Now that Obama is seen as the Democratic nominee in waiting and moving into general election mode, there is starting to be a lot of discussion about what an Obama administration would look like. These are just my thoughts and feelings, and I may (and probably am) way off (and this is not my dream cabinet, just who I think seems likely).
Follow after the fold for my thoughts on who may be tapped for a few key positions...
Vice-President: Bill Richardson
This is the first position that Obama will have to fill, and there are many great possibilities out there. Personally, I just don't see Obama picking Hillary. Jim Webb has been pushed by quite a few, but I don't see him being picked either, and I would rather he stay in the Senate. I feel that Obama will pick a governor so that there is executive experience on the ticket, and someone with national security experience, so I think Bill Richardson would be an ideal choice. Choosing Richardson would also help Obama reach out to Latinos whom Obama has had some trouble reaching out to thus far.
Secretary of State: Susan Rice
Personally, I think this will be one of the most important choices that Obama has to make in picking his cabinet, and one that I'm the most torn about which direction Obama will go. The Secretary of State will have a lot of work trying to repair the U.S. reputation throughout the world after 8 years of Bush, which means Obama needs to pick someone who is well respected throughout the world. I like Joe Biden, but don't see him as SecState. I generally would be reluctant to select any senators as the Democrats try to gain a strong majority in the Senate to limit Republican obstructionism. Another name mentioned a lot is Bill Richardson, and if he is not picked for VP (as I do) I think he will be picked for this position. My dream pick here would be Al Gore, but I don't see it happening (but I can still dream). All that being said, I'll go with someone not that well known, Susan Rice. Rice was an Assistant SecState under President Clinton, and has been Obama's cheif foreign policy advisor. Ironically, she would be the second African-American woman with the last name Rice to hold the position in a row.
Attorney General: John Edwards
I have a strong feeling that Obama is going to find a spot for Edwards somewhere in his administration, and I can think of no better place than as AG. In this post, Edwards could help to undo the tremendous damage that Bush has done to Justice by heavily politicizing the department.
Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel
I feel a Republican will be picked for a prominent post in an Obama administration, and this is the most likely place. I personally don't like this pick as I feel that it just feeds the Republican talking point that Democrats are weak on national security ("they can't find a qualified "Democrat" to fill that position).. but Hagel has criticized the war from the beginning and is as good as any other GOP choice that Obama might pick.
Secretary of Treasury: Timothy Geithner
There really does not seem to be (at least from what I've read) a clear front-runner for this post, making my pick a somewhat of a complete guess. Timothy Geithner is currently the head of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, is well respected on Wall Street, and would seem to be a solid choice from what little I know about him.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Lee Hamilton
Lee Hamilton definitely has the resume for this post. He served 34 years in the House, serving as Chairman of both the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees. Since retiring from the House, he has served on several government commissions, most notably the 9/11 Commission and the Iraq Study Group. The only drawback to this appointment is that Hamilton has said he is not a big fan of Obama's Iraq withdrawal plan.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland
Cleland got rumors about this post in 2004 as John Kerry ran, and the reasons his name was put forward then still apply today. A triple-amputee veteran of Vietnam, he was formerly head of the Veterans Administration under Carter and served one term in the US Senate, where he was defeated in a very nasty reelection campaign that I'm sure people around here know the details of.
These are just my thoughts. Like I said in the intro, I'm probably way off on some (if not all) of these.
(on one last side note, I just would like to extend my thoughts and prayers out to Ted Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family. Ted, along with his brothers John and Robert are three of my biggest political heroes, and I'm sure Ted will fight with this with everything he's got)