The Biden Administration

[mythbuster]

I'm starting this separate from the Election feed so we can discuss the Biden picks for Cabinet positions and so on. No one seems to be asking who he will pick for Postmaster General. I think it's one we should all pay attention to. I'm only half joking about that.

More seriously, I think the precarious balance of the Senate may prevent him from plucking some Senators for Cabinet jobs. Tammy Duckworth may not get be the first female Sect. of Defense, because she needs to use her clout in the Senate.

And where will Mayor Pete land? He wants the UN Ambassador Position, I'm not sure he should have it.

[toothpaste]

I'm just so happy to see the title of this thread.

[Cheerful]

Not impressed with Zeke Emmanuel, Rahm's brother, for the COVID Task Force.

A Vice Provost at U-Penn.  He wrote a 2014 article essentially saying life should end at 75.  Plus he's an oncologist, not an epidemiologist.

[Hibush]

I'm especially interested in academics headed for the administration. Those are likely to be subcabinet positions.

One announcement for the transition team is David Skorton for the arts and humanities team. He was president at Iowa and Cornell, then headed the Smithsonian--one of the institutions he'll oversee in the transition. Could there be a subcabinet post for him in that area?

Who else is rumored? I'm more interested in bona-fide academics than politicians from the Obama years who have been camping out as visiting professors or distinguished fellows.

[kaysixteen]

'essentially saying'?   What exactly did he say?

[Parasaurolophus]

And where will Mayor Pete land? He wants the UN Ambassador Position, I'm not sure he should have it.

He definitely shouldn't. He shouldn't have any position, although I know he's owed one for saving Biden's primary bid.

I really, really hope he doesn't appoint Republicans. But I'm also pretty sure he will.

[downer]

Not impressed with Zeke Emmanuel, Rahm's brother, for the COVID Task Force.

A Vice Provost at U-Penn.  He wrote a 2014 article essentially saying life should end at 75.  Plus he's an oncologist, not an epidemiologist.

That's not what he said.

He has been good at public health. He is a fine choice.

[mamselle]

Look to the Yale School on Public Policy (ISPS: https://isps.yale.edu/programs) or the KSG folks (https://www.hks.harvard.edu/) for options in policy and administration, maybe?

M.

[Cheerful]

Not impressed with Zeke Emmanuel, Rahm's brother, for the COVID Task Force.

A Vice Provost at U-Penn.  He wrote a 2014 article essentially saying life should end at 75.  Plus he's an oncologist, not an epidemiologist.

That's not what he said.
He has been good at public health. He is a fine choice.

??  He said he hopes to die at 75 and offered his dreary views on life after age 75.

What has he done in public health that is good?  Please share.

[Cheerful]

And where will Mayor Pete land? He wants the UN Ambassador Position, I'm not sure he should have it.

He definitely shouldn't. He shouldn't have any position, although I know he's owed one for saving Biden's primary bid.

I really, really hope he doesn't appoint Republicans. But I'm also pretty sure he will.

Why no Mayor Pete for UN Ambassador or any position?  What's wrong with appointing a Republican to the cabinet?

[Parasaurolophus]

Why no Mayor Pete for UN Ambassador or any position?  What's wrong with appointing a Republican to the cabinet?

Because Buttigieg lacks the qualifications, apart from limitless ambition and the willingness to sacrifice anything on that altar. But if he's to get anything, I suppose he'd do the least harm as an ambassador.

As for appointing Republicans to cabinet... where can I even begin? I'm willing to accept that maybe some Republican somewhere might be OK, but you'd have to name them first. The overwhelming bulk of them are (or were) in total thrall to Trump, and even when they aren't, they're horrifically poor choices for the cabinet if Democrats want to be able to act on any of their policy commitments (which, of course, they don't). Let's not forget that it was progressive organizing and voting that pushed Biden over the electoral edge, not virtually nonexistent never-Trumpers. Democrats needs to wise up and stop trying to reach out to Republicans. They get burned every time. Play hardball, like they do.

But also: when was the last time a Republican president appointed a Democrat to his cabinet? I don't doubt someone somewhere and somewhen did, but I'm willing to bet it wasn't either one of the last two Republican failpresidents.

[dismalist]

But also: when was the last time a Republican president appointed a Democrat to his cabinet? I don't doubt someone somewhere and somewhen did, but I'm willing to bet it wasn't either one of the last two Republican failpresidents.

Cabinet, shmabinet: High level cross party appointments are not uncommon in the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_political_appointments_across_party_lines

[Puget]

Let's not forget that it was progressive organizing and voting that pushed Biden over the electoral edge, not virtually nonexistent never-Trumpers. Democrats needs to wise up and stop trying to reach out to Republicans. They get burned every time. Play hardball, like they do.

But also: when was the last time a Republican president appointed a Democrat to his cabinet? I don't doubt someone somewhere and somewhen did, but I'm willing to bet it wasn't either one of the last two Republican failpresidents.

I'd be interested in your data source on this-- everything I've seen so far shows the Biden over-performed Clinton not in the urban cores, but in the suburbs. That is, he won largely by winning people who at least sometimes vote for Republicans.

Remember, unless the stars align just right in Georgia he'll have to work with a Republican Senate. He's not in a position to play hardball. A moderate Republican or two in the cabinet isn't necessarily a bad idea--yes, there still are some--someone who genuinely wants to help with the repair process and can talk to Republicans in a way they may listen to. There is so much damage to be undone-- he needs every bit of cooperation and good will he can get.

There is a long history of this on both sides, including both the Bush II and Obama administrations. Generally they are for technocratic and defense positions that shouldn't be about partisanship in the first place:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_political_appointments_across_party_lines

[mamselle]

Romney deserves to be rewarded for his straight-thinking stance during impeachment, for one.

He was our governor and did no harm....he was mostly off running the Olympics for some of the time, but he seems to be a reasonable person.

If McCain were alive, he'd be another.

And I agree that the potential splits are going to mean that some performed across-the-aisle outreach needs to occur for healing to happen.

M.

[spork]

Most Cabinet positions aren't worth a bucket of spit, like the position of Vice President before and after Cheney. Chief of staff, head of the NSC, etc. are far more indicative of Biden's priorities than HUD Secretary.