Advice to Barack Obama: Look to the GOP to fill some key jobs

The resumes probably already are streaming Barack Obama's way. And as he dives into the process of staffing his administration, he'll be getting plenty of public and private recommendations, starting today.

Even before the first vote counts were released Tuesday night, however, the New Republic's John Judis was on the record with a piece (smartly headlined "Cabinet Making") offering provocative suggestions for the president-elect.

Here's is the key point Judis makes:

In making Cabinet choices, Obama has to realize that he faces some issues where he will need bipartisan support -- not from every Republican, but at least the moderates and independents.

These issues include the conduct of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (where the opposition will be ready to criticize him for abandoning Iraq, negotiating with terrorists, or not supporting our troops), as well as global warming and national health insurance (where powerful lobbies will attempt to divide the Democrats and mobilize the Republicans against his initiatives).

He should choose his Cabinet appointments accordingly.

Judis endorses the view many have previously expressed that Bob Gates should remain at the helm of the Defense Department. And then he gets interesting.

For a high-ranking environmental post, he floats the names of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine.

His "perfect choice" to spearhead the push for a revised health insurance system: Mitt Romney.

Judis concedes that's a highly unlikely prospect. But it certainly is one worth contemplating, as are the two Democrats he promotes for attorney general.

-- Don Frederick

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Heal the Nation]

Candidates should be judged by their actions, not their words. In Obama's case, all we had were words. One can hope he'll keep his promises to bring America together. That will require that he, like Governor Schwarzenegger, appoint persons from the opposite political party to high positions in his Administration. If Obama doesn't, he'll be proven a liar. We hope he's not.

[Ol' Whip]

I don't agree with Ah'nold or Mitt but I wouldn't mind seeing Colin Powell back as Secretary of State.

[nick]

he should NOT pick any person who insulted his dignity,
and that Includes arnold.

[Frank Stein]

Don't even think of putting a Republican in any job higher than dog catcher. This wasn't a normal election leading to bipartisan readiness to tackle the nation's challenges. This was a repudiation of 8 years of Republican take no prisoners, we will lie to start stupid wars, we will avoid our regulatory jobs so our friends get rich and the economy tanks, so jobs are exported and people lose their homes. In order to ensure Republicans never think of this behavior again it is time for scorched earth. Start by firing every Republican appointed federal prosecutor. Continue through every single government post, fire them all on day one. Next investigate the supreme court's unconstitutional intervention in the first Bush election. They entered that fray without constitutional authority and yet call themselves strict constructionists. Indite the justices who were involved. Next, take the top twenty Iraq planners and send the to the Hague for war crimes trials (won't that get their attention). After all we invaded a sovereign county for no reason at all, other than we didn't like them. Go to jail. Next, begin a National apology process to all the soldiers we used up in that dumb war and as part of it, strip the presidency of any ability to begin a war without a specific declaration of war from congress. Next, take the guys who invented "swaps" and just through them in the slammer, not club fed, feed them to the sharks. Next investigate Florida, a real what exactly happened in 2000 RICO investigation and when it demonstrates the fraud go after all the beneficiares. Next investigate and prosecute every Republican who so much as parked illegally. Scorched earth.

[David Theiss]

Mr. Stein says it best.

[Ralph L. Seifer]

Yes, definitely, on Robert Gates at Defense. Also, yes on Mike Mullen. For Treasury Secretary, how about someone who exhibits great expertise and poise, Sheila Bair?? Ralph L. Seifer, Long Beach, California

[Sheila Campion]

How about Mr. William Weld for HHS? Successful governor of Mass. Endorsed Obama. Good bipartisan credentials.

[Ann]

I agree that some members of the GOP need to be included in Obama's Cabinet. However, Arnold is not a good choice. He already blew it in California.

[Matthew Woodman]

Why not Chris Shays for an envrionmental post? He has a solid envrionmental record, and appointing a Republican who was swept out of office in the wake of Obama's election would go a long way toward mending the fences.

[Ann]

I agree that some members of the GOP need to be included in Obama's Cabinet. However, Arnold is not a good choice. He already blew it in California.

[anandine]

Republicans should be individually sorted into:
--war criminals, who should go to jail
--neocon enablers, who should be banished from the common discourse
--non-neocons, non-criminals, who should be treated as honorable opposition
--good guys, who can be welcomed into the tent.

I'll leave it to Obama to judge who is which, as long as he realizes there are some of each in the Republican party.

[Voig Nederlander]

"Heal the Nation's" post raises an interesting point. Candidates SHOULD be judged by their actions and not their words. That the country is so disillusioned by McCain's actions that it is willing to offer the opportunity to Obama instead says volumes about what we think of McCain's actions.

[Anthony]

I nominate Andrew Malcolm to be Press Secretary.

[jad]

Republicans filling the cabinet? Why not? Maybe even more efficiently, just concede the election to the Republicans. That's the surest way of guaranteeing that all cabinet posts are filled by right-wing Reps.

[Skyler]

There's no way Obama is going to be able to satisfy the moderate independents who voted for him, and also satisfy the crazy Move-on.org whacko's who are his core support.

[Lou T.]

Frank Stein, about 48 hours ago, I completely agreed with you. But now that Obama is president, let's take a step as a country to unite. We've been divided long enough, and where did that get us? Yes, 48 hours ago I too wanted to punish Republicans, mop the floor with them, make them feel like I have for the last 8 years, and I wanted to rub it in their faces, but now my thirst for revenge on Republicans has turned to pity. They detroyed their party, and wounded the country in the process, let's not do the same. Let's use this moment to rebuild the country, all of us, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.

[Chris]

Some of the posters here with their extremist views of all Republicans are as warped and ridiculous as racist, terrorist etc etc.

[Chris]

Some of the posters here with their extremist views of all Republicans are as warped and ridiculous as racist, terrorist etc etc.