President-Elect Joe Biden is choosing his cabinet, and anyone who knows Joe Biden, isn’t surprised at his picks. There are some simple principles that are driving Biden’s selections and are likely to continue.
Something New – Competence
First, Biden is looking for competence. The folks he picked for his “National Security” team aren’t necessarily ideological. They are proven, competent, professionals in their fields. Tony Blinken, Biden’s pick for Secretary of State, worked for Biden on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also served on the National Security Council, was the Deputy National Security Advisor, the National Security Advisor to the Vice President (Biden), and was the Deputy Secretary of State. Sure he’s mostly worked for Democrats, but more importantly, he knows foreign policy, knows the workings of the State Department, and knows Joe Biden.
Many of his other selections are the same. Avril Haines will be the next Director of National Intelligence – the top administrator of the United States “spy” agencies. That job became controversial with the Trump appointment of John Ratcliffe, a Texas Congressman with little National Intelligence experience. Ratcliffe’s prime qualification for the job seemed to be defending President Trump during the impeachment hearings.
Haines, on the other hand, is the former Deputy Director of the CIA. Prior to that she was a legal counsel to the White House, the State Department, and to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And she’s not necessarily popular with more progressive Democrats. Haines was a key player in the development of the Obama “drone strike” policy.
But she is competent, experienced, and knows Joe Biden.
Heavy Weights
And what about John Kerry? Kerry, Secretary of State, Democratic candidate for President, US Senator from Massachusetts, is the new “Environmental Czar”. Biden created that crucial appointment to show his own commitment to improving the environment, a critical issue to the progressive Democrats. He appointed a “principal” level candidate, and elevated the job to cabinet and National Security Council status. John Kerry is not going to be “shuffled aside” by anyone, not in the White House, and not in the world. And he knows Joe Biden.
And Janet Yellen, the first woman to be the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, will be the first woman to be Secretary of the Treasury. She is a career economist, having held several positions with Federal Reserve banks alternating with professorships at major universities. And she is considered a “progressive” in the economic world, more concerned about unemployment than inflation.
Senate Seats
So what happened to using the other Senators who ran for the Democratic candidacy for President? What about Sanders and Warren, Klobuchar and Booker? The first factor to consider is the makeup of the Senate itself. Right now, there are 50 Republicans and 46 Democrats and two Independents who organize with the Democrats. Two Senate seats are up for grabs still, the runoff seats in Georgia. That January 5th election will determine which political party controls the Senate. Should the Democrats win both it will create a 50-50 Senate, with the new Vice President, Kamala Harris, breaking the tie for the Democrats.
Joe Biden isn’t going to pull anyone out of the Senate that could alter that possible balance. Sanders is from Vermont and the governor there is a Republican. Warren is from Massachusetts, and believe it or not, the governor there is a Republican as well. Normally, the Governor of the state can appoint an interim Senator until a special election is held. Republican governors will appoint Republicans: Sanders and Warren aren’t going anywhere.
The same is true about Sherrod Brown. Ohio’s Senator is an obvious candidate for Secretary of Labor. As Ohio’s only statewide elected Democrat, Brown is unlikely to accept any Biden appointment. Republican Governor Mike DeWine would love to appoint a Republican to that Senate seat.
Progressive Demands
Does that mean that the progressive wing of the Democratic Party won’t get any Cabinet level appointments?
There are still “domestic” Cabinet level jobs to be filled: Labor, Commerce, Interior, Energy and others. And, of course, there is the Attorney General’s position. There will be other opportunities for more “progressive” Democrats to make their mark.
But several things are clear at least from these first appointments. Biden is living up to his campaign pledge of a Cabinet that “looks” like America: men and women, Black, White and Hispanic. But there are two even more critical factors in Biden’s first appointments. Joe Biden knows and trusts them. And they are experienced and competent.
It was “No Drama Obama”. Joe Biden wants that too: an Administration with quiet, competent leadership. That’ll be a change.
