As one who supported Al Gore, I am not at all surprised that Bush is now making payoffs to the forces which got him elected. It only makes sense that major portfolios should go to the anti-abortion, anti-environmentalist, anti-union forces. Unlike Democratic politicians who regularly sell out their supporters, he has kept his promises to those who elected him. He has not deserted his supporters. If I were a Bush supporter, I would be very pleased. Are Bush supporters satisfied with his choices?
I would not presume to speak for all Bush supporters but I think most of us are very happy with his Cabinet appointments. I have heard some grumblings over Paul O’Neil. What does a rightfielder now about the treasury?
Here is a column by a prominent conservative about the cabinet: http://www.suntimes.com/output/novak/novak041.html
I think I heard it put best when someone said “We may have an uninspiring President, but his Cabinet is second to none.”
At least we don’t have another Clinton Cabinet. shudder
His cabinet is a far sight better than his vanity.
[sub]Interpret that as you will.[/sub]
Yup, Lloyd Bentsen and Bob Rubin were just unmitigated pinko commie bastards. 
Sorry, sorry, carry on…
Considering that all of Bush’s appointees are ideological clones of himself (save for the one token Democrat, safely tucked away in the Department of Transportation), and that the GOP has fallen in blind lockstep support behind Dubya, I can’t imagine any Bush supporter saying that they’re unhappy.
Actually, if the Religious Right isn’t steamed, they SHOULD be. George W. Bush has, in effect, re-created the Ford-Rockefeller administration.
Now, is that better than a McGovern administration? Much. Better than the Clinton administration? Slightly. But except for John Ashcroft (who’s still not a sure thing)which Cabinet member/nominee should Jerry Falwell be turning cartwheels over?
Whatever you think of them, face facts: the Religious RIght saved George W.'s ass big time, when the media were doing evcerything possible to hand the GOP nomination to John McCain. And the Religious Right delivered every Southern state to George W. (The Dems couldn’t even carry Gore or CLinton’s home states.)
And what does the Religious Right get for its hard work? One Cabinet member, and 11 moderate retreads.
Fact is, the Republicans NEED the Religiopus Right, and panders to them during the campaign, just as the Democrats NEED black voters, and pander to them during the campaigns. But once the elections are over, the winners pay little more than lip service to the people they pandered to.
I suspect that George W., like his dad, finds the fundamentalists a little embarrassing. Rich, country-club Republicans regard the Religious Right the way you might regard a wealthy, senile relative. You WANT the relative’s money, but you DON’T want to spend much time with him.
As for me… I’m reasonably pleased with the Cabinet, but don’t see any reason for enthusiasm.
I think his choice of wood was good, but I’m not sure it’s gonna match the carpets.
I really like his Entertainment center though…
I wasn’t a Bush supporter. But he’s the President now and these appointees will fill crucial spots. Fine distinction, but real. Administrations–all of 'em–are temporary but they have impact.
His cabinet choices are…predictable. He has heavy political debts to pay off and Astorian nailed it: all in all, the Religious Right extremists are pallidly represented. The rest are Bush Sr. retreads. Reagan, the ultimate Teflon slickster, forged an alliance with Christian extremists, reneged on them–charmingly, then left conservatives holding the bag of snakes.
He’s chosen some competent people but the mix is inherently queasy. It reflects the very real schism in the Republican party between social/religious and fiscal conservatives. It’s nearly devoid of pragmatic (co-opted?) bridge builders in a lethally doubtful election.
I don’t want to take cheap shots. It’d take the wisdom of Solomon and the political instincts of Machiavelli to handle this mess. Nonetheless I hoped for that flash of maverick genius. His choices are workmanlike and predicatable. Trouble is, it’s same-old.
Veb