PrintOctober 13, 2008
What an Obama Administration Might Look Like
With the media having all but declared Barack Obama the winner in the presidential election, it could be time to consider what an Obama administration might look like.
The Vice-President, of course, would be Joe "I'm not the guy" Biden, but here are some suggestions for other positions.
Secretary of State: Barack Obama.
Since Obama has already committed to meeting directly with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the rest of the world's worst despots without pre-conditions, he has for all practical purposes named himself Secretary of State. This position would be superfluous. Instead, he could fill that seat at the cabinet table with a new position: Minister of Propaganda.
I suggest that the first official Obama Minister of Propaganda be Keith Olbermann. This would formalize Olbermann's current role for Obama's campaign and would also allow Olbermann to continue in his position at MSDNC.
Education Secretary: Bill Ayers.
Obama co-chaired co-chaired the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, or CAC, with the unrepentant terrorist, who also hosted Obama's political kickoff at a function in Ayres' home. According to Stanley Kurtz ,writing in the Wall Street Journal, Ayres, "founded CAC and was its guiding spirit. No one would have been appointed the CAC chairman without his approval." And, "Ayers is the founder of the 'small schools' movement (heavily funded by CAC), in which individual schools built around specific political themes push students to 'confront issues of inequity, war, and violence.' He believes teacher education programs should serve as 'sites of resistance' to an oppressive system."
Secretary of the Treasury: Franklin Raines.
After all, if Barney Frank and Chris Dodd are allowed to continue as Washington power players despite their role in the financial mess, why shouldn't this Obama advisor be brought back into the fold? Besides, Raines might be running low on the $90 million he raked in while driving Fannie Mae into the ground, after spending "$4.9 million for 'a three-bedroom, seven-bath penthouse condominium' in Washington's Ritz-Carlton Residences."
Secretary of Defense: Ayres could also be a fit here, since he has some personal knowledge of the Pentagon. After all, "I bombed the Pentagon," he told The New York Times in an article that appeared on 9/11 as terrorists flew a jetliner into the building and brought down the World Trade Center. But Education seems a better fit for Ayres. So...
John Murtha.
Sure, the general public might not be happy with his accusations that American troops in Iraq "killed innocent civilians in cold blood" but Murtha would sit well with George Soros and the rest of Obama's base. Besides he's Chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and we all know how important Defense is to House Democrats.
Attorney General: Chris Dodd.
He's an attorney and he's going to need a new job since he has announced he won't run for re-election to the Senate in 2010. Besides Dodd and Obama have some close ties. Jim Johnson, whom Obama named to head his Vice-Presidential search committee, is also a former head of Fannie Mae who skipped out with millions And no American politician received more campaign cash from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than Dodd. Although Obama came close. And in a much shorter period of time.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Tony Rezko.
Since Rezko, made the first substantial political donation to Obama's initial run for office and, along with a partner, contributed $50,000 to Obama over the years, some payoff is probably due. Housing would be a logical position given Rezko's role in Obama purchasing his mansion, in a questionable transaction.
Secretary of Energy: How about Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz?
She has been an active and highly visible advocate for Obama, with multiple appearances on MSDNC and elsewhere and should be rewarded for that. Besides, her views on key energy issues seem to correspond to Obama's. She helped kill a 2005 bill that would lift the ban on offshore drilling because "it provides a financial incentive for states to do so."
Secretary of Homeland Security: Jeremiah Wright.
Americans are suckers for public reconciliations. Why else would aging rockers spend millions for all those rock band reunion tours? A Cabinet spot for the good reverend would give us all a warm fuzzy feeling--which is, after all, what Democrats are all about. And what better spot for the man who preached to Obama and fellow congregation members that 9/11 was "America's chickens ... coming home to roost"?
William Tate is an award-winning journalist and author.
