Posted on 06/22/2008 7:31:20 AM PDT by Josh Painter
Pure speculation time again! Here's my vision of a possible McCain Administration cabinet and some other key posts. Here we go:
Agriculture - Marilyn Musgrave, Congresswoman (R-CO) Representing Colorado's 4th district, Musgrave is a staunch conservative, strong on domestic drilling and a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Commerce - Mitt Romney, former Governor (R-MA) Everyone knows that Mitt knows commerce.
Defense - Sam Nunn, former Senator (D-GA) Nunn has more defense creds than anyone on the planet. He served nearly 25 years in the Senate and was chairman of the Committe on Armed Services. Many say he retired because he felt out of place in a Democrat Party which had moved too far left. A veteran, he served a regular tour in the Coast Guard plus 6 years in the reserves.
Education - Dr. Vrginia Foxx, Congresswoman (R-NC) She has an Ed.D. degree in education and is serving her second term in the US House representing the 5th District of North Carolina. One of just 38 Republicans to score a 100 percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union.
Energy - George Allen, former Senator (R-VA) Allen is a strong conservative who served Virginia in the state legislature, as Governor and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress. A member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and its Energy Subcommittee while a Senator, he's all for domestic drilling, and that includes ANWR.
HHS - Mike Huckabee, former Governor (R-AR) Health care reform was a major theme of Huckabee's 11-year governorship in Arkansas.
Homeland Security - Tom Tancredo, US Congressman (R-CO) No terrorist will dare try to cross the border, less they get nuked by The Tank.
HUD - Diana Irey, Washington County Commisioner (R-PA) The lady who ran against John Murtha has experience in economic development.
Interior - Barbara Cubin, US congresswoman (R-WY) A 7-term US Rep from Wyoming, she's a conservative who is widely viewed as a legislative expert in the field of energy and minerals. Cubin serves as a Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. She recently introduced a bill that would significantly increase America’s oil refining capacity.
Labor - JC Watts, former US Congressman (R-OK) Just what Labor needs, the entrepreneurial spirit of this four-term former US Rep, youth minister, GOPAC chairman, businessman and quarterback.
State - Joe Lieberman, US Senator (I-CT) Liberal Lieberman is conservative where it counts - in this case, on foreign policy and the war against Islamic facism.
Transportation - Mary Fallin, Congresswoman (R-OK) Representing the 5th District of Oklahoma, conservative Fallin serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Treasury - Phil Gramm, former US Senator (R- TX) Conservative Gramm was an economic professor for 12 years at Texas A&M. During his years in the Senate, he served on both the banking and budget committees.
Veterans Affairs - Duncan Hunter, former US Congressman (R-CA) The former US Army Ranger and longtime Rep from the San Diego area was the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. Hunter probably understands the needs of our military verterans better than anyone else around.
Attorney General - Deborah Wong Yang, former US Attorney, (R-CA) Yang is a former California State Judge and led the US Attorney's office for the Central District of California, the largest such office outside of Washington DC.
Vice President - Sarah Palin, Governor (R-AK) I was an early advocate of Gov. Palin for VP, but my enthusiasm for her cooled after she raised taxes on the oil producers who operate in Alaska. I just don't like to see taxes raised for any reason, even supposedly good ones. From what I'm able to gather, the hike she pushed through was both modest and needed, so I'm willing to let it go. Besides, John McCain needs her badly. As a woman, she may be able to help him steal some Hillary supporters from Obama. In politics she's a rock star with just the kind of pizazz that McCain lacks. She's the most popular US governor, and her appeal has a wide range. It won't hurt with conservatives that she's a spending hawk, a lifetime NRA member, strongly pro-life and a supporter of drilling in ANWR. Add her beauty pageant good looks, an attractive family and you have a winner.
EPA - Marsha Blackburn, US Congresswoman, (R-TN) Blackburn is a fiscal and social conservative who represents the 7th District of Tennessee. When she was a Stater Senator, she led the successful effort to prevent the passage of a state income tax. As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, she should be well qualified to run EPA.
FEMA - Russell Honore, former Lt. General, U.S. Army Honore is a no-nonsense, "git-R-done" guy who won praise from all quarters for his leadership of the recovery effort in the wake of Katrina. His list of Army service medals is as long as your arm. Just the man to restore cred and respect to the troubled FEMA.
