# Obama's Cabinet (not the kind that's made of wood) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282 "2008-11-05T16:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/21 "2008-11-05T21:02:31Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > Fareed Zakaria… > …Lotsa funny-sounding names up there. 🙂 America is awesome. Zakaria is a funny name? No, his wife’s maiden name was Throckmorton. THAT is a funny name! It has been bothering me for some time that many morons (not you) on the street say that Barack Hussein Obama is a “funny name” without thinking about how they can at least come close to pronouncing or spelling it right first try, which many people cannot do with good, All-American, Polish names. Zbigniew Brzezinski? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/22 "2008-11-05T21:09:26Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > … good, All-American, Polish names. Zbigniew Brzezinski? :rolleyes: Zbrack Obamski, anyone? ---
**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 5, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/23 "2008-11-05T21:26:46Z")
I really think he needs to include Clinton. No, not that one. George Clinton, Secretary of Funk ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/24 "2008-11-05T21:29:27Z")
> [@malkavia](#): > > Secretary of the Interior - Bill Clinton The fastest way to a civil war with the Rocky Mountain west. Dave Fruedenthal would be a great Secretary of the Interior. ---
**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 5, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/25 "2008-11-05T21:43:21Z")
Well, if it’s not made of wood, then we can assume Kerry won’t be in it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/26 "2008-11-05T22:51:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Well, if it’s not made of wood, then we can assume Kerry won’t be in it. 🙂 Well played. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hirundo82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/919ad9/32.png) [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/27 "2008-11-06T00:27:01Z")
I’m not sure how I feel about Giuliani as head of FEMA, but I don’t think it is very likely. I think it is more likely that [David Paulison](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paulison), the current head of FEMA and a Democrat, stays on there unless he is moved up to Secretary of Homeland Security. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/28 "2008-11-06T01:21:19Z")
Alright, I’m drunk, I’ll just say it… Obama could be Mr. Totally Gracious and make John McCain secretary of something that doesn’t involve bombing Iran or drilling ANWR. That would strike me as being extremely classy. Not that Obama needs any bonus classy points, it would just be really cool. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/29 "2008-11-06T02:36:47Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > A couple more names to throw out there: > > [snip] > > [Neal Katyal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Katyal) for Solicitor General. He’s also a guy that should be getting serious Supreme Court consideration, should a vacancy open up later in Obama’s (first?) term. Er - honestly, I’m as big a Katyal fan as anybody, but the man’s not even forty, and he’s got no judicial experience at all. He’d be an interesting nominee for a US District Court - but he’s not ready to rock out with the Supremes just yet. He’d make a fine Solicitor-General, though. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/30 "2008-11-06T04:07:40Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Er - honestly, I’m as big a Katyal fan as anybody, but the man’s not even forty, and he’s got no judicial experience at all. He’d be an interesting nominee for a US District Court - but he’s not ready to rock out with the Supremes just yet. > > He’d make a fine Solicitor-General, though. …He’s got more experience than Miguel Estrada did when he was nominated for the D.C. Circuit. 🙂 But you’re right, we don’t want to be like them. Akhil Amar, Seth Waxman, Cass Sunstein, and Sonia Sotomayor, then. Pick any two or three, and that’s not a bad slate. (I will disagree with you on one thing. If Katyal were to get nominated to the bench, there’s no way he wouldn’t go straight to the circuit level. I’m a former district court clerk, and I’ve got more respect for those judges than almost anyone, but Katyal’s academic and appellate background aren’t suited for the trial court level. And there’ve certainly been circuit judges as young as he would be in a couple of years.) ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/31 "2008-11-06T05:17:07Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > A fairly plugged in friend of mine offers his thoughts: > > Quote: > Arnold for Energy Secretary? [This Arnold](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000216/)? [He says no](http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Schwarzenegger_Shuns_Possible_Obama_Cabinet_Post.html) (for now). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/32 "2008-11-06T12:04:02Z")
Amar is very impressive, as well as personally likeable. (He was my Federal Court jurisdiction prof.) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/33 "2008-11-06T14:52:58Z")
I read that Obama is seriously considering Robert Kennedy Jr. as head of the EPA. This would be a spectacularly bad pick. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/34 "2008-11-06T15:36:18Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I read that Obama is seriously considering Robert Kennedy Jr. as head of the EPA. > > This would be a spectacularly bad pick. More on the RFK Jr. speculation [here](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15320.html). I have to agree with **Sam** on this one - nominating someone who’s been big on [pushing conspiracy theory and pseudoscience](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2008/11/say_it_aint_so_barack_say_you_aint_serio.php) (on the debunked vaccine-autism connection) would be a huge mistake. What we don’t need is another administration that politicizes science. Obama will have to decide whether pleasing Hillary Clinton and Caroline Kennedy with an RFK Jr. selection outweighs the potential damage to his administration’s credibility. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/35 "2008-11-06T15:44:04Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I have to agree with **Sam** on this one - nominating someone who’s been big on [pushing conspiracy theory and pseudoscience](http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2008/11/say_it_aint_so_barack_say_you_aint_serio.php) (on the debunked vaccine-autism connection) would be a huge mistake. What we don’t need is another administration that politicizes science. Thirded. Other than anti-vax nimrods and Rolling Stone, I don’t know who would want to see Kennedy at that job. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/36 "2008-11-06T17:40:53Z")
I agree with all three of you. ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/37 "2008-11-06T17:53:38Z")
After reading the New Yorker article, I think Chuck Hagel will be Secretary of State (or maybe Defense). Colin Powell could be vice-versa. Or Gates could stay on at Defense. I’d like to see Robert Reich back at Labor. > [@Reloy3](#): > > Dave Fruedenthal would be a great Secretary of the Interior. Excellent suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/38 "2008-11-06T18:42:01Z")
The New York Post also mentions RFK Jr. as a potential EPA head - although of course, they said Kerry was picking Dick Gephardt for VP and they’re a dyed-in-the-wool tabloid, so they can be wrong with the best of them. (They picked a great headline, though: “Bamelot.”) Still, I’m shaken by what a shockingly awful choice that would be. After such a long time of Democrats saying they were pro science and the Republicans weren’t, it would be very dispiriting to see the Dems give these paranoid anti-science morons such a, well, shot in the arm. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/39 "2008-11-06T18:51:31Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > Speculation is that Rahm Emanuel is the frontrunner for Obama’s Chief of Staff position, which I think works well. He’s going to be a force in the party for awhile. (Schweitzer/Emanuel 2016!) [He just accepted the job.](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/obama-to-visit-white-house-next-week/) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282/40 "2008-11-06T18:56:32Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > [He just accepted the job.](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/obama-to-visit-white-house-next-week/) Can I just say that I think it’s funny as hell that two of the first 3 members of the Obama administration have plausibly-Arabic names? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-cabinet-not-the-kind-thats-made-of-wood/471282.md?page=3)