President-elect Barack Obama continues to nominate officials to cabinet positions, most recently nominating the Democratic governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, as secretary of commerce on Wednesday.
Some Cal State Long Beach professors agree with Obama’s choices so far, applauding what they call “his centrist demeanor,” but some Obama supporters are having second thoughts about his picks for Cabinet.
“I don’t understand why he’s chosen practically the same people who served in the Cabinet during the Clinton administration,” said Katherine Sin, a junior philosophy major. “Where is the change he constantly talked about?”
Sin said Robert Gates, whom Obama will retain as defense secretary, looks to certainly not be a choice that will bring change. Gates served as defense secretary for President Bush, overseeing Iraq War operations for the past two years.
However, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Gates “signaled a willingness” to work with Obama on pulling troops out of Iraq and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center.
Political science professor Robert Shultz said he assumed some people would feel the same as Sin.
“A lot of his supporters who are progressive might be disappointed, particularly with the choice of Hilary Clinton as secretary of state,” Shultz said. “Since she initially supported the war, voters who chose Obama in hopes of ending the war may not be happy.”
Shultz pointed out that Clinton was, after all, Obama’s biggest rival in the preliminary elections. He said, however, that he likes Obama’s choices.
“They seem like intelligent choices,” Shultz said, “not extremely progressive.”
Lewis Ringel, another political science professor, agreed, saying there were no real surprises. He questioned who else Obama could appoint anyway, since he did not have many people with experience to choose from. Democrats have occupied the White House for only 12 of the last 40 years.
“I think it’s a good thing he’s not picking his own people that helped him win the presidency,” Ringel said. “Carter did that but soon realized that what it takes to get elected is not the same as what it takes to run the government.”
Ringel commended Obama on nominating Clinton. He said that anyone who would pick his rival must be exceptionally confident with himself.
“The secretary of state is often seen as a rock star in the political arena,” Ringel said. “Obama certainly chose somebody much more known.”
It was a shrewd move for both Obama and Clinton, Ringel said. Clinton was ambitious enough to know she was not going far in the Senate, and Obama saw it as a chance to neutralize people’s idea that he is not pro-Israeli enough, he said
Obama decided to raise the position of U.N. ambassador to a Cabinet position under his new administration, for which he appointed Susan Rice. Other appointments include Tom Daschle as Health and Human Services Secretary, Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, and named Eric Holder as the first black attorney general.
“You need an experienced chief of staff that knows his way around,” Ringel said. “Traditionally, Republicans have relied on the chief of staff more than Democrats, but picking Emanuel shows Obama is going to rely more on his chief of staff.”
Ringel said the chief of staff is vital in politics because he or she plays the “bad cop” so the president can be the “good cop.”
“Somebody has to say ‘no,’ ” Ringel said. “It’s the chief of staff who’s a jerk, and Emanuel can easily fit that persona.”
As for the Cabinet positions not yet filled, Ringel said Obama must be careful.
“He can’t pull out too many Democrats from state offices,” Ringel said, “because the Democrats may lose that state to a Republican.”
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has been nominated for the Cabinet and will leave her office when she is confirmed as homeland security secretary. According to Arizona state laws, in the event that the Democratic governor leaves mid-term, she will be succeeded by the secretary of state, Republican Jan Brewer.
According to reports, Obama will fill all positions in the Cabinet before Dec. 25.
“I thought it would have been interesting if Al Gore was one of the picks and Richard Luger for secretary of state,” Ringel said. “I would also like to see Obama pick one or two more Republicans.”