OMB - John Kasich, former US Congressman (R-PA) Reelected to the House 8 times, Kasich is a fiscal conservative who sat on the House Budget Committee and as charman of the congressional committee on welfare reform. He is a weekend television show host for FOX News Channel.
Drug Czar - Rick Santorum, former US Senator (R-PA) Known for being tough on immigration, Santorum would also be tough on illegal drug dealers.
Press Sec'y - Megyn Kelly, attorney and television anchor Not just another pretty face, Kelly has a BA in political science from Syracuse and a law degree from Albany Law School, where she was editor of the Law Review. She was also a reporter for the ABC News television affiliate in Washington, DC.
Trade Representative - Michael Steele, former Lt. Governor (R-MD) Steele earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins and a law degree from Georgetown. He has worked in both the Tokyo and London offices of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, as well as its office in the nation's capitol.
UN Ambassador - Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor (R-NY) Rudy would do a great job of making the US case at the UN. He's tough on Islamic jihadism, but he's a likable fellow who should be admired and respected by the world's diplomats.
Surgeon General - Bill Frist, former Senate Majority Leader (R-TN) Dr. Frist is licensed as a physician and is board certified in both general surgery and thoracic surgery. He has performed over 150 heart transplants and lung transplants,and he founded the Vanderbilt Transplant Center. His political and medical experience qualify him to be an outstanding Surgeon General.
Senior Advisors - Fred Thompson, Steve Forbes, John Bolton, Ted Olson Heavy hitters all.
- JP
The Obama Cabinet is a MUCH more likely (and dangerous) possibility than a McCain Cabinet. Obama/Hillary might ‘toss McCain’ a bone with a Cabinet offer to McCain himself.
How old is Sam Nunn ?
I doubt SecDef would be Sam Nunn. Sam Nunn is an Obama supporter.
Press Sec’y - Megyn Kelly, attorney and television anchor. Another reason to vote for McCain.
Or maybe Obama will pick McCain as VP and there won’t BE an election. (This is a nightmare I had last night)
I’d really like to see McCain’s pal Dan Lungren as AG. He’s the former California AG and he’s now my Congressman. Lacking term limits I’m never going to get rid of the guy, so this would be a way to get him out and put in a real conservative. (McCain’s cabinet and his entire administration is going to be a RINO cattle call anyway.)
Josh, everyone has their own opinion. And everyone’s opinion will be differant. It is a waste of time for us to be guessing who will be on McCain’s cabinet. It’s a guessing game only right now. May I suggest you focus your talents and energy on ways to win the campaign?
We all know this is exactly what we will get! The conservative republicans are going to be losers for decades to come unless there is a drastic change!
Did Nunn support the Iraq war ?
Not bad at all.
Get rid of McCain at the convention and nominate a conservative. There does that help!
bookmark
[As a woman, she may be able to help him steal some Hillary supporters from Obama.]
If we need some gender-obsessed voters to put McCain in the White House, then so be it.
But this conservative woman does not think that Palin would be the best choice.
Too old...he’s been living off his reputation for the last 20 years sitting on boards, panels, educational institution this-and-thats, for quite a while. To tell you the truth, I always felt that he, as a Senator from Georgia, and being one of the fast-becoming minority (an actual native-born Georgian) that he was way over-rated. He never really seemed responsive to Georgia’s needs, but rather more interested in garnering a reputation for himself....
Problem. Cabinet positions are dead end roads to the White House. Too many ambitious names on that last. Some of those folks like Romney and Huckabee won’t be looking for cabinet jobs. others like U.S. Senators won’t want to give up their power in the Senate for a cabinet job. Cabinet jobs are good building blocks if you want to run for Gov , Sen or VP
later.
I am not sure. However, I believe James Woolsey will be SecDef and if I had to bet on it, I think Powell would return to State, if he isn’t McCain VP.
Too many people view voting as simply giving their approval to one candidate or not. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Of course these particular individuals may not serve in a McCain administration. But people more like them than not WILL. That's another legitimate reason for voting AGAINST Obambi.
I don’t doubt that someone like John Kerry or John Murtha would be Obambi’s SECDEF.
I also don’t doubt that someone of AT LEAST the caliber and views of Sam Nunn would be SECDEF in McCain’s administation.
That’s a very crucial distinction.
Your observation may have merit, but it misses the larger point: the ways in which a Rat administration would differ from a Republican administration.
