Bush's 2nd term cabinet

[Styles 0]

I guess it would be a good idea to start a thread to keep track of the various cabinet changes that will be coming in the next few weeks. According to this article, it appears that Ashcroft is ready to go, and names Gulianni as his possible replacement...

 

Ashcroft Could Be First Cabinet Resignation

 

Thursday, November 04, 2004

 

By Sharon Kehnemui Liss

 

 

WASHINGTON — John Ashcroft (search) is expected to turn in his resignation in a ritual reserved for second-term presidents, sources close to the attorney general said Thursday. Ashcroft could leave as early as January.

 

As a formality, when a president earns a second term, his entire Cabinet, which serves at the president's pleasure, resigns so as not to force him to fire them. Traditionally, the president refuses to accept the resignation of those who are likely to stay in their posts.

 

For months, Ashcroft, who as head of the Justice Department (search) is the country's chief law enforcer, has signaled his desire to leave the government. He has struggled with health issues, being hospitalized as recently as March for gallstone pancreatitis.

 

Ashcroft has been responsible for enforcing the USA Patriot Act (search), which gives law enforcement greater authority to conduct surveillance on suspected terrorists. The Patriot Act was signed into law five weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, but both conservatives and liberals have argued that the powers are too far-reaching. Ashcroft has steadfastly defended the act's authority.

 

The attorney general has also been the lead policy planner in determining rules for detaining terrorists found on the Afghan battlefield and has given legal bases for the government's positions on several other policies, like opposition to assisted suicide. Ashcroft recused himself from conducting the probe of a possible leak of a CIA employee's name. Valerie Plame (search) was outed as a CIA agent in news articles in July 2003. Her husband, Joe Wilson, a former Bush envoy to Niger who reported Iraq (search) did not seek yellowcake uranium from the African nation, said Plame's name was given out by administration officials as payback for his not backing administration claims on Iraq.

 

Asked about his Cabinet during a Thursday press conference, Bush said he will begin to think about Cabinet changes, but did not speak of any specific people he wants to replace.

 

"I put together a really good Cabinet. I am very proud of the people that have served this government, and they, come man or woman, have worked their hearts out for the American people," Bush said. "And I have learned that you have got to continue to surround yourselves with good people. This is a job that requires crisp decision making and therefore in order for me to make decisions, I have got to have people who bring their point of view into the Oval Office and are willing to say it."

 

In December 2002, Bush reshuffled his economic team. Treasury Secretary John Snow replaced Paul O'Neill and Stephen Friedman replaced National Economic Adviser Lawrence Lindsey. In May 2003, Josh Bolten was named to replace Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels. Daniels was elected governor of Indiana on Tuesday.

 

In December 2003, Florida Senator-elect Mel Martinez quit as head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 

Part of the reason for a slate of departures is not just the president's mood or bids for elected office, but a huge burnout factor. After one presidential term, many Cabinet officials want to do something a little less taxing.

 

While a motto in government is "people who know don't talk," other Cabinet members have also been named for possible departure.

 

Secretary of State Colin Powell (search) has frequently been named as a possible retiree. Powell has denied considering his future, saying in September that time will tell.

 

Powell may stay until after Iraq's national election in January. He already has scheduled in the short term an overnight trip to Mexico next week, a trip to Chile the following week and afterward a stop in Egypt for a major international conference on Iraq's future. In December, he also has a NATO meeting in Brussels in December and a meeting in Morocco to push democracy among Arab nations.

 

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld (search) has occasionally been mentioned as a possible departure, though some analysts say he will probably stay until there is a successful end to the Iraq war. Another name that has also been suggested for changes is Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge (search).

 

Bush National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice (search) has been tossed out as a possible successor to Powell at the State Department. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (search) has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for Ashcroft.

[MrRant 0]

Oh thank god.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Good news. Ashcroft is the worst thing about the administration.

[Guest BDC]

Just a technicality, but the whole Cabinent submits letters of resignation to save the administration the embarassment of firing your ass. They'll just decide whether or not to rehire after inauguration.

[Guest Cerebus]

There was a lot of indications Ashcroft wouldn't be coming back due to health reasons. Though I wish him the best for his health, we'll be better off with Guilliani as AG.

[NoCalMike 0]

Once Ashcroft goes, it can only get better from there.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Once Ashcroft goes, it can only get better from there.

Indeed. I've loathed the man since he was appointed, and it was Ashcroft that was compelling me to not vote for Bush in the recent election. I eventually relented on that stance, but I'd still love to see Ashcroft out of office sooner than later.

[NoCalMike 0]

Now as long as any Bill Bennet(sp?) types are out of the running.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I'd like to see Giuliani take over as Attorney General, and if Colin Powell chooses not to come back, Condoleezza Rice would be a popular replacement at Sec. of State, I bet.

[Styles 0]

I'd like to see Giuliani take over as Attorney General, and if Colin Powell chooses not to come back, Condoleezza Rice would be a popular replacement at Sec. of State, I bet.

Man, a woman as our Head of Defense would blow the Arabs' minds...I love it!

[Guest Cerebus]

I'd like to see Giuliani take over as Attorney General, and if Colin Powell chooses not to come back, Condoleezza Rice would be a popular replacement at Sec. of State, I bet.

Man, a woman as our Head of Defense would blow the Arabs' minds...I love it!

