# What Would a Republican Cabinet Look Like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 10, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696 "2011-12-10T03:10:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/1 "2011-12-10T03:10:55Z")
What would a Republican cabinet of either Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich look like? ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/2 "2011-12-10T03:48:30Z")
Newt mentioned the other day that John Bolton would be his Secretary of State pick. Hopefully, the rest of his cabinet would be similarly mustachioed. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/3 "2011-12-10T03:52:51Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > Newt mentioned the other day that John Bolton would be his Secretary of State pick. Hopefully, the rest of his cabinet would be similarly mustachioed. Yeah, John Bolton. I tell you the only thing I like in Secretary of State pick more than a subnormal IQ, is seething hatred of other countries. Choosing Bolton is a shout-out to the people stupid enough to vote for Newt. ---
**Author:** ![keeganst94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/4 "2011-12-10T04:52:05Z")
Old and white? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/5 "2011-12-10T04:54:19Z")
> [@keeganst94](#): > > Old and white? You mean like Secretary of State Condolezza Rice? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/6 "2011-12-10T05:56:42Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > You mean like Secretary of State Condolezza Rice? Buh-huh-what?!?!?!? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/7 "2011-12-10T06:10:43Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Buh-huh-what?!?!?!? I think he’s challenging the assertion that a Republican cabinet would inevitably be old and white by bringing up Condi Rice, who was neither. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/8 "2011-12-10T06:26:40Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I think he’s challenging the assertion that a Republican cabinet would inevitably be old and white by bringing up Condi Rice, who was neither. I got that, I just don’t know of any link between her and The Newt. I don’t recall him being a big friend of the Bush administration. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/9 "2011-12-10T06:28:31Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > You mean like Secretary of State Condolezza Rice? So you are aware that there was a recent Republican administration that provides an example of what a Republican cabinet would look like. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/10 "2011-12-10T14:57:40Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > You mean like Secretary of State Condolezza Rice? There would undoubtedly be a token minority. However, Rice’s relationship with Bush was unique, to put it mildly. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/11 "2011-12-10T15:45:42Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I think he’s challenging the assertion that a Republican cabinet would inevitably be old and white by bringing up Condi Rice, who was neither. Or, he could be challenging the notion that a Republican would pick cabinet members who were qualified for the job. Condi Rice, of course, being the worst national security adviser ever, got that big promotion to Secretary of State. So perhaps we’d see Doug Feith as Secretary of Defense, Donald Trump as Secretary of the Treasury, Paul Bremmer as Secretary of State, Bob Ney as Chief of Staff, and so on… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/12 "2011-12-10T18:12:34Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > There would undoubtedly be a token minority. However, Rice’s relationship with Bush was unique, to put it mildly. I disagree. While you could justifiably accuse Bush of many flaws, he showed no signs of racism or sexism. His problem was he had no interest in ideological diversity. But as long as you were a pro-business conservative, he didn’t care what color, gender, or religion you were. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/13 "2011-12-10T18:28:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I disagree. While you could justifiably accuse Bush of many flaws, he showed no signs of racism or sexism. His problem was he had no interest in ideological diversity. But as long as you were a pro-business conservative, he didn’t care what color, gender, or religion you were. You’re right about that. Racism is perhaps the only character flaw that G.W.B can not be legitimately accused of. Even Molly Ivins, who knew him pretty well, often made this point. As to what a republican cabinet might look like, I suppose there’s quite a lot of difference between a hypothetical Romney cabinet and a hypothetical Gingrich Gang. Romney, if he wasn’t too intimidated by the right wing \* might\* include some like Huntsman or Gary Johnson. Gingrich, who is attempting to paint himself as the reincarnation of Ronald Reagan might place some elderly cold warriers, or put Kempthorne back into Interior. Heck, he might even bring back the likes of James Watt, who is still very much alive and execrable as ever. SS ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/14 "2011-12-10T20:19:29Z")
Gingrich would have the most corrupt administration in history - surpassing even Bush 43. Many DC Republicans are hostile to him and talk about his lack of ethics openly (Senator Tom Coburn, Peter King, even Boehner has had run-ins with Newt). For this reason Gingrich would surround himself with little known cronies and power grabbers who would carry out his Machiavillian (sic intentionally) agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/15 "2011-12-10T21:51:19Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > Gingrich would have the most corrupt administration in history - surpassing even Bush 43. Bush is the most corrupt President ever? Heard of anyone named Harding or Grant? :dubious::rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/16 "2011-12-10T22:36:15Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Bush is the most corrupt President ever? Heard of anyone named Harding or Grant? :dubious::rolleyes: Here is a link to a Congressional Record which quotes Senator Nelson saying that 77 Senators were privately told that Iraq had drones with WMD ready to attack the east coast of the US. > **[Sen. Nelson on the Purported Iraqi UAV Threat to America](https://irp.fas.org/congress/2004_cr/s012804b.html)** > > Senate floor statement, January 28, 2004 I can’t imagine that the Teapot Dome scandal was close to that - and that is just the tip of the iceberg on Bush/cheney. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/17 "2011-12-11T16:22:33Z")
Why do we bother to disagree with a right wingnut teenager who re-writes history and knows everything? Why don’t we just run him for president? (I know he’s too young to meet the age requirement) Wouldn’t we all be better off? ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/18 "2011-12-11T17:32:54Z")
I don’t know…um mahogany? Redwood? yeah, I got nothing ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/19 "2011-12-11T18:19:04Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > Here is a link to a Congressional Record which quotes Senator Nelson saying that 77 Senators were privately told that Iraq had drones with WMD ready to attack the east coast of the US. > > [Sen. Nelson on the Purported Iraqi UAV Threat to America](http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2004_cr/s012804b.html) > > I can’t imagine that the Teapot Dome scandal was close to that - and that is just the tip of the iceberg on Bush/cheney. Please re-post this the next time some idjit goes on and on about how “well the democrats voted for the war in Iraq, so they’re just as much at fault as the Bush administration”. Lying to Senators in order to get them to vote for a war. Freaking astounding. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696/20 "2011-12-11T21:30:06Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > I don’t know…um mahogany? Redwood? > > yeah, I got nothing Heh. I was going to suggest “the man-sized safe in Cheney’s office.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-a-republican-cabinet-look-like/605696.md?page=2)