Charlie Stenholm for Secretary of Agriculture?

Can we please NOT deplete our governing margin by filling (0.00 / 0)

the cabinet with elected Democrats who would be replaced with Republicans?

We have plenty of talent who are not currently holding partisan elected offices, and if we need to cull from the ranks of elected officials, can we please limit our culling to elected officials who will be replaced by fellow Democrats?

PS -- If Obama wants to offer positions to moderate Republicans like the nice lady Senators from Maine who might be replaced by Democrats, he shall hear no complaint from me.

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by: StopCornyn @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 13:26:29 PM UTC

I meant to post this in the Edwards thread. (0.00 / 0)

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by: StopCornyn @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 13:32:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tom Vilsack (0.00 / 0)

Everything I am hearing is that Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa, is a lock for this post.  It would be great to have as many Texas people in the cabinet as possible, but this one may be a long shot.  We'll see what happens though.  Thanks for the insight, David.

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by: Casey Walker @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 14:15:45 PM UTC

Stenholm (0.00 / 0)

Would he not be disqualified by the fact that he's a lobbyist who was involved in the farm bill over the last several years?

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by: Ted Mosbey @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 16:01:16 PM UTC

right. (0.00 / 0)

i admire stenholm a great deal, but obama can't start this off appointing lobbyists to cabinet positions.

we've got one chance to be the good guys and change the future.

Please refer to KT's signature.

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by: colin @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 18:50:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No (0.00 / 0)

Being a cotton farmer is no longer the lucrative business it once was before he became a US Congressman. Go back to Jones County near Abilene to farm or stay in Washington as a lobbyist? Most former Congressman would choose the latter.

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by: ssuits @ Wed Nov 12, 2008 at 23:30:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It will be Vilsack (0.00 / 0)

I'm an Iowan and I would be shocked if he didn't pick Vilsack.  He's a Hillary person and it would lock Iowa for 2012 (not that he needs it at this point).  Agriculture actually still matters in Iowa.  The ironic thing is that Vilsack does not have an Ag background.  The DM Register quoted his fellow state Senator at the time he started as saying Vilsack was nervous to sit on the Ag committee since he had no experience.  Although I guess he was comparing himself to a body that has an abnormally high number of real live farmers as members.

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by: BJazz @ Thu Nov 13, 2008 at 06:30:23 AM UTC

For Stenholm (0.00 / 0)

Howdy,

I haven't seen any more news about the Secretary of Agriculture. I hope Stenholm is still in consideration.

First things first, Stenholm is highly qualified. I'm not sure if there is any legal resitriction since he is currently a lobbyist. I hope not. I'm not a fan of lobbyists, but let's face it Charlie got screwed by DeLay redistricting and Charlie had enough courage to stand and fight even though he lost. I'm fairly certain Stenholm prefers public service over lobbying.

Having someone like Stenholm in Obama's cabinet would go a long way to rebuilding the big tent of the New Deal Coalition. It would also help us mute some of the remaing redness in Texas to have a prominent Texan in the Administration.

Keep the Faith,

Ted

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by: ted.waterston @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 18:07:06 PM UTC