She would be head of state there bucko

[teke184 0]

People who may not be around for long:

 

1. Colin Powell (may retire)

2. Condi Rice (may go back to teaching)

3. John Ashcroft (health concerns)

4. Donald Rumsfeld (may retire)

5. Norman Minetta (Clinton appointee who's supposedly fucked up Transportation badly)

6. Tom Ridge (badly burned out)

 

 

Rice, Powell, and Rumsfeld could stick around, but I wouldn't be surprised to see all three go over the next year or two.

 

 

Pool of replacements and possible position-

 

1. Rudy Giuliani (Attorney General)

2. John McCain (Secretary of Defense)

3. Ambassador to the UN John Danforth (Secretary of State)

4. General Tommy Franks (Secretary of Defense)

5. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (Never wanted to be over Labor, so she may try to shift positions)

6. Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee (Veteran senator who's been retired for the past few years)

[Guest MikeSC]

I doubt McCain will do it, honestly.

-=Mike

[Styles 0]

I'd like to see Giuliani take over as Attorney General, and if Colin Powell chooses not to come back, Condoleezza Rice would be a popular replacement at Sec. of State, I bet.

Man, a woman as our Head of Defense would blow the Arabs' minds...I love it!

She would be head of state there bucko

Right, right, I'm still very sleep deprived, and forgot Powell was state and not defense for a second. I guess I'd hate to see Powell go, and would much rather have Rummy take his leave...

[teke184 0]

I doubt McCain will do it, honestly.

-=Mike

So do I, partially because he'll be under the White House's thumb and it could interfere with his plans to run in 2008.

[Vyce 0]

I'm eagerly pulling for a Rumsfeld departure.

 

Outside of Ashcroft, he's the guy I think really, really needs to go.

[Styles 0]

I'm eagerly pulling for a Rumsfeld departure.

 

Outside of Ashcroft, he's the guy I think really, really needs to go.

I agree.

[teke184 0]

Possibilities mainly because they're Republicans in Congress from Republican-controlled states:

 

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky (Sec. of Labor Elaine Chao's husband and current Majority Whip)

 

Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi (One of the leaders of the Agriculture Committee in the Senate)

 

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas (Republican Conference Secretary of the Senate, former Texas Treasurer)

 

Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee (Former Secretary of Education, Tennessee Governor, candidate for President in 1996)

 

Senator John Cornyn of Texas (Former justice on the Texas Supreme Court, former Texas Attorney General)

 

Senator John Warner of Virginia (Former Undersecretary of the Navy, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence)

 

Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah (Just get this idiot out of the Senate and into a position where he can't screw anything up)

[Guest thebigjig]

McCain said in an interview on the Today Show that he would likely not accept a cabinet position if offered.

 

It wouldn't work anyway... he's just be another Powell

[Vern Gagne 0]

John Danforth's name has been brought up as possible Secretary of State.

 

Orrin Hatch could possibly be nominated for Supreme Court justice.

 

Asa Hutchensen who is 2nd behind Tom Ridge seems like the logical replacement for Tom Ridge.

 

Another expected appointee will the the new Terrorist Czar.

[teke184 0]

Orrin Hatch could possibly be nominated for Supreme Court justice.

You better be fucking kidding me...

 

If so, I *NEVER* want to see a file-sharing case go within 100 miles of the Supreme Court.

[Guest BDC]

Orrin Hatch could possibly be nominated for Supreme Court justice.

You better be fucking kidding me...

 

If so, I *NEVER* want to see a file-sharing case go within 100 miles of the Supreme Court.

I can't agree enough here. He's got this major hard on for file sharers that he wants to give to file sharers.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I can deal with Bush by himself, but add in the people he surrounds himself with and the acid starts to rise up in my throat.

 

If I had to get rid of two, I'd pick Ashcroft and Rumsfeld. Ashcroft is a patriotic guy and all but he's way too out of touch with average America since he doesn't respect privacy and rights as much as most people do.

 

Rumsfeld is... Aggggh.. From the "smaller, faster, more likely to get killed" military strategy, to the revival of Star Wars, to his flippant attitude towards the press.

 

My ideal reshuffling of this administration would have been putting Powell where Rumsfeld is, putting Rice where Powell currently is, I'm sure there's plenty of candidates to take Rice's current position, and I think everyone here can agree with me when I say I'd take a guy off the street for Attorney General over Ashcroft.

 

Other than that, can't complain. I'm not a Cheney fan, but the puppet strings don't pull themselves.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah (Just get this idiot out of the Senate and into a position where he can't screw anything up)

Department of the Inferior? I mean Interior?

 

Seriously, which department is more useless?

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Seriously, which department is more useless?

 

Don't discriminate against my people.

[NoCalMike 0]

Rumsfield & Ashcroft need to go:

 

Ashcroft gave some big speech about how 9/11 changed us and how we need to concentrate on more important things and then promptly went after drug offenders.

 

Rumsfield is in charge of the war and planning, and well, we all see the way that has gone.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Rumsfeld is... Aggggh.. From the "smaller, faster, more likely to get killed" military strategy, to the revival of Star Wars, to his flippant attitude towards the press.

 

Actually many military experts believe the future to war is quicker, smaller more elite forces. One problem in Iraq is the U.S. attempting to fight the terrorists with one hand, while trying to win hearts and minds with the others. More troops aren't necessary if what we've got over there are allowed to fight with both hands.

 

Please note. Rumsfeld stepping down would not be a bad thing. Chance is good, and it's needed.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I kind of like the Colin Powell belief that you should only put people on the ground when you have enough of them that they can completely overwhelm the enemy and easily conquer, and when there's a plan for them to get out of there.

 

Unfortunately, Powell kind of sold out his own beliefs for this administration. That's probably the greatest gift they've been ever given, although everybody's realized it by now.