Should Obama start offering cabinet positions to republicans?

[anonymous171]

After seeing the results of the GOP primary, I realized that there are a lot of dissatisfied republicans. Perhaps by getting a republican on board, Obama could appeal to those republicans. The only problems I can see are:
1. Obama loses a lot of progressive support
2. Hillary jumping on this and making a huge deal out of it

Positives:
1. Reinforces his Unity rhetoric
2. Resets the media "narrative"



:shrug:
-edited to add: Anyone know of a republican who would even take a position in Obama's administration?

2nd edit: If a democrat is better suited for the job, he should definitely pick the dem. Democrat>Republican

3rd edit: I am not advocating that Obama do this. I just wanted to see what some here thought about it.

[sasquatch]

1. Only to guy's that bucked the neo-con trend

[locker13]

18. no

[H2O Man]

2. no

[BlooInBloo]

3. Stupidest idea of the day.

[anonymous171]

11. Why?

The GOP is totally scattered right now. We could swoop in and use the war/neocons as wedges to get their vote.

[BlooInBloo]

15. They wouldn't vote for Obama even if he joined the KKK.

[anonymous171]

16. I'm talking about the moderate style repugs,

[BlooInBloo]

29. Oxymoron. Unless you're talking about Clinton supporters.

[anonymous171]

30. lol

Well, how about this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee

[BlooInBloo]

40. Only if there's no qualified Democrats. (Which of course there are.)

EDIT: Note also that someone like Hagel wouldn't give us any value added with republican voters - any more than GW appointing Zell Miller would with Democratic voters.

[Inuca]

48. Hagel

is hated and despised by the neo-con wing, but respected by sane republicans, also independents and quite a few democrats. Moreover he is sane, very much so, which makes him the opposite of Zell Miller.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. He should offer those positions to the best, most qualified people,

but chances are those people won't be Republicans.

[LakeSamish706]

5. I wouldn't mind seeing a guy like Chuck Hagel in an Obama cabinet...

Hagel seems to be pretty pissed with both the Bush Administration and his own party right now, or at least thats the way I read it.

But, he needs to make certain of course that there isn't a great Democrat out there that could do as good a job.

[anonymous171]

7. Agreed

For me, this is more of an electability thing. A lot of republicans don't like McCain and want to vote for Obama, but they just don't feel comfortable. I'm not saying Obama should become more conservative, but that he should "put his money where his mouth is" in regards to Unity.

[sasquatch]

44. That's what I'm thinking

[baldguy]

6. Why?

Has any Republican publicly & forcefully renounced the neocon agenda?

[anonymous171]

9. Some have.

[Seeker30]

8. Why not? He loved Reagan

[anonymous171]

10. Dumb

[Seeker30]

12. Not as dumb as your thread

But he does love Reagan, whats the problem?

[anonymous171]

13. lies and distortions.

[Seeker30]

14. Says the guy who wants repugs in the administration

[newmajority]

21. Didn't your Messiah, Bill Clinton, have Republicans in his cabinet.

Colin Powell and William Cohen, just to name two. David Gergen was one of his close advisors, as was Dick prostitute toe-sucker Morris.

And Hillary's campaign guru Mark Penn works for the same company that McLoon's guy does.

I don't think you Hillbots have much room to talk on this one.


Now that said, there aren't a lot of Republicans I would trust in a cabinet position, and if Obama did appoint any, I would hope it would be someone who would be "safe" in that position. For example, Chuck Hagel might well do OK as a Secretary of Defense, but I damn sure wouldn't put him in charge of anything involving election reform!

[anonymous171]

26. Yeah. That's the problem.

Are there any repugs Obama trusts enough to give a position to?

[Seeker30]

45. Colin Powell was NOT in the Clinton administration

Do you obamas just say whatever comes to mind or do you literally believe the bullshit you spew?

[anonymous171]

28. Clinton had republicans in his administration

[gristy]

17. That would be highly unusual

A presidential candidate's cabinet, or a president-elect's cabinet, for that matter, is under private consideration until well after the GE.

I don't see anything to gain by doing what you suggest.

[Aloha Spirit]

19. See my post on Lincoln Chafee...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5707026&mesg_id=5707026

[mcctatas]

20. Doesn't he almost have to at this point?

He has been talking about uniting the country and getting rid of old school politics, I think there would be no better way to symbolize that than appointing a puke to something. question: Do the pukes have RINO's like we have DINO's? Maybe one of them would be good:shrug:

[anonymous171]

23. That's what I thought.

Helps bring his Unity message back to the forefront. The only problem is that Hillary would jump on it and siphon off some progressive support.

[mcctatas]

25. Except, he wouldn't have to announce anything about who he

may or may not appoint until after the primary...ya know, when hell freezes over? :banghead:

[Aloha Spirit]

27. Ya mean when we reach 2024, like, 16 years from now?

[seaglass]

22. Is Obama running for the Democratic nomination?

Stop doing this. The voters he would lose by selecting a Republican as VP or in his Cabinet - as many Obama supporters have suggested - are more numerous than those he would gain.

I will NOT vote for Obama if he does this.

[anonymous171]

24. Not even a RINO?

[seaglass]

31. Nope. Why would you even go there? It's not like there's a limited

supply of capable Democrats.

[Aloha Spirit]

32. as far as I'm concerned, Chafee is more qualified to be SOS than HRC is to be President.

[anonymous171]

34. Looks like he's more socially liberal.

The only problem:
Supports free trade
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee#Other_issues

[seaglass]

37. That's really sad. Lincoln Chafee seems like a nice enough guy

but he had a chance to show his character and he took the coward's way out.

[anigbrowl]

33. You don't pick your whole cabinet until you're elected, in my view

Of course he should consider it, there are some good and wise people in the GOP, just as there are some corrupt hacks in the Democratic party.

[anonymous171]

35. Got any names?

[Aloha Spirit]

36. Hagel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Hagel#Senate_career

[hayu_lol]

38. According to Christine Craft, KGO(ABC)San Francisco...

Obama is considering Der Gropenator for the EPA head.

If Obama wants repugs, then he ought to change parties.

Perhaps he wants those two staunch Repugnants, Bill and Ben Nelson in his cabinet.

[Aloha Spirit]

39. All three candidates have stated that they would consider taking on members of the other party. ...

so this alone is not a distinguishing factor.
My jaw will definitely drop though, if the Mr Freeze rumor is true.
Wait.... Maybe Mr Freeze is just what this planet needs?

Sorry couldn't help myself.

[Hamlette]

41. He should say he will build a cabinet that looks like America and includes some sane repubicans

He could pick Snowe or Collins or Chafee or some other sane republicans to keep the noise level down on the right.

Like Lincoln.

then do what he wants

[anonymous171]

42. There's a good idea.

I like the "looks like America" part especially. :thumbsup:

[Bensthename]

43. He has said before he would recruit some rePubes to work in his admin.

I'm not sure when I heard him say that but I think that is a good idea..

[frickaline]

46. I think he'd be a little foolish to limit his choices to only non-republicans

If I'm not mistaken Lincoln brought in democrats and republicans to his cabinet in an effort to force various political factions to work together to achieve their goals. I think its important to keep an open mind on ideas like these and I see nothing wrong with it if he chose to do so.

[undeterred]

47. Lets give the "Kitchen cabinet" to

Oprah. Aw, you were sure I was going to say Hillary, weren't you?

[indimuse]

49. some people here are obviously ...mentally challenged.

I don't find a lot of valuable post from Obamacans...always something OUTTA your asses!