Do you Believe Obama should choose the Most Qualified People for his Administration....

[MadBadger]

regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sex, religion etc.

Just wondering what DU thinks

[tblue]

1. I don't care as much a about race (Clarence Thomas) or gender (Sarah Palin).

Character, qualifications, and progressive values are what I'd want in his appointments.

[143tbone]

2. Oh please.

[Skittles]

5. the usual crap from the black and white thinkers

pardon the pun

[truthisfreedom]

3. Considering the economic disaster we're heading into, we need the smartest and most gifted people

in the room.

[thoughtcrime1984]

6. And what reasonable person would disagree with that? Even sans economic crisis.

Good post.

[emilyg]

4. Yes.

[TexasObserver]

7. No. I believe he should choose whoever he wants, provided they're qualified.

And that IS how political appointments are done. First, the person has to be qualified. Then, it's a contest among various interests, and in the end, the politician appoints the person he or she most feels help that politician do whatever it is they're trying to do.

Will Obama look at the field and find many qualified people for each job? Sure. Will he always choose THE most qualified? Absolutely not. He's going to pick a mix of people who will make happy certain constituencies in certain positions. MOST QUALIFIED is not the standard.

For example, Summers may have been the most qualified to be treasury secretary, but the worthy opposition of women's groups killed his hopes, and rightly so. "Qualified" is important, but "acceptable" is sometimes more important.