Who will Kerry nominate as Secretary of State?

[usscole]

The conventional wisdom is Richard Holbrooke. I am hoping for a more inspired choice, but I can't come up with one.

[methinks2]

1. Wesley Clark

would be an easy fit.

[Cheesehead]

3. I second it!

n/t

[nborders]

4. Biden

Clark would make a good defense Secretary. I would think that Biden would make the best Sec. of State.

Sen. Biden has a great presence and has great relationships with other countries already.

Only problem is we would loose a great voice in the congress.

~n

[CBHagman]

2. Holbrooke will be in the pool, but surely there are many more.

It's going to have to be someone with a lot of energy and masses of charm. (Yeah, I know: Bill Clinton).

But seriously, there should be many people in academia, foreign affairs, and the like who could do a terrific job.

[Leilani]

5. I think it will be Holbrooke

although I think others would be preferrable.

Holbrooke is an advisor, & is also part of the Dem FP team, & it's his turn.

[lunarboy13]

6. Maybe he'll pick someone who is not even on our radar...

Democrats have a tradition of selecting moderate Republicans as high level cabinet members (Clinton's Sec. of Defense William Cohen was the most recent). Republicans, on the other hand, can't quite open their minds enough to even think about such things. When they do pick a democrat for a cabinet-level appointment, it's for something like, Secretary of Asphalt Removal or Secretary of Fast-Food Manufacturing. That's the main underlying difference I see between the two parties: Democrats have open minds, are not intimidated by contrasting ideas or philosophies, and they take constructive criticism well. Republicans, for the most part, are quite the opposite. There are a few from the other side of the aisle who can think for themselves and are open to ideas that contrast their own (I think McCain is one) and it's from this small pool that either a Sec of Defense or Sec of State may come. Bush campaigned as the "Great Unifier" yet he has demonstrated that he is the "Great Divider". Once Kerry is elected, he might have to compromise a little to bring the country back together. One way would be to nominate a couple of members from the other party to prominent cabinet-level positions. If Kerry is not elected, then I fear the country's great divide will grow so large we may never fill the rift.