November 17, 2004
EXPLOIT HIS EGO:
Talk Of Lieberman As Mr. Secretary (DAVID LIGHTMAN, November 17 2004, Hartford Courant)
Joe Lieberman respects the presidency and likes being wooed. And so, he said Tuesday, he's not ruling out a Bush Cabinet appointment."I am a traditionalist," the Connecticut Democratic senator said. "If the president ever calls, you'd have to consider it. But I am very happy to be in the Senate."
At the same time, said Lieberman, "I don't expect an offer, and I have no indications that it will happen." [...]
The most logical post, sources say, is homeland security, where reports have current Secretary Tom Ridge stepping down soon. The department was largely Lieberman's brainchild. He pushed it even as a reluctant Bush White House tried to thwart him - and finally got it through Congress.
A drawback is that the department, while vitally important to the nation's security and a highly visible job, is still considered one of the lesser Cabinet posts.
More appealing would likely be the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has signaled his intention to remain, but he's not expected to stay for the full four years of the second Bush term.
"Defense would be great. I'd be for him doing that," said Ben Wattenberg, American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and longtime Lieberman friend. Lieberman is a senior Senate Armed Services Committee member with a well-honed understanding of weapons systems and military policy.
Wattenberg, though, offered a bigger caution for any administration position Lieberman might consider - a caution expressed Tuesday by others: that by going into the administration, Lieberman would be severing ties with the party he's worked to build and rebuild all his professional life.
"I'd hate to see him go. It would be a real blow to the institution," said retiring Sen. John Breaux, D-La., a fellow moderate who has been mentioned as a possible Bush energy secretary. "The party needs centrists like him."
That view, seconded by Wattenberg and others, illustrates the Lieberman dilemma as he enters the last two years of his third term.
The senator and his philosophy became almost Democratic afterthoughts and even targets of ridicule during the 2004 campaign. Lieberman's presidential effort fared dismally - he did not win any of the states he contested during his 13-month effort.
He'd likely be a terrible administrator, so you'd need to make him take strong deputies, but it would be a coup and virtually destroy the very idea of the moderate Democrat at the national level. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 17, 2004 8:48 PM
Considering the perilious times we are in, to make an appointment for the sake of poking the Dems in the eye would be the wrong thing at the wrong time.
While I did like the senator, his virtual complete repudiation of all that he stood for during the 2000 run, and his backtracking after the campaign, painted him as just another politician in my eyes.
I do realize his HALO is somewhat intact for others, though not for me!
Posted by: busybody at November 17, 2004 9:35 PMConsidering the perilious times we are in, to make an appointment for the sake of poking the Dems in the eye would be the wrong thing at the wrong time.
While I did like the senator, his virtual complete repudiation of all that he stood for during the 2000 run, and his backtracking after the campaign, painted him as just another politician in my eyes.
I do realize his HALO is somewhat intact for others, though not for me!
Posted by: busybody at November 17, 2004 9:35 PMAgree that Lieberman shouldn't be made head of a major cabinet post like Defense or Homeland Security. Stick him in a less important one like Labor where Bush gets credit for naming a Dem but doesn't give him too much power. Breaux for Energy Secretary makes sense given LA and oil.
Posted by: AWW at November 17, 2004 9:56 PMYou could get away with Lieberman at a serious department, as long as he is provided with strong deputies.
Posted by: Bart at November 17, 2004 9:58 PMI am still pushing for John Reed.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at November 17, 2004 9:59 PMSo, the head of Homeland Security is of "lower prestige" than of.....say, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor....?
We're in bigger trouble than I thought.
Posted by: John J. Coupal at November 17, 2004 10:38 PMPerilous?
Posted by: oj at November 17, 2004 10:42 PMoj
Warren Christopher for the 21st Century.
The McCain of the Donks.
I'm betting on Charlie Stenholm at Agriculture being the Democrat Bush chooses for his cabinet. He's from Texas, was the leader of the Blue Dog Democrats in Congress before losing his re-election bid to Randy Naugebauer two weeks ago, and was the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. And while his appointment wouldn't garner the notice naming Lieberman to a cabinet post would, he would also be less of a lightning rod than Joe would any time some major event happened, with the media beseiging the former Senator looking for any quote to slam the administration.
Were Lieberman to accept the Homeland Security or (down the line) the DOD posts, I would be surprised based on his past history -- Joe's always been willing to tiptoe up to the edge of breaking with his party, on issues like the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal or on the war on terror -- but he's never been willing to take the final step, such as voting for the impeachment or campaging for Bush due to his own party's lack of committment to national security. And he certainly put his core beliefs into cold storage for 4 1/2 months back in 2000.
Lieberman's too much a part of the New York media market to accept anything but one of the highest-profile cabinet spots, and Condi's already got one of those nailed down. So I'd expect while he may tease Republicans and the media about a Cabinet job, in the end to stay where he is in the Senate.
Posted by: John at November 18, 2004 12:12 AM
I'm betting Bernard Kerik for Homeland Security. He's been solidly pro-Bush, worked hard for him during the campaign, he's got experience like few others, and he would make a marvelous Senate candidate in 2010 or even 2006 (though the latter seems unlikely with a job like Homeland Security).
Posted by: Timothy at November 18, 2004 2:04 AMJoe would be a good choice at Homeland Security. He would be a good soldier and it is a political masterstroke. Puts a high profile Dem in the cabinet and puts anoter GOPer in the Senate.
Cabinet secretaries don't actully do much administrating, that is done at the deputy or lower levels. He would not be good at DOD, he doesn't get the reorganization that Rumsfeld is doing.
The President should have named him to State and sent Condi to DOD when Rumsfeld quits. I would love to see Arab reaction to an observent Jew. Though, a black woman isn't bad. Maybe Condi can convert?
Posted by: Bob at November 18, 2004 9:54 AMWarren Christopher for the 21st Century. That's my fear if Lieberman is given a cabinet spot, too.
Concur on Kerik for Homeland Security. A huge improvement over Ridge.