Opinion of the Obama Cabinet so far...

[The Mikado]

One of the best teams of public servants assembled, so far.  Obama's vetting process has observers blown away.  He has not fallen into the trap of elevating token picks to cheer up constituencies, but picked tough, smart, capable people for each job so far.  Hillary Clinton will be a great Secretary of State (if that happens). Eric Holder is a safe pair of hands for Justice, which, given the insane mess there, is exactly what is needed.   Tom Daschle has an existing power base and clout that will make him a formidable proponent of Obama's healthcare proposals.  Rahm Emmanuel is an ace administrator.

The Obama Administration obviously values competency and showcases one of the basic reasons why I like the Democratic Party.  Republicans will tell you government doesn't work, get elected, place incompetent boobs and horse judges into important positions of power, fill the choose people to administrate a territory during an ongoing war based on their position on Roe, slash funding for vital programs, and create bureaucratic nightmares like the Department of Homeland Security, point to their results, and say, "See?  We told you government doesn't work."  Democrats roll up their sleeves, hire tough, smart, experienced people, and make government work. 

If Obama appoints the head of the International Arabian Horse Association to lead FEMA or tries to put his legal counsel on the Supreme Court, I'll eat my hat.  He's shown himself to be an expert at hiring good people.  I just can't wait to see this bureaucratic Superfriends get to work.

[Matt Damon™]

what if he puts the head of the International Arabian Horse Association on the supreme court?

[MK]

Pretty good so far.

Iam worried that they are letting the Hillary thing turn into a mess if they don't hurry up and make a decision.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'm extremely pleased so far.  Not only does he have diversity, he has competence.  Hopefully, he'll put a Southerner or two in the Cabinet, to balance out the Northeast, Midwest, and West that are already represented.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

It seems thus far that the Obama Administration will be a competent one. Thus I voted Freedom Fighters.

Sure Hillary would be a great Secretary of State, I have my doubts. I'm still hoping for either Senator Lugar, Governor Richardson or former Ambassador Holbrooke being appointed, though I have a feeling that I will be massively disappointed.

[Boris]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

[MK]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

Not Kerry.

I liked the ideal of Hagel, but if not then Hillary is ok eventhough I don't trust her.

[Franzl]

quite favorable, and it would be even better with Hillary.

[MK]

quite favorable, and it would be even better with Hillary.

Are you giving up on Hillary being picked?

[AndrewTX]

It was leaning FF, but when he tapped Daschle, it became a super FF

[Franzl]

quite favorable, and it would be even better with Hillary.

Are you giving up on Hillary being picked?

of course not...merely stating that if she is indeed chosen....that my opinion will be even more favorable.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

I don't really want either one; my top choice is Hagel, followed by Richardson, followed by someone like Nelson of Florida.

[MK]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

I don't really want either one; my top choice is Hagel, followed by Richardson, followed by someone like Nelson of Florida.

Great to see we agree.

[Eraserhead]

Pretty disappointing, honestly. It's essentially a bunch of Clinton people, which isn't exactly great news in my book. We'll see what happens.

[Eraserhead]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

You are not alone, dude.

[Lief 🗽]

I agree strongly with Eraserhead's last two posts.

[HappyWarrior]

Good but it'd be better with Lugar at SOS

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I'd rather have John Kerry than Hillary Clinton at SoS, but I'm probably the only one

You are not alone, dude.

[Nixon in '80]

All this Hillary Clinton for SoS stuff is, in my opinion, primarily the creation of Hillary Clinton. I think Kerry or Richardson are far, far more likely, though I'd personally prefer Hagel, Lugar, or Nunn.

[angus]

The Obama Administration obviously values competency and showcases one of the basic reasons why I like the Democratic Party.  Republicans will tell you government doesn't work, get elected, place incompetent boobs and horse judges into important positions of power, fill the choose people to administrate a territory during an ongoing war based on their position on Roe, slash funding for vital programs, and create bureaucratic nightmares like the Department of Homeland Security, point to their results, and say, "See?  We told you government doesn't work."  Democrats roll up their sleeves, hire tough, smart, experienced people, and make government work. 

Gotta admire the objectivity in your post.

Well, I think some of his appointments come off as recycled Clinton people, which is often the way it's done.  But after all the talk about change, you'd think he might throw more than an already-chewed bone toward the swing vote that put him over fifty percent rather than giving all the appointments to predictable aparatchiks as is usually done.  Where's the "Hope?"  Where's the "Change?"

[The Populist]

So far, I'm very pleased with the Cabinet.  I think Hillary would make a great SoS, but I hope Obama replaces Gates at DoD.

[Beet]

The Obama Administration obviously values competency and showcases one of the basic reasons why I like the Democratic Party.  Republicans will tell you government doesn't work, get elected, place incompetent boobs and horse judges into important positions of power, fill the choose people to administrate a territory during an ongoing war based on their position on Roe, slash funding for vital programs, and create bureaucratic nightmares like the Department of Homeland Security, point to their results, and say, "See?  We told you government doesn't work."  Democrats roll up their sleeves, hire tough, smart, experienced people, and make government work. 

Gotta admire the objectivity in your post.

Well, I think some of his appointments come off as recycled Clinton people, which is often the way it's done.  But after all the talk about change, you'd think he might throw more than an already-chewed bone toward the swing vote that put him over fifty percent rather than giving all the appointments to predictable aparatchiks as is usually done.  Where's the "Hope?"  Where's the "Change?"

lol angus. That was just a slogan to distinguish himself from Hillary and make it seem like he wasn't running mostly due to personal ambition. He couldn't exactly run on "experience" or "record" or name recognition, so what's left.

In any case, being a "Washington outsider" is overrated. It doesn't make you more pure... you just seem more pure. But they all get entrapped in the end. Either that or they aren't effective. Carter, Clinton, and Bush all initially came in as Washington outsiders, and all stumbled.

If you're still hoping for purity in your politicians, you'll continue to be disappointed. And the sad thing is, most Americans are. Every political cycle it's the exact same. I think the problem is that Americans are too generous, we tend to give unknowns the benefit of the doubt. If they haven't done something wrong that we disagree with, we assume they'll never do anything we disagree with. And then when they inevitably do, we are disappointed. That is why Presidential approvals tend to decline with time. Even Abraham Lincoln, mostly rated by historians as our best President, said one thing in Illinois and something entirely different in South Carolina, as Richard Hofstader has pointed out. Effectiveness is the best we can hope for.

[angus]

How very naïve of me.

Well, I'll stipulate that Robert Gates should stay.  That's my one exception to the "change" rule.  Otherwise, I'd like to see lots of new faces. 

Daschle was a major disappointment, imho, and the more I read about Holder the less I like him.  Then again, I didn't much care for Ashcroft either.  I guess you're right, Beef.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

All this Hillary Clinton for SoS stuff is, in my opinion, primarily the creation of Hillary Clinton. I think Kerry or Richardson are far, far more likely, though I'd personally prefer Hagel, Lugar, or Nunn.

Hagel, Lugar or Nunn would be excellent, though I hear Lugar has said he wants to stay in the Senate.

[opebo]

Even for a cynic like me, this Cabinet is shockingly bad.