Secretary of Defense?

[yebrent]

Poll question: Secretary of Defense?

This is the 3rd of 5 polls for top Cabinet positions in a 2009 Democratic Administration.

The Cabinet positions being polled are as follows:

1. Secretary of State (Finished: Wes Clark is the winner with 51%)
2. Attorney General (Finished: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the winner with 29%)
3. Secretary of Defense (2/27-3/01)
4. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (3/01-3/03)
5. National Intelligence Director (3/03-3/05)

(Yes, I know the National Intelligence Director isn't an official Cabinet Position, but it is a highly critical position in the administration that oversees 16 separate intelligence agencies)
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Why start this so early?

Glad you asked, for a couple of reasons:

These cabinet positions require strong public support for the individuals appointed. We trust these individuals to serve the US Constitution and “We the People” first, not the President or the Party. This is an opportunity to voice that trust.

Secondly, I don't think it hurts to show the depth of the Democratic Party's bench. There are many excellent Democratic candidates for cabinet seats, and holding these party leaders up for comparison against Gonzales, Condi, Gates and the rest of the Bush Cabal only helps our eventual Presidential nominee and national party image. Also, the sooner this party can think of itself as a team, the better. America is looking for a team to lead, not another neo-dictator and his yes-men and yes-women.
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The 3rd poll up is for Secretary of Defense. The winner of this poll will be excluded from the remaining polls.

Wes Clark is excluded from this poll and the remaining polls since he already placed 1st for Secretary of State: (Results: Clark 51% / Kerry 40% / Holbrooke 4% / Biden 2% / Graham 2%). Wes Clark is also disqualified from being Secretary of Defense until 2010, 10 years after his retirement from active military service.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is excluded from this poll and the remaining polls since he already placed 1st for Attorney General: (Results: Kennedy 29% / Kerry 20% / Spitzer 20% / Fitzgerald 10% / others 21%)
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I've omitted the following people from all polls:

"Leading" Presidential Candidates:

Hillary Clinton
Barack Obama
John Edwards
Bill Richardson

Others:

Al Gore (may run and probably wouldn't take a cabinet position)
Nancy Pelosi (why would she give up what she's got?)
Harry Reid (Harry might be more willing than Pelosi, but I would be surprised)
Bill Clinton
Jimmy Carter

The nominees for Secretary of Defense are listed randomly below. If you don't see your favorite, nominate them, and I'll add them next time. I hope to update this poll quarterly through the 2008 elections.

Thank you for your participation!

[PhilipShore]

1. Other: Dennis Kucinich - n/t

[yebrent]

4. What are Dennis' qualifications?

Tell me why you think he would make a good SoD?

[PresidentObama]

5. My thoughts exactly. Why DK for this position? n/t

[PhilipShore]

7. He advocates for a Department of Peace...

I personally think it should be called the Department of Non-Violence, and that the name of the Department of Defense should be changed to the Department of Non-Violence; and it should not be a separate branch of the Defense Department as Kucinich wants -- but he has the right idea, it is only by the force of non-violent principles - will the world become more free, democratic, and Nuke Free, pollution free, etc.

The whole Defense department has to be transformed; this would mean a 95% reduction of all defense spending etc., and use the means of non-violence to prevent violence before it occurs, rather then fighting wars that just deals with the symptoms of destructive behavior by groups and/ or individuals, nations, etc.

[yebrent]

15. good pitch!

I'll add him to the list next time.

[BL611]

20. A 95% reduction in defense spending

is waaaay to much. There's plenty of pork, and obsolete weapons systems wasting gov't money, but its nowhere near 95%. The Defense department should not be called the department of non violence because it is NOT the department of non violence. There SHOULD be another department that searches for peaceful non violent solutions before we use our military, however rather than calling it the department of peace or non violence how bout the Department of STATE (sounds vaguely familar...), seriously I don't mean to be an @$$, but I don't know what DK was high on when he came up with that idea...

[yebrent]

6. I don't mean to dismiss Dennis' abilities

I'm just wondering why you think he would be a good fit for SoD? What is your sales pitch?

[TSIAS]

2. Murtha (nt)

[yebrent]

3. kick - n/t

[More Than A Feeling]

8. Man, Kerry just can't catch a break, can he?

[yebrent]

10. Doesn't look like it.

Joe Biden gets zero love in these polls too.

[Mass]

11. Kerry came second in both polls. It does not seem that he does not get any love.

[karynnj]

24. and here, I doubt he would want to be secretary of defense

[yebrent]

25. you are right.

Looks like Kerry might come in second in this poll too. Voting ends in a few hours (once I get home from work and post the next poll)

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Senate considerations aside Jim Webb, but we can't afford to lose his seat

[yebrent]

13. I have a few thoughts on this.

I'm not sure we would lose his seat. I don't know the laws in Virginia, but with a Democratic Governor in Virginia, I would think that the seat would remain Democratic at least until the 2010 election, and maybe until 2012, when Webb would be up for reelection. Plus, in 2008, Republicans will be defending 21 Senate seats, to only 12 Democratic seats. If the Democratic Party loses the Senate majority with those odds, then we got bigger troubles.

Then there Webb's agenda. His primary reasons for running for Senate was to put an end to the Iraq war and to protect the troops. I would think that he could get a lot more accomplished in this area as Secretary of Defense. The slow and often non-existent pace of the Senate has got to be extremely frustrating for him. I love that he is a passionate Democratic Senator, but I do sometimes wonder if he would rather be doing all he can to correct Bush's foreign policy catastrophes from somewhere in a Democratic administration.

[Sammy Pepys]

12. Jack Reed of Rhode Island

My nomination.

[More Than A Feeling]

14. Perfect! When the poll comes around again, I'll be changing my vote

from Graham to Reed.

[yebrent]

18. Good call! I don't know how I forgot him.

I also forgot Max Cleland. I'll add them next time, replacing the lowest vote getters.

[hippiechick]

16. Wes Clark, if he's eligible by then ...

... wasn't there some military x-years prohibition because of his time-in-service?

If not him, then Webb, although I've heard he was a bugger when he was Sec of the Navy ...

[Clark2008]

17. 10 years out and Wes retired in 2000, so he won't be eligible by

2008.

:hi:

[Ninja Jordan]

19. Jack Reed. Period.

[Bucky]

21. I'd like to suggest an unknown name for NID.

Thomas PM Barnett has a tremendous vision, is a compelling speaker, and understands the nitty gritty of national security will in the coming century will continue to depend on nation-building, alliance-building, and reputation-repairing. He seems to have a pretty high opinion of himself, but his words adn depth of understading seem to justify a pretty big ego.

Read his books. I guarantee you'll never think about military strategy the same again.

[Ninja Jordan]

22. Hell of a choice. Didn't know about him.

[yebrent]

23. great suggestion!

I'll be sure to include him in the NID poll.

[Rowdyboy]

26. Former senator Max Cleland would be my top choice....