The Daily Transition RUMINT, 10/29

A reader:

Charlie Stenholm is a senior policy advisor at Olsson Frank Weeda, a food/ag law and lobby firm.  Since he's a registered lobbyist, Obama might be reticent to appoint him.

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A reader:

One name I keep hearing from the DC transportation world for Sec. of Transportation is Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer. He was an early Obama endorser and has done a lot of work on metropolitan transportation issues and infrastructure financing. His name was also discussed for this post in 2004, as I remember.

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Jane Harman (Homeland Security or CIA), PepsiCo chair Indra Nooyi (Treasury, Commerce), Gen. John Abizaid (DNI), James Steinberg (UN Amb., NSA., CIA, DNI),

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Ron Klain as Deputy AG or WH Counsel.

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Comments

Marc sits down with his cup of coffee every morning and promptly pulls these names from his ass.

Posted by Craig | October 29, 2008 10:52 AM

Craig,

I think there are multiple asses from which this info comes. I'm not sure whether that is better or worse.

Posted by KevDog | October 29, 2008 11:31 AM

What about Jim Oberstar, Dem Rep, from MINUTE as Second of Transportation. He was an early endorser of Obama during the primaries and is currently chairman of Trans Committee.

Posted by Kris | October 29, 2008 11:37 AM

Blumenauer would be awesome. Having been on the Portland City Council, he really knows his way around transportation issues--and he bikes to Congress every day, too. That would be a real change in federal transportation priorities...

Posted by Erika | October 29, 2008 12:05 PM

This thread is interesting, but just in time for Halloween you might want to speculate on whom McCain would tap for these positions if he manages to steal the election.

It would be, I think, a pretty scary list, starting w/ the monumentally unqualified Meg Whitman for SecTreas, Lierberman for SecState and whichever crackpot neocon he's thinking about for NSC.

YIKES!!!

Posted by mars | October 29, 2008 12:34 PM

I have to shill for Blumenauer too - and not just because we went to the same college (more famously the alma mater of... Monica) and he used to be my congressman. Anyone who travels to Portland can see the future of how transportation should be structured in this country - and Earl played a vital role in making this a reality.

Posted by andy | October 29, 2008 12:40 PM

I think Al Gore would make a fantastic Administrator of the EPA, and his presence would demonstrate a commitment to the environment, even when other topics (war, economy, health care) get most of the attention.

Posted by Bruce | October 29, 2008 12:41 PM

If you do one for McCain Marc, given your how your coverage of McCain was until about a week ago, when you had to start covering your ass, I think RIMJOB would a suitable acronym.

Posted by James | October 29, 2008 12:46 PM

BLUMENAUER! BLUMENAUER! BLUMENAUER!

I don't know anything, but as a rank-and-file Obama supporter, the idea of Blumenauer as Sec. Transportation thrills me to the bone.

We finally got the Bike Bill passed in the bailout bill, and this looks like it'll be a very pro-transit couple of years, with Joe Biden, Kay Hagan, and hopefully Prop 1A in California...

Posted by JR | October 29, 2008 12:52 PM

I'd like to see all the fired US Attorneys get their jobs back, if they want them, and maybe David Iglesias could be put in a high DOJ position. It would be the right thing to do, and have the additional virtue of giving Bush, et al. the finger.

Posted by Henderstock | October 29, 2008 1:07 PM

I'll chime in for Earl Blumenauer as well. In 2004 he won re-election with 71% of the vote. He cam back in 2006 winning 73% of the vote. His political career has always been one of working on important issues at whatever job he held at the time.

His district was formerly held by Senator Ron Wyden. Definitely a 'blue' district by any measure.

Posted by Jim | October 29, 2008 1:10 PM

I think Howard Dean would make an excellent Secretary of Health and Human Services. He's a physician, he's bright, and what else would he do after he leaves the DNC?

Posted by Bill | October 29, 2008 1:38 PM

The best most suitable for these jobs:
1. Colin Powell: Secretary of State
2. General Clark: Secretary of Defense
3. Hillary Clinton: Health Education & Welfare
4. Bernanke: Secretary Treasurer
5. Lugar: Home Security Chief
6. Iglesias: Attorney General
7. Bill Clinton: U.N. Ambassador
The rest to supporters........
Aloha! President Barrack Obama !

Posted by KEINO | October 29, 2008 3:05 PM

Blumenauer sounds like he could also be a plausible Secretary of Energy--according to his website, he is second-ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming--although, given the need to to encourage the public to change our consumption habits, I think Obama might choose more of a marquee name with party-crossing appeal, like the Terminator, for DOE.

Posted by Brian | October 29, 2008 10:18 PM