How would you feel if Obama appointed several Republicans to cabinet positions?

[synesthesia]

I'm talking moderate Republicans here along the lines of a Dick Lugar.

Would you feel he was selling out or appeasing or what not?

I realize this sounds like flame bait to bash Obama, but I support the guy. I do think he wants to do like Lincoln and appoint 'enemies' (so to speak) into his cabinet. I'd win a lot of good will with the American public, and I do not believe all Republicans are sociopathic and evil.

But who cares what I think. How would the fine folks of DU feel about it. Because I'm pretty convinced he will do it if he wins.

He's mentioned his deep respect for Hagel and Lugar in a few big pieces in major publications, etc. I think if the country keeps seeing a 'liberal' only giving roles to 'liberals', there will never be a mandate to get anything done.

[LaurenG]

1. About the same way I'd feel if Hillary did it.

betrayed...

[synesthesia]

5. *

I think a guy like Lugar is a decent 'public servant' (well, as best you're going to get in the swamp that is politics).

He has a different political philosophy, but he's not an evil guy or some such. I think. Him and Obama worked on nuclear proliferation and such.

Just an example.

Americans would have more faith in the government if it wasn't so nakedly partisan. There's a lot of well meaning Republican voters out there who just happen to think (for example), abortion is wrong. That doesn't mean they should be totally alienated if they're willing to help work/vote for climate change issues (and evangelicals are really getting into the environment issue).

[aquart]

17. How dare you?

After what we've been through, you plan to put them BACK IN POWER????

This is who Obama is? A suckup to failed policies?

Richard Lugar had seven years to stand up to the Bush regime. When did that happen? When did his not being an "evil guy" show up to save us?

I don't give a damn how "well meaning" ANY Republican is. What they MEANT was to destroy social security, destroy healthcare, destroy our military, destroy our standing in the world, destroy our economy...AND YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM JOBS AND NOT DEMOCRATS????

WTF is the matter with you?

[synesthesia]

19. *

Clinton made William Cohen (Republican), Secretary of Defense, and he took a stronger stand for LGBT than most Democrats (including Obama): think about that

William Cohen appeared on CNN to support John Shalikashvili's OpEd in support of ending the policy known as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' saying, "The vast majority of service members are personally comfortable working and interacting with gays and lesbians, and there is only so long that Congress can ignore the evidence".

[synesthesia]

20. *

Lugar was an outspoken critic of the Iraq war in the later years, but I will admit he never should have been for it in the first place, and it took him until the opinion polls changed to finally speak up...

but I mean, isn't this true of our own Democratic senate?

[MediaBabe]

30. YEAH! What you said! n/t

[LaurenG]

18. Well, at this point I'm not open to republicans in a democratic presidents

cabinet. There are plenty of democrats with skill and brilliance to do just fine. The bipartisanship can come later. I've had enough of them for a while.

[silverweb]

2. He'll pick *qualified* people...

...not political flunkies. And he will not allow government jobs to become politicized the way BushCorp has. He'll be open about what his administration is doing and why -- the way it should be.

[aquart]

15. Define "qualified."

Are Democrats "UNqualified"?

DO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW HE PLANS TO DO THIS?????

[NC_Nurse]

3. It would depend on which positions and which Republicans he

chooses. I am not a broad brush idealogue and I don't think I'd have a problem with it.
Repubs are people too, many of them suck...but not all of them.

[napi21]

4. I think it would depend on WHO he appointed. BC appointed

Cohen to the DOD and I think he did a good job. It also would depend on what position!

[mitchtv]

9. Didn't Cohen fire Gen Clark?

why was that anyway?

[VolcanoJen]

22. Wasn't General Clark a Republican, too?

He didn't even join the Democratic party until shortly before he announced as a candidate.

I think there is room for great minds from different parties, yes.

[ArkySue]

37. General Clark was NEVER a Republican

He was unaffiliated until he chose to become a Democrat.

[VolcanoJen]

41. No, you're right

Don't most military folk stay independent until the take off the uniform? I should have remembered that. Thank you for the correction.

But I just loved Wes Clark when he joined the presidential race, and I remember people at DU saying he was a Republican because he had admitted to voting for Nixon, and Reagan. People at DU were incredibly hostile toward "The Clarkies" in '04. I was an Edwards girl myself, but definitely considered Clark strongly.

[ArkySue]

44. Ah yes...04

Funny thing was that it was LIEberman who kept pushing the Repub BS. Oh the irony! hahaha

[demnan]

6. I worked on Capitol Hill

and the committees I saw that accomplished the most were the least partisan ones where capable staffers could work on the majority or the minority side, and often went back and forth between the two. The Ways and Means Committee under Bill Archer was that way back in the mean old partisan 90's. I respected the way the committee ran and the non-partisan atmosphere was welcome when I saw so many of the other committees I supported were just at each other's throats.

