gary Hart
HUD: Virginia Fields (Manhattan borough president)
Commerce: Aida Alvarez (former head of Small Business Administration)
Agriculture: Charlie Stenholm (if he loses his reelection run)
HHS: Carol Moseley Braun
Interior: Rob Simmons (republican congressman from CT)
Veterans' Affairs: Max Cleland
Education: Inez Tenenbaum (if she loses run for senate in SC)
Labor: Robert Reich
Energy: Hilda Solis (california congresswoman)
Transportation: Juanita Millender-McDonald (california congresswoman)

[mndemocrat_29]

31. Here's my Cabinet

President John Kerry
Vice President Mary Landrieu
Secretary of State Wesley Clark
Secretary of Defense Max Cleland
Secretary of Treasury William Daley
Attorney General John Edwards
Secretary of Interior Gary Locke
Secretary of Labor Dick Gephardt
Secretary of HUD John Kitzhaber
Secretary of Commerce Jean Shaheen
Secretary of Education Bob Graham
Secretary of HHS Carol Moseley Braun
Secretary of Agriculture David Minge
Secretary of Transportation Connie Morella
Secretary of Energy Judi Dutcher
Seceretary of Veterans Affairs Bob Kerrey
Secretary of Homeland Security Gary Hart

Doesn't that look like a group of great people to lead the country?

[SheilaT]

33. To think that most of the cabinet

would be drawn from his rivals for the nomination is naive and silly.

[cosmokramer]

34. Edwards will not be VP. NON-legislator for that slot--guaranteed.

Here goes:

VP: Richardson or Clark, or definitely a non-Senator

Sec of State: Richard Holbrooke or Clark

Sec of Def: ???

Attorney General: Elliot Spitzer

Sec of Labor: Gephardt (there is no one more qualified than he)

Sec of the Treasury: Rubin

Homeland Security: Bob Graham

[Finch]

42. I don't get why Gephardt is so qulaified...

... yes he has defended the right and interests of Unions all his life but in a legislative capacity... after such a history and with such emotional ties would he be a fair choice to have as Sec of Labor?... I really don't think so the Likes of Robert Reich (Clinton's sec of labor) or someone less firmly tied to the Union movement would be better... don't get me wrong i am very pro-union... but I don't see being pro trades union as a qualification for being sectary of state for labour...

Elliot Spitzer would be good as AG... but he will run for Gov in NY in 2006, IMHO congressman John Conyers is a better choice much more experience in the right areas and he would be the first black AG... if not AG Conyers should be the first appointed to the supreme court, chief justice if it comes up...ahh now that would be sweet...

Bob Graham yeah he'd be very good at Homeland Security however as Clark can't by law serve in the cabinet (or so I've heard) Graham should be at defense and Gary Hart who is possibly one of the biggest experts on the issue of national security and counter terrorism in the country...

Sectary of State Richard Holbrooke yeah I'll agree with you there...

as for VP i increasingly think it has to be Edwards...so what if he's a senator, we wont lose a senate seat because he's VP, he has proven appeal in state in the "steel belt" and the Midwest as well as the south (which will help us in the senate) and he's great on TV... Clark would not be a good choice for VP, he needs to make a run for AK Gov IMHO that would be great... IMHO his shot for the presidency has gone and he should do some lobbying and then take on Huckabee... that would be sweat...then perhaps he would have another shot at the presidency i just don't think he addresses the weaknesses of Kerry as a candidate... and I did support him in the primaries for a very long time... but then again i always said if Clark won the nomination he would need a very experienced moderate senator preferably from the south as his running mate to add gravitas and reassure voters that he was a moderate so that leaves you Sn. Breaux and Sn.Graham and much as many on the board disliked the idea i think Breaux would have been Clark's best runningmat... as Mississippi river strategy from St. Paul to Baton Rouge we could have swept the "big river" states IMHO with such as ticket... but that will never be now... and back to my original post Edwards is the strongest choice for VP...and after him (in no particular order), Evan Bayh, Mary Landrieu, Bill Nelson, Mark Warner and Bob Graham...

So thats my two cents...

[cosmokramer]

45. I completely disagree with you about the VP slot.

Richardson is the obvious choice. Edwards doesn't add a damn thing to the ticket. Kerry is losing badly to Bush in all the polls challenging Nat Sec/FP/Diplomacy issue--the last I saw, by 21%. That is HUGE. Edwards gives him NOTHING in this area, which is the only place he is losing against Bush. The GOP will make this their big issue, I promise. Guess where Cheney appeared in my city yesterday? An Air Force base. Also, Kerry's own team said they would choose someone who was not a legislator only, and said they would choose a running mate WITH FP/Dip/NatSec experience.

I am in Ohio, and Clark had the best ground organization, and packed crowds and fundraisers. He and Dean are the only candidates that filled all 91 delegate slots. Edwards got 22 delegates to APPLY statewide. Clark and Dean each had over 500 (and Clark actually had slightly more than Dean). Ohio is important this year, and Kerry is the one who was sending Clark to Ohio to speak on his behalf last week, not Edwards, not Bayh, not anyone else. Clark.) The southwest is also important. Arizona, with Clark on the ticket, is winnable from the GOP. Clark was huge there, and Richardson could also swing it. NM would be a lock for a Kerry/Clark or Kerry/Richardson ticket--it wouldn't even be close (as it was in 2000). Arkansas, with Big Dog helping, would be winnable (Ark is more winnable with Clark on the ticket than NC would be with Edwards on the ticket). Factor in WV, and quite possibly, Tennessee (Clark pulled 25% there, Edwards 27%--Many Clark supporters went to Kerry at that time, thus increasing Kerry 'momentum' portion--still, 25% is enormous core support). But, we only need Ohio and the Blues we had before. Edwards doesn't support that, or make that as strong of a possibility (Ohio being a very heavy military/veteran state--FYI the State VFW Judge Advocate actually endorsed Clark and endorsing someone is something the VFW Staff only rarely, rarely will do).

I am somewhat disappointed to again read that General Clark needs to somehow pass a litmus test by being a Governor first. It is really condecending. The man was Commander in Chief of the European Command and the South Command. He was Supreme Allied Commander. No, he didn't get elected to those positions on faith of the voters, he did it in a much more difficult fashion: He EARNED the positions with years of hard work and study and growth. He has been a public servant of this country for 38 years, and to say he should seek lower office first is to degrade the time he spent in sacrifice for this country. I do not wish to start a spitting contest with you, but I did want to let you know I find that view offensive.

Gephardt is ideal for Labor Sec if only for one reason: The unions are absolutely IN LOVE with him. And Gep is no dummy. I saw him three weeks ago at a union rally (stumping a little for Kerry), and the men and women there were shedding tears for him. The union brothers and sisters adore him. The only reason Dean got any of the union endorsements he did was because they thought they were picking a winner...it had little to do with actual policy. The guys on the ground were pissed off about it as they wanted Gep. The union love affair with Gep is long--that alone makes him the clear choice for Labor Sec.

BTW, Clark just can't be Sec of Def, he can serve in any other cabinent position, however.

[citizen snips]

39. Nice VP pick.

n/t

[Crunchy Frog]

40. Thank you very much

for reccomending Wes Clark for a position which he is legally prohibited from serving in. Since we're doing that, I reccomend Arianna Huffington for the VP spot. I would definitely support that ticket, I think she's great.

[terrya]

41. Get rid of Tenet at CIA. Former Fla Senator Bob Graham to replace Tenet.

[elperromagico]

44. Kucinich for Department of Education

[cosmokramer]

46. Excellent!