Joe Biden cabinet speculation megathread

[brucejoel99]

I might add that we could see a number of Deputy Secretaries under Obama to take over an agency. On Treasury, Sarah Bloom Raskin is an option. If Susan Rice gets trouble with senate confirmation, I could see her return to her old post of National Security Adviser, which doesn't require senate approval, and have Tony Blinken as reserve pick for State. He's advising the Biden campaign already and was number two to John Kerry in the Obama years. He seems close with Bidenworld and with Kerry.

Blinken has apparently been earmarked for National Security Advisor already. If Rice can't get confirmed, I think Kerry returns to Foggy Bottom (as alluded to by the Axios article) before Biden resorts to shuffling around his whole planned foreign policy team.

[Orser67]

Here's a list based on the Axios article and the Politico article:

State: Rice, Kerry, Tony Blinken, or Tom Donilon
AG: Yates
Treasury: Warren, Dimon, or Anne Finucane
Defense: Flournoy
HHS: Bass
Veteran's Affairs: Buttigieg
HUD: Garcetti or Bass
Transportation: Garcetti
Commerce: Tom Nides
UN Ambassador: Buttigieg
USTR: Buttigieg, Tom Nides
Chief of Staff: Ron Klain or Steve Ricchetti
DNI or CIA Director: Tom Donilon
CEA Chair: Jared Bernstein
NSA: Tony Blinken
World Bank: Bloomberg
Counselor: Steve Ricchetti and Mike Donilon
Others mentioned: Michelle Lujan Grisham, Anita Dunn, Cathy Russell, Ted Kaufman

Please keep Garcetti away from Government by any means. I'll take him though as Transportation if he has to have something and keeps him out of the Senate. But he would be a disaster for HUD, much rather have Karen Bass.

Unless he really has his sights set on the Senate, Garcetti is a near-lock for a Cabinet-level post. He's term-limited as mayor, and he endorsed Biden in early January, served on the VP vetting committee, and co-chairs Biden's campaign.

[brucejoel99]

HHS: Bass

Lujan Grisham is also a contender for HHS, if the New Mexico press is anything to go by.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

I could see Warren taking over the Department of Education as well

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

I could see Warren taking over the Department of Education as well

Lol no way she leaves the senate for DOE. That would be a total downgrade. And if someone from congress were to fill the roll, Michael Bennet and Jahana Hayes have more credibility.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Why everyone wants Warren in the cabinet? I think she will be much more useful in the senate. especially now that she is poised to chair the Financial Institutions subcommittee.

[Lief 🗽]

Imagine putting the mayor of LA in charge of either HUD or Transportation. The city has among the worst housing and transportation situations in the country. Hopefully that’s wrong.

[Alcibiades]

Doug Jones as AG would be good, assuming he loses to Tuberville. He and Biden are personal friends, and he has got great civil rights credentials. Plus, there’s a lot of good will in the party towards him after he pulled off his win.

Whoever ends up as AG is going to have to make some big decisions around Trump, and could either end up as a huge hero or huge villain (most likely both to different people).

[tosk]

Doug Jones as AG would be good, assuming he loses to Tuberville. He and Biden are personal friends, and he has got great civil rights credentials. Plus, there’s a lot of good will in the party towards him after he pulled off his win.

Whoever ends up as AG is going to have to make some big decisions around Trump, and could either end up as a huge hero or huge villain (most likely both to different people).

Doug Jones could definitely get bipartisan support for AG and give Biden a solid ally. I'd also expect Preet Bharara's name to get floated for AG, although that's purely speculative.   

[ShadowRocket]

Doug Jones as AG would be good, assuming he loses to Tuberville. He and Biden are personal friends, and he has got great civil rights credentials. Plus, there’s a lot of good will in the party towards him after he pulled off his win.

Whoever ends up as AG is going to have to make some big decisions around Trump, and could either end up as a huge hero or huge villain (most likely both to different people).

Doug Jones could definitely get bipartisan support for AG and give Biden a solid ally. I'd also expect Preet Bharara's name to get floated for AG, although that's purely speculative.   

Agreed on both fronts. Jones, Bharara, and Sally Yates strike me as the front runners for AG.

