I admit that I am not a big Obama fan. However, after he won the election I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I keep hearing how he is intelligent and makes good decisions (this despite his atrocious choice of Vice-president). Now he is forming his cabinet - most of his choices seem pretty good - yet one of the most important is another total blunder - at least historically speaking.
NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED:
TREASURY SECRETARY: Timothy Geithner, president of Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Apparently a wise choice. Someone who understands the financial system and is not a total outsider.
SECRETARY OF STATE: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. - Undoubtedly the one most divisive politician in recent U.S. History. First, I will quote Obama himself about this choice: "What exactly is this foreign policy experience?" He said in March. "Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crises? The answer is no." - Apparently he has now made a quantum leap in changing his opinion.
A new President-elect that claims he wants to reach the international community - he chooses a divider verses someone who is known to be able to bring people together. This appears more of a pandering decision and possibly a "keep your enemies closer" move. I will admit that the rest of the world loved her husband as president, but that does not discount the fact that she is very divisive. Obama is also making the mistake of predecessors in choosing a female for thi particular post when many nations of the world have no respect for women. This when he wants to "reboot" our image.
ATTORNEY GENERAL: Eric Holder, former deputy attorney general. - Not a real surprise. He was a large figure in the Obama campaign. From the Clinton administration he was a former Deputy Attorney General. Quite qualified as an individual, but hardly a sign of "change"
DEFENSE SECRETARY: Robert Gates, a holdover from Bush administration. During a time a war - keeping the current Defense Secretary, at least for a while is an excellent decision.
HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Gov. Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz. This is really an odd choice as there has been nothing available showing she knows anything about homeland security - other than she used National Guard Troops on the Mexican Border in her state. (At least we can give her that) Interesting that she will now head US Customs and Border Patrol.
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Retired Marine Gen. James Jones. This seems to be a good choice as long as Jones has not been "out of the loop" too long in security matters.
COMMERCE SECRETARY: Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M. - OK once again political pandering here - What can Richardson's commerce expertise be? He should have chosen a businessman/woman for this post.
NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL DIRECTOR: Lawrence Summers, former treasury secretary. This seems to make sense - though Treasury Department and the Economy are two totally different things.
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DIRECTOR: Peter Orszag, director of Congressional Budget Office. The title is probably the biggest misnomer, but the choice of the appointee appears to be a good one.
President-elect Barack Obama will tap Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu as his Energy secretary and former New Jersey environmental protection commissioner Lisa Jackson as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Both of these choices seem to make sense also.
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