Regardless that these particular individuals might not serve, people like them (generally with their views) will be the ones tapped for a Republican administration.
Individuals such as John Kerry, John Murtha, Joe Biden, Al Gore (if he’s not the VP), Sheila Jackson Lee, Charlie Rangel, Flubba and Hildy Clintoon, the Kennedys, Jamie Gorelick-—people LIKE them, if not they themselves, will end up in positions of great power, including possibly as Supreme Court Justices, in a Rat administration.
Don’t miss the forest for the trees here!
69 years old. He’s spent the last 20 years outside government making a fortune in business. Talk about cozying up to your old contacts and special interests! Nunn is capable, he’s a Franch Church dem, but McCain can find better.
I believe James Woolsey will be McCain’s SecDef
It is much better to have Obama and his Marxist cabinet than RINOs. RINOs are much worse for the country in the long run than 8-16 years of Marxism.
I think all of your picks are good except Sam Nunn. I’d like to see Colin Powell or Petreus in that position.
I’m also not sure about Palin. I like her but I’d like to think that Condi might be better. I think it will be determined by the polls.
I can see that you spent alot of time on this. GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!
I don’t know what the fuss is about about who will be in a candidate’s cabinet. We are voting for the President only! And I won’t vote for someone I don’t like, I don’t care who is secretary of Defense.
Maybe conservative republicans should vote for Obama to teach GOP a lesson?
Reminds me of that famous recipe for rabbit stew:
(1) First catch the rabbit!
I think I used to argue with you on the playground when I was in the third grade.
You simply can't answer the fact that McCain is an idealogical disaster can you? That's what I was talking about. He's going to appoint RINOs. That's what I commented on.
Agreed. Maybe Hunter. But for me Huckabee at HS is laughable. He is the proverbial ‘Snake Oil Salesman’. Sorry for those of you who like him ... I can not place him on a national level.
Obama WILL nationalize healthcare. Obama and the Donks have now revealed they want to nationalize energy. Not to mention the oft-floated desire of Donks to eliminate the Electoral College (which can be nullified with Congressional law - not by eliminating it, but by recognizing the compacts between states to assign electors based upon national popular vote). With McCain you’re not going to have those happen.
Ever see a nationalized plan rolled back? Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, IRS, EPA? Any ever shrunk?
The damage an Obama presidency will do will be irreversible. The time to start working for conservative candidates is today, but that does NOT mean conceding the nation to the Marxists.
This for a moment - the US Federal Government is now 21% of our total economy - $3.2 trillion of $15 trillion. Nationalize healthcare and you added another 15%. Nationalize energy and you’ve got another 15%. Then the Feds are at 51% of the entire economy. DIRECTLY spending 1 of every 2 dollars in this country. And having virtual control of everything.
Of course, we can shuiffle together in the breadline to get our Government-apportioned food and healthcare, and you can comfort yourself in sticking it to the GOP...
Take the best you can get now, and work for better next time, in 2012. Because I fear if Obama and the Marxists get into power, we will become a Marxist state, and with the virtual nullification of the Electoral College, elections will be decided by CA and NY, meaning Democrat from here on out...
...and eff the country.
I am not doing anything to the country but making it better by not voting for rinos. It’s the GOP’s fault if they can’t find conservative candidates and it’s the fault of people who don’t vote ONLY for conservatives.
When America is a Marxist country, I will still have my principles.
It will have twice the number of conservatives as there are now on his campaign staff, which is ZERO.
McCain hates conservatives and will not appoint any to anything.
This article is stupid and a complete waste of bandwidth.
McCain is a RINO and he will appoint a RINO cabinet.
I don’t have to answer-—I AGREE with you that McCain is ideological disaster and will appoint rinos. That is why I will not, ever, vote for him. I know that will probably help Obama get elected, but as I said rinos are much worse for the country in the ong run than 8-16 years of Marxism. I don’t like rinos, so that is price the country has to pay. It’s not my fault McCain is a rino.
thought you were being sarcastic
I am not sure if they make retreaded tires anymore. But in government, it seems retreads are about all you get when you fill cabinet posts. But there has to be more in the retread line to choose from than Huckabee, Kasich, Nunn, and Gramm. Although Gramm would be a very very appropriate for the RINO relic. He completed the switch of parties that McCain once dreamed of with his buddy Puff Daschle. But the dolt Jim Jeffords put a kabosh to that. The price of Jeffords treachery was cheaper for the Democrats, than the then MSM darling and maverick.