[Lognog]

Don't know if this has been said here.

But what about:
Donnelley for agriculture
Hietkamp for interior

[Roronoa D. Law]

HHS: Bass

Lujan Grisham is also a contender for HHS, if the New Mexico press is anything to go by.

Any word if they're considering Raul Ruiz.

[MidwestPollster]

Let’s win the election first...

But for the sake of discussion - I’ve been skeptical in previous posts about any prospects of Daschle coming out of the woodwork for a cabinet position. Obviously his appointment was botched by his own personal financial faux pas’ in Obama’s admin. Anyone think he’ll be on the short list this time around?

[Sir Mohamed]

Why should MLG resign a 1st term governorship in a safe seat for a B-tier cabinet assignment? Doesn't make much sense to me.

[brucejoel99]

Why should MLG resign a 1st term governorship in a safe seat for a B-tier cabinet assignment? Doesn't make much sense to me.

She has a background (experience as state health secretary & a good response to COVID) that prepares her well for the position, & being the HHS Secretary who helps bring America back from the brink of COVID certainly seems much more toutable than Governor of New Mexico (which she could still hypothetically lose in a good Biden midterm for the GOP).

Not to mention: when the President asks you to serve, you serve.

[Lincoln Republican]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

LOL no. Mitt Romney will not (and should not) be in a Biden cabinet.

[brucejoel99]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

LOL no. Mitt Romney will not (and should not) be in a Biden cabinet.

Yeah, keep Romney in the Senate so we can have at least 1 reasonable Republican to work with. He's got the power to be a McCain-style maverick who sways the vote our way when we need it most.

(Though I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him nominate a retiring/retired Republican like, say, Will Hurd.)

[Roronoa D. Law]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

I was thinking Dan Crenshaw for Secretary of VA because anything the VA touches becomes ensued in scandals. He won't be able to run for anything afterwards.   

[KaiserDave]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

No

[They not like us]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

Hard pass. I'm sure Biden will name a Republican for Defense or VA but there is a less than 0% chance that he nominates a Republican for State or Treasury.

[WD]

Most Presidents of one party will pick a member from the other party for cabinet.

How about Senator Mitt Romney for State, or possibly Treasury?

Hard pass. I'm sure Biden will name a Republican for Defense or VA but there is a less than 0% chance that he nominates a Republican for State or Treasury.

He should pick McRaven for Defense imo

[Figueira]

Don't know if this has been said here.

But what about:
Donnelley for agriculture
Hietkamp for interior

I liked Heitkamp as a Senator for North Dakota, but she's way too right-wing on environmental issues to be a good Interior Secretary. I'd be disappointed if Biden picked her.

[LtNOWIS]

He should pick McRaven for Defense imo

That would require a congressional waiver; retired military officers have to be out of the military for 7 years before they are eligible to be SecDef. They granted it for Mattis, but many of the members of Congress voting on it said it should be a "once in a generation" thing.

Biden could push it through, and Congress would go along with it with little trouble. But the position is meant for civilians, not career military officers. Civilian control of the military is an important principle to uphold, even moreso when so many Americans have little connection to the military and can be overly deferential to it.

[ExSky]

He should pick McRaven for Defense imo

That would require a congressional waiver; retired military officers have to be out of the military for 7 years before they are eligible to be SecDef. They granted it for Mattis, but many of the members of Congress voting on it said it should be a "once in a generation" thing.

Biden could push it through, and Congress would go along with it with little trouble. But the position is meant for civilians, not career military officers. Civilian control of the military is an important principle to uphold, even moreso when so many Americans have little connection to the military and can be overly deferential to it.

McRaven would be just 6 months short of the 7 year period. I doubt he would meet much resistance for approval. McRaven is a highly qualified and a highly ethical individual who I think would be a great SecDef and help restore the US’s image. Alternatively he could fit somewhere else into Biden’s cabinet. Perhaps National Security Advisor, education secretary given he was the chancellor of a the UT system, or even CIA director. But I think disqualifying someone of his caliber simply based on that principle is highly irresponsible and would be wasting someone of his caliber in service of this country.