Joe Biden cabinet speculation megathread

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

This might open up a potentially competative senate race.

In Delaware?

If it could happen in Massachusetts it could happen anywhere.

Outlier election is an outlier election. Is Alabama going to start voting for Democrats now because Doug Jones won in 2017?

Coakley was never a Roy Moore-tier candidate and trends are relevant to MA's current level of partisanship as lfromnj has gone into. I'll go further, though; I don't think one could fully count out MA flipping in a regular election if Baker was the Republican nominee, the Democratic candidate was weak and the national environment was red enough.

[Pro-Israel, anti-Bibi]

It will probably be Susan Rice or Samantha Power, but I think Pete Buttigieg might be in consideration for SoS or some other Cabinet position.

What makes Buttigieg qualified to be Secretary of State? I can see him in a lower position maybe but that's an important job. It should go to a Senator or someone with significant foreign policy experience. Not the former mayor of the fourth largest city in Indiana.

[Theodore]

Samantha Power or Caroline Kennedy

[WalterMitty]

christopher hill.  (obviously)

[brucejoel99]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

[ProgressiveModerate]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

What would happen if Jones actually does win re-election though. Obviously, the chnace of the happenning is very small at this point, but that would kind of suck to have 1 less vote in the senate to work with.

[brucejoel99]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

What would happen if Jones actually does win re-election though. Obviously, the chnace of the happenning is very small at this point, but that would kind of suck to have 1 less vote in the senate to work with.

In the event that he's actually re-elected, then the transition team goes back to the drawing board & probably comes up with somebody like Yates. They're not sacrificing a 6-year term in an Alabama Senate seat.

[Blair]

I assume it will be Rice if they get a Senate Majority & then someone like Murphy/Power/Coons if they don't.

I actually think Murphy would be an amazing choice- he's been willing to go out against Saudi Arabia when members of the Obama team were supporting them & he'd send a bold message (while also giving himself a good step up for 2024/28)

Sen. Bob Menendez could be a good choice. He was the chairman of the Foreign Relations committee (2013-15) and has since been the ranking member. Joe Biden and John Kerry were the two previous Dem chairman of the committee. Hilary Clinton and John Kerry, the past two Dem SoS (both during Biden's time as VP), were both senators. His personal story is a plus (born to working class Cuban immigrants). If Biden wants to make Latin America a key part of his foreign policy (which I hope he does) there's no way Menendez isn't seriously considered.

Honestly there's not a chance in hell of this; Menendez opposed the two big achievements of Obama's foreign policy in both the Iran & Cuba deal.

Beside that he's a machine politician who only won in 2018 because of a favourable environment, a no-hope opponent & iirc because he was given £5 million in TV ads from the DSCC.

I'm not an expert on Latin America policy but I'm sure there's some people out there who would be much stronger than Menendez.

[Orser67]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

A recent axios article mentioned Cuomo, Stacey Abrams, and Sally Yates as possibilities for AG.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

A recent axios article mentioned Cuomo, Stacey Abrams, and Sally Yates as possibilities for AG.

All bad choices to be AG. Doug Jones is the man for the job! (assuming he loses - which is very likely).

[ShadowRocket]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

On the whole, that strikes me as being a pretty decent list. Does anyone know where Lael Brainard stands policy wise? I can't really find too much.  I'm not sure how likely it is, but I'm holding out hope that Biden picks someone with progressive bona fides for Treasury.  Sarah Bloom Raskin or Richard Cordray would be ideal.

[ExSky]

Andrew Yang commerce secretary pls

[brucejoel99]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

On the whole, that strikes me as being a pretty decent list. Does anyone know where Lael Brainard stands policy wise? I can't really find too much.  I'm not sure how likely it is, but I'm holding out hope that Biden picks someone with progressive bona fides for Treasury.  Sarah Bloom Raskin or Richard Cordray would be ideal.

She's mostly a moderate but one who supports progressive policies like the Community Reinvestment Act & reform efforts that would encourage more lending in low- & moderate-income markets.

[ShadowRocket]

Jones is apparently the only name on the list for AG as of rn:

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2020/10/13/bidens-cabinet-490580

On the whole, that strikes me as being a pretty decent list. Does anyone know where Lael Brainard stands policy wise? I can't really find too much.  I'm not sure how likely it is, but I'm holding out hope that Biden picks someone with progressive bona fides for Treasury.  Sarah Bloom Raskin or Richard Cordray would be ideal.

She's mostly a moderate but one who supports progressive policies like the Community Reinvestment Act & reform efforts that would encourage more lending in low- & moderate-income markets.

That's encouraging. The pick not being someone like Jamie Dimon or some other Wall Street executive is pretty much my main litmus test.

[woodley park]

Why not Caroline Kennedy as Secretary of State? She made a great Ambassador to Japan.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Please take Cuomo out of this state and allow it to become even a little more progressive than current

[Blair]

Why not Caroline Kennedy as Secretary of State? She made a great Ambassador to Japan.

Not really experienced enough on the world stage or in Washington for such a big job; there's a world of difference between being a competent ambassador for a friendly ally & being SOS after the last four years.

[Orwell]

I still want Jack Reed at Defense

[Horsemask]

I still want Jack Reed at Defense

I bet he would do a great job, but he doesn't seem interested in leaving the Senate.

[LtNOWIS]

Why not Caroline Kennedy as Secretary of State? She made a great Ambassador to Japan.

Not really experienced enough on the world stage or in Washington for such a big job; there's a world of difference between being a competent ambassador for a friendly ally & being SOS after the last four years.

Hmm. I guess a good "we need a steady hand to fix everything" pick would be Tony Blinken or Susan Rice, as listed in the Politico piece. Blinken would be easier to confirm and wouldn't be hampered in office by an already spun up GOP hate machine. Also if Michele Flournoy is selected as the first female SecDef, the he's already worked with her.

[GoTfan]

Why is everyone dodging Wesley Clark as a potential Defense pick? Has his time just passed or something?

[brucejoel99]

Why is everyone dodging Wesley Clark as a potential Defense pick? Has his time just passed or something?

Perhaps something to do with not wanting a retired general in charge of the DOD (even though he's been retired for 2 decades now) so as to emphasize the principle of civilian control over the military?

[NewYorkExpress]

Why is everyone dodging Wesley Clark as a potential Defense pick? Has his time just passed or something?

Perhaps something to do with not wanting a retired general in charge of the DOD (even though he's been retired for 2 decades now) so as to emphasize the principle of civilian control over the military?

If we're picking retired generals at DOD, I'd rather have McRaven over Clark anyways.

[Orser67]

Yglesias has an article today with some speculation about who is in the mix for different roles. Of the big four:

State: Rice, Anthony Blinken, Bill Burns, Chris Coons, Chris Murphy
Treasury: Brainard, Sarah Bloom Raskin, Raphael Bostic
Defense: Flournoy, possibly Duckworth
AG: Jones, Becerra, Perez, Julian Castro

[Ljube]

Chris Coons is the best candidate for Secretary of State.

Also, Doug Jones is a fantastic candidate for Attorney General.