While Marilyn Musgrave is a staunch conservative and a fellow Coloradan, she voted for the recent Farm Bill that Bush vetoed. Obviously, making Musgrave the AgSec would be a mistake.
The fact that Mitt Romney created statewide health care in Massachusetts -— aka. socialized medicine -— marks him unqualified for any position in government. Face it, Willard is a liberal.
Sam Nunn may be a good match for Obama as DefSec. But there are better conservative Republicans around that would do a better job than this moderate Democrat. No thanks.
Mike Huckabee at HHS, LOL. Lets give this position to Sen Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. He's a doctor and a staunch conservative.
As much as I admire Tom Tancredo and his push for strong immigration enforcement, he's not the right choice to head up HLS.
JC Watts has NO experience managing a huge government bureaucracy like the Dept of Labor.
As long as America is fighting the WOT, Joe Lieberman is needed in the Senate.
Duncan Hunter heading up Defense would be awesome.
Phil Graham at Treasury and Megan Kelly as WH spokesperson would be two solid picks.
If John McCain was smart, he'd appoint Fred Thompson as Attorney General.
Obama is a Marxist and he will appoint a Marxist cabinet. Is that better than a RINO cabinet? You'd rather have Marxists in control?
Read these words from President Ronald Reagan and take them to heart:
When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it.
"Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything.
I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'
If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it.
How has the Left advanced so far today? Incrementalism. Small steps. Working slowly over decades. That is how we'll take the country back to Conservatism. McCain is not the end goal, but a step; Obama would be another big step to the Left, meaning even more work - if we even get the chance - to bring the Nation back to the founding principles.
No. I said McCain is a RINO and he will appoint a RINO cabinet. That is all I said. Is it not true? Would you rather I remain silent? Of course its true. Why are you arguing with me then?
No, it is not true. As the Republican nominee he is de-facto a Republican. And with an 80% lifetime ACU rating he's decently conservative too, on most issues.
Only a conservative republican nominee could have taken advantage of this issues and we obviously do not have one.
I see. You are one of them too.
We used to call McCain supporters on FR trolls, now we call them republicans and non-McCain supporters are the new trolls.
I say screw McCain as he has screwed conservatives. Many RINO’s will do and say anything to shit up any conservative desent about McCain after all just look at their hero’s own attack on free speech.
Truth is just as Rush stated, 4 years of McCain will destroy the Conservative movement for the next 50 years and McCain would be the last republican POTUS in our lifetime.
Screw McCain.
Assertions like this is what troubles me about McCain and his supporters. Before you go ballistic, yes, I'm voting for him -- but without any enthusiasm.
But how can it be asserted that McCain is "80% conservative" when he was the author of the greatest attack on political free speech in the history of the nation.
There is no way that a conservative would've authored McCain-Feingold.
Perhaps he voted in favor of 80% of our issues. But he is NOT "a conservative" -- nor even 80% of one.
Why must we misrepresent McCain as a conservative.
Yes. I’m a guy who would like another Ronald Reagan, has some problems with McCain, but overall considers him a decent stop-gap of a candidate and infinitely better than Obama.
I’m what you call a rational conservative. Like that of which Ronald Reagan spoke of in that speech above.
I swear, for a small percentage here on FR, Ronald Reagan would be crucified for being a RINO and a Demican...
I admit; on the issue of political speech he's not conservative. On the issues of trade, taxation, pro-life, limited government he is staunchly conservative.
That's one not conservative issue, 4 conservative issues. That's about 80%. I'll not hold a litmus test on a single issue - that is short-sighted and incredibly damaging.
He was originally wrong on immigration and offshore drilling, but has come around. Meaning that the areas he's not conservative in, he's open to the conservative position and comes over to it. So even with political speech he can be brought around.
I'll take the stance of Ronald Reagan - you get the best you can get now, and fight for those other areas. And by far and away McCain is a LOT closer to the "ideal conservative" (if such a person exists) than he to the "ideal Marxist".
And we know the exact opposite is true about Obama.
May I suggest you focus your talents and energy on somewthing other than being so arrogant as to tell me what topics I should and should not write about?
Usually having an editor means a writer gets paid for his or her work. I don’t see any checks from you in my mailbox.
But thanks for your interest...
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