# Bush To Nominate Democrat Ben Nelson to Agriculture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 18, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429 "2004-11-18T06:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/1 "2004-11-18T06:10:32Z")
Apparently the White House is considering nominating Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat from Nebraska, to replace departing Agriculture Secretaey Ann Veneman. This would be the second Democrat in the President’s Cabinet, joining Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta. I don’t recall how many Republicans were in Clinton’s Cabinet - none in his first term, I think. I don’t suppose we can draw any inference from this, except, of course, that Bush is evil, and a smirking moron chimp. Right? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/2 "2004-11-18T06:12:52Z")
Does anyone care who is Sec Of Ag? What does the guy do other than read about corn futures every day? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/3 "2004-11-18T06:14:13Z")
Perhaps Bush meant it when he said he would reach out to Democrats. Maybe he wants to follow in the footsteps of FDR, who appointed Republicans to his cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/4 "2004-11-18T06:14:17Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I don’t suppose we can draw any inference from this, except, of course, that Bush is evil, and a smirking moron chimp. Right? It’s not too bad as far as strategery goes. It’s sort of looks like a bipartisan gesture, and it could get one more Democrat out of the Senate (since Nebraska has a Republican governor, presumably a Republican would replace Nelson if he takes the job). ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/5 "2004-11-18T06:16:32Z")
Now that Powell’s out, Bush needs someone else to ignore. 😉 Seriously, gotta go with **John Mace** here – does anyone care who is Secretary of Agriculture? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/6 "2004-11-18T06:28:52Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s not too bad as far as strategery goes. It’s sort of looks like a bipartisan gesture, and it could get one more Democrat out of the Senate (since Nebraska has a Republican governor, presumably a Republican would replace Nelson if he takes the job). Ah, so I see. It’s not a magnanimous gesture, its a ploy to strengthen the Republican advantage in the Senate even further. I take back what I said earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/7 "2004-11-18T06:30:41Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Ah, so I see. It’s not a magnanimous gesture, its a ploy to strengthen the Republican advantage in the Senate even further. I take back what I said earlier. I’m not insulting the guy. This is politics- who does anything for magnanimous reasons? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/8 "2004-11-18T06:41:00Z")
Clinton appointed William Cohen to be Secretary of Defense and he was a former Republican Senator from Maine. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/9 "2004-11-18T07:20:31Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Clinton appointed William Cohen to be Secretary of Defense and he was a former Republican Senator from Maine. Right! I had forgotten the second-term Cohen (after Aspin and Perry, both Democrats). Still think the first term was 100 percent single party… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/10 "2004-11-18T07:23:40Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Ah, so I see. It’s not a magnanimous gesture, its a ploy to strengthen the Republican advantage in the Senate even further. I take back what I said earlier. If it’s meant nefariously, the guy can always decline… Personally, I’d like to see Mr. Bush request that the governor consider appointing a Democrat, in light of the fact that a Democrat is leaving. That may be unrealistic… ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/11 "2004-11-18T09:49:41Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > If it’s meant nefariously, the guy can always decline… > > Personally, I’d like to see Mr. Bush request that the governor consider appointing a Democrat, in light of the fact that a Democrat is leaving. That may be unrealistic… Maybe he could appoint outgoing Senator Daschle for something? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/12 "2004-11-18T14:14:19Z")
[aside] Wow, that’s really cool! My cousin works for Nelson. He’s a Republican, so he’s gotta by pretty excited. [/aside] ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/13 "2004-11-18T15:02:52Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Maybe he could appoint outgoing Senator Daschle for something? Sure, why not? He appointed a whole fistful of losing Republican senatorial candidates last time round. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/14 "2004-11-18T15:08:12Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Maybe he could appoint outgoing Senator Daschle for something? I understand that we need a new Ambassador to Mongolia. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/15 "2004-11-18T15:14:17Z")
This, as everything else, will be viewed through your own ideological prism. To those who GWB cannot please at all, this will be viewed as nothing more than an attempt to gain another Senate seat. To address that argument, Nelson is up for reelection in 2006 as a Democrat in a state that Bush won by 33 points. Bush may be sincerely trying to keep his promise to reach out. But if I were him, I wouldn’t bother. There is a certain segment of the population that will see evil ulterior motives in everything he does and will never give him credit for anything positive. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/16 "2004-11-18T15:21:02Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Personally, I’d like to see Mr. Bush request that the governor consider appointing a Democrat, in light of the fact that a Democrat is leaving. That may be unrealistic… I’m sorry - I can’t type - I’m laughing too hard. > [@Evil One](#): > > To those who GWB cannot please at all, this will be viewed as nothing more than an attempt to gain another Senate seat. To address that argument, Nelson is up for reelection in 2006 as a Democrat in a state that Bush won by 33 points. He won election in 2000 in a state Bush won by 29 points, and he’s a former governor. He’s demonstrated he can win in Nebraska more than once. I think this is an honest offer, but I hope that Nelson declines. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/17 "2004-11-23T17:30:48Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Apparently the White House is considering nominating Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat from Nebraska, to replace departing Agriculture Secretaey Ann Veneman. This would be the second Democrat in the President’s Cabinet, joining Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta. > > I don’t recall how many Republicans were in Clinton’s Cabinet - none in his first term, I think. > > I don’t suppose we can draw any inference from this, except, of course, that Bush is evil, and a smirking moron chimp. Right? I see Bush as motivated in part by tokenism. Rove or Hughes or someone has told him he can impress soccer moms by seeming “tolerant” or bi-partisan. I blame him for appointing Norman Mineta in a similar effort at “bi-partisanship.” Agreed, Sec’y of Transportation is another post that, like Sec. of Ag., is usually meaningless, but in the one period when it actually had meaning, Mineta came out and responded to Sept. 11 by noting that it would be the DOT’s top priority to prevent . . . hijacking? Access to planes by suspect persons? Nah. He made it clear that “racial profiling” was, as far as he could tell, the no. 1 problem facing America in Sept., 2001 (apparently still nursing a grudge over his family’s internment in WWII). ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/18 "2004-11-23T17:34:02Z")
It’s not really that uncommon for a President to have a member of the opposition in his cabinet as sort of a token gesture. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/19 "2004-11-23T17:37:21Z")
I have heard talk of his nominating Lieberman to head Homeland Security. Again, a Democratic Senator in a state with a Republican Governor. Both of these are just talk at this point, apparently. Still, I wouldn’t dismiss the benefits of naming sitting Democratic Senators in Republican Governored states as mere partisan hand-wringing. Bush is a guy who won re-election without ever showing a whit of bipartisanship. Why the fuck would he need to start doing any such thing now? Was his extremely divisive partisanship a re-election strategy, and now the real Bush is coming out? Give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429/20 "2004-11-23T18:15:49Z")
Geez, Lieberman? Why not just tap Zell Miller and be done with it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-to-nominate-democrat-ben-nelson-to-agriculture/275429.md?page=2)