So the big news today is regarding Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano:
http://www.sunjournal.com/...
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who led the burgeoning Department of Homeland Security through a host of policy changes in the post 9/11 era, is resigning to head the University of California system.
Napolitano, just the third person to lead the 10-year-old department, told her senior staff Friday she would be leaving for California. She will become the president of the University of California system, which includes UCLA and the University of California, Berkeley, among other campuses. The University of California also announced Napolitano's nomination to be the 20th president of the statewide system.
"The opportunity to work with the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, who serve on the front lines of our nation's efforts to protect our communities and families from harm, has been the highlight of my professional career," she said in a statement. "After four plus years of focusing on these challenges, I will be nominated as the next president of the University of California to play a role in educating our nation's next generation of leaders." - AP, 7/12/13
The Washington Post's The Fix released a list of potential replacements here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
The one name that isn't on that list but has been rumored to be a replacement is Senator Susan Collins (R. ME):
http://www.sunjournal.com/...
While no serious short list of names has emerged in Washington to replace Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is being mentioned.
Collins and Independent Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman co-wrote the legislation that created the department a decade ago. By the way, Lieberman also is on a few short lists. - Maine Sun Journal, 7/12/13
Though Collins name wasn't on The Fix's list, here name has been popping up in other news stories regarding Napolitano's replacement:
http://www.politico.com/...
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) floated a cross-party pick in Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who was the longtime top Republican on the Senate’s Homeland Security panel.
“I really think she is a thoughtful voice and would be a real quality addition,” Connolly said. “You want to make sure that your Cabinet has some voices from the other party.”
It’s doubtful, though, that Republicans would want to risk losing her Senate seat. - Politico, 7/12/13
But Collins did make quite a statement about Napolitano leaving that some people in the DKE action believe that she might be seriously interested in the position:
http://www.collins.senate.gov/...
"Secretary Napolitano called me this morning to say that she intends to leave her position as Secretary of Homeland Security in early September.
"I have had an excellent working relationship with Secretary Napolitano during my years serving as Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. We worked together closely on a host of important issues and met regularly to discuss challenges facing the Department. I always found Secretary Napolitano willing to listen. She has served well in an extremely difficult position, always with the goal of working to better protect our country from the threat of terrorism both at home and abroad. Her departure is a real loss for the Obama Administration, and I wish her well." - Senator Susan Collins (R. ME), 7/12/13
I can see how this statement could be taken as Collins' hyping herself up for the position. Collins has stated that she intends to run again for her Senate seat but it's not official just yet:
http://www.usatoday.com/...
"If I developed a serious illness, if my husband did, if something like that — something catastrophic happened to me or another member of my family — then obviously I would reconsider," Collins told the Associated Press. "But absent that, I certainly intend to run again." - USA Today, 3/20/13
David Weigel points out that President Obama could've called on Collins for the position back in 2009:
http://www.slate.com/...
Looking back to 2009, the decision to give DHS to Napolitano might have deprived the White House of some political manuevering room, while accidentally creating a great issue for 2012. Had the president put Maine Sen. Susan Collins in the Senate, her replacement would have been picked by Democratic Gov. John Baldacci. Democrats would have held 59 Senate seats even before Arlen Specter switched parties and Al Franken was confirmed; after he was seated, they would have retained 60 votes even as Ted Kennedy ailed, then died. But taking Napolitano out of Arizona enabled the passage of SB1070, which she would have vetoed. (Jan Brewer, Arizona's secretary of state, was next in line for the office.) The backlash against that law, which didn't hit in Arizona in 2010, still brought the Obama administration closer to Hispanic voters. - Slate, 7/12/13
I have mixed feelings about Collins leading the Department of Homeland Security. She's certainly qualified for the position but her past working relationship with Joe Lieberman makes me nervous. But it would be a great political move on Obama's behalf because then we can finally take this seat for Team Blue. I think the Tea Party already has it's hands full with trying to get Governor Paul LePage (R. ME) re-elected that they may not have the resources or even a credible candidate to take out Collins. I'm all for Democrats taking Collins seat (paging Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D. ME-01)) but I'm just not sure if this is the best way to do it. Still though, Maine is our territory and having some like Pingree in the U.S. Senate over Collins would make the Senate a little less dysfunctional.