Will John McCain be the Republican in Barack Obama's cabinet?

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It's standard fare for a president to make a bipartisan gesture by including one member of the opposing party in his cabinet - just as it's always the case (lest we forget) that every president-elect vows to change the tone in Washington and reach out magnanimously to his vanquished opponents.

But John Podesta, the former Bill Clinton former chief of staff who's spearheading the transition for the 44th president, said today that there would be independents and Republicans in Barack Obama's cabinet and "not just at a token level".

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So who might be the Republicans in Obama's cabinet? There are plenty of names being bandied around and who he picks will be a key early test of whether the new president is serious about bipartisanship or whether it's the usual hot air. Here are some ideas:

1. Robert Gates. Defence Secretary. The Wall Street Journal reports that Obama is leaning towards keeping the Bush appointee on for a year. Traditionally, this is an easy place to have someone from the other party because it's ideologically fairly ring-fenced (Donald Rumsfeld notwithstanding). Apparently (according to Senator Harry Reid) Gates is not a registered Republican, though he's served in several Republican administrations and is of the George H.W. Bush realist school. If Gates is kept on, it's likely to be for a limited period. Richard Danzig is hotly tipped as Pentagon chief and could start out as Gates's deputy.

2. Colin Powell. Defence Secretary or Education Secretary. There's got to be a very good chance Powell gets a job. His artful non-denial denials - classics of the Washington genre - make clear he's gagging to serve again to atone for his sins under Bush. Pentagon chief would make a lot of sense but Education would be a more creative choice for him.

3. Chuck Hagel. The retiring senator from Nebraska voted for the Iraq war but then became a bitter critic. He accompanied Obama on his European trip and never endorsed John McCain even though he was one of only a handful of Senate colleagues to back his fellow Vietnam veteran in 2000. Obama may be somewhat wary of too much "government by senator", which could count against Hagel for the Pentagon. Perhaps Veteran Affairs would be a fit.

4. Richard Lugar. The veteran Republican senator from Indiana sought Obama out when he entered the Senate, teamed up with him on non-proliferation legislation and mentored him during a foreign trip in 2005 that included a stop in London. We know that Obama has spoken to him by phone this week. Could he be Secretary of State? That would be a very bold move indeed - it's a huge piece of policy real estate to give to a Republican. But Obama seems to be struggling a bit for attractive option for State (Senator John Kerry is apparently lobbying hard) so maybe Lugar will be chosen. Hard to see what other post Lugar might fill and Obama is certainly very fond of him.

5. John McCain. Don't laugh. Well, OK you can. I don't think McCain will be in Obama's cabinet, not least because he has the rest of his Senate term to serve out. I do think, however, that it's very possible that McCain could well become an Obama buddy - he'll be thinking of his legacy and his gracious (the word everyone used, but it's the right one) concession speech was from the heart. I'm certainly not holding my breath but a role for McCain in Obama's cabinet would be a stroke of genius and real creativity by the new president.

6. Richard Haass. President of the Council on Foreign Relations and former head of policy and planning at State, where he was a close adviser to Colin Powell. He was also a highly effective Northern Ireland envoy at a critical period. A cabinet post might be a stretch at the outset but Haass is just the kind of Republican pragmatist and deep thinker who would appeal to Obama.

7. Chris Shays. The Connecticut congressman lost his seat last week, the last House Republican in New England. He's already come right out and said publicly he'd be interested in "doing something" in the Obama administration. Not sure if that's the best approach but, hey, if you're just about to become unemployed it's worth a whirl.

8. Tom Coburn. The Oklahoma senator is a rock-red conservative, hero of the GOP base and an anti-earmarks crusader who backed McCain. But he has spoken very warmly indeed of Obama, who cited him during the campaign as an example of a conservative he can work with despite their opposing ideologies (he clumsily compared him to Bill Ayers and Coburn - in a sign of his genuine feelings for Obama - took it on the chin when he could justifiably have lashed out at him).

9. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Obama has spoken enthusiastically of the California governor, saying "there are things I don't agree with him on, but he's taken leadership on a very difficult issue and we haven't seen that kind of leadership in Washington". And he is married to a Kennedy. A possible Energy tsar (for some reason, I prefer spelling it that way).

10. Lincoln Chafee. The former Rhode Island senator was always regarded as a RINO and indeed left the GOP after the loss of his seat in 2006 (perhaps making him a NEIN - Not Even In Name). He supported Obama over McCain and choosing him as Interior Secretary - a suggestion I've heard from Democrats - would be barely leaning towards the aisle, never mind reaching across it.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/toby_harnden/..._obamas_cabinet

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In May, Obama alluded to putting McCain in his Cabinet when discussing how former President Abraham Lincoln put rivals in his Cabinet.

"Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his Cabinet because whatever personal feelings there were, the issue was how can we get this country through this time of crisis," Obama said. "And I think that has to be the approach that one takes, whether it's vice president or Cabinet, whoever, and by the way, that does not exclude Republicans, either. You know, my attitude is -- is that whoever is the best person for the job is the person I want."

Obama ... added, "if I really thought that John McCain was the absolute best person for the Department of the Homeland Security, I would put him in there."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/20...-and-mccai.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Where's he gonna put him? Create a new tantrum department?

[Teacher Mark 53]

Where's he gonna put him? Create a new tantrum department?

[rebeccajo 14]

Hmmmm.

Put Clinton in as Secretary of State, and McCain (or any Republican) over DHS, and what have you got?

Executive branch "cover your a$$" for bipartisan immigration reform (ie you can't just blame the Democrats for 'amnesty').

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Hmmmm.

Put Clinton in as Secretary of State, and McCain (or any Republican) over DHS, and what have you got?

Executive branch "cover your a$$" for bipartisan immigration reform (ie you can't just blame the Democrats for 'amnesty').

I don't think that as long as there is an economic crisis of the proportion that we're looking at and as long as there's a good chance of unemployment rates hitting double digits, that there would be any attempt to tackle immigration reform. That will come up on the radar in 2010 at the earliest and under the "best" of circumstances.

[IAMX 3,055]

I would definitely include Chafee if I were Obama. I'd pull a fast switch though, take out Biden, as VP, and put in Chafee and hope no one notices. Biden can be Secretary of Gaffes.

Edited November 15, 2008 by SRVT

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Biden can be Secretary of Gaffes.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Biden can be Secretary of Gaffes.

Welcome back! I thought you were still celebrating the Obama victory.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Biden can be Secretary of Gaffes.

Welcome back! I thought you were still celebrating the Obama victory.

I am. There's nothing wrong with a little multi-tasking, though, is there?

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

He should, if he's not, at least he should develop a relationship with him. He has proven that he is not a sore loser and he's willing to go back to work and put this country in the right track. Besides he has decades of experience and knowledge, it's just that it was too late for him to run as president. I've liked him all along

Palin? screw her, she knows diddly-squat

Edited November 15, 2008 by TävôLuDô