That's not to say the Archer was non-partisan at all, but government runs far better on a practical level when that atmosphere isn't present. Of course policy is determined by the White House, not the commitee appointments who serve at the pleasure of the President, if they are capable people, can be effective.

On edit:

Just a note to clarify, I worked for the IT staff and not any particular Congressman.

[Vinca]

7. I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as they were qualified people

who could support Obama's vision.

[stillcool]

8. There are plenty of Democrats...

that he could appoint that would be worse than some Republicans. I would hope he would appoint the best in the field that fits the position. Imagine that.

[MyNameGoesHere]

10. Betrayed. n/t

[TexasObserver]

11. Fine, under the right conditions.

The right conditions:

1. They would be senators who would have to resign, and
2. There was a Democratic governor of their state, who would
3. Appoint a Democrat to the open seat, who
4. Could stand for reelection and win, and who
5. Would be a solid Democratic senator, right on the key issues

If he wants to appoint Republicans other than as listed above, he should choose one of the ones that already parades as a Democrat, and whose removal from the senate would allow a replacement that is a better US senator.

[toadzilla]

12. as long as they have integrity.

I'd be fine with it.

[mitchtv]

13. How would I feel?

Like strangling the first person I found that voted for Obama.

[aquart]

14. Betrayed.

But utterly unsurprised.

[TankLV]

16. I am not sure - since I don't belive he'll get the chance...

but don't forget, Bill appointed at least ONE repuke...

and you brought up the storey about Lincoln...

interesting to say the least...

As long as the repuke signed on WHOLEHEARTEDLY to progressive liberal DEMOCRATIC positions, it would probably be OK, but after bunkerboy, I don't trust ANY repuke - they have been PROVEN "party" first - country LAST...

[juajen]

21. Furious, that's how I'd feel.

Pollybama, uh, no. More like Terrabama.

[comradebillyboy]

23. depends on who and what position

I would be unhappy with John Negroponte or Paul Wolfwitz or just about anyone associated with the Bush admin

[Straight Shooter]

24. He'll probably find a place for Lieberman, his mentor.

Lieberman has a decent voting record for some progressive issues, but he drifts further and further to the right. I can see Barack appointing Lieberman to mollify the Repub warmongers.

[synesthesia]

26. *

Joementum would be a waste in terms of public relations because he is an 'independent democrat', so it wouldn't be seen as bipartisan

I feel to make a 'statement' to the people, he needs to appoint actual Republican republicans (in name).

Also I don't think it can be like Lincoln Chaffee or such (in terms of impact).

[Inuca]

32. As a side note

Chaffee left the party a few months after he lost his Senate seat. AFAIK he is an independent now.

As to your original question, I would have no problem if he did that, to the contrary. It would be consistent with his inclusive approach to politics. As I think he mentioned in the debate the other night, he would be looking for highly competent people with INTEGRITY. I clearly remember the "integrity" part, it is important to me.

[Benhurst]

25. The same way I did when Dubya lost the popular vote to Gore,

had to have his corrupt friends on the Supreme Court throw the election and then gave all those positions to the Democrats to form a reconciliation government.

Oh, wait. He didn't do that.

Not even Dubya was that stupid.

[MediaBabe]

27. How would I feel? - Crappy

Like WTF? 50 million Democrats on the planet and you couldn't find ONE qualified enough to reward with this appointment? Give me a frikken break. I want a true Democrat in the White House and I would seriously wish that if Obama is elected that he is true enough to stand by the people who put him in office.

Reaching across the aisle is highly overrated. It only gives those who oppose Democratic principles more power. Haven't we all seen enough of the hell that comes from Republicans with power?

[synesthesia]

28. *

I see your point, about how many qualified dems there are, but....don't discount symbolism.

A democratic president can't get much done without public support (Bush could because they can spin the media on that side, much better).

He'd need to keep with his unity and post-partisan theme if he won, and if he just chose rank and file dems, he'd alienate a lot of the independents and republicans who have been voting for him in the primaries (and lose some of his mandate).

[H2O Man]

29. In his classic

book "A Thousand Days," Arthur Schlesinger Jr tells of how JFK decided to appoint the most qualified people to the most important positions. It is not uncommon for administrations to include members of the opposing party. The truth is that if Obama, Clinton, or McCain is elected, each would appoint members of the opposition party to their administration. I question why you would attempt to put the focus on Obama.

[synesthesia]

31. *

h20man, you can check out the entire list here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_political_appointments_that_crossed_party_lines

as, you can see, it's VERY RARE, except for ceremonial positions, like 'UN envoy to India'

other than William Cohen by Clinton, it really hasn't happened in decades and decades

[THUNDER HANDS]

33. I'm all in favor of appointing republican senators from blue states

with Dem governors.

[2rth2pwr]

34. I would say- I told you so. nt

[Radical Activist]

35. I'm sure he'll have at least one. Its tradition.

Clinton probably would too. It doesn't bother me.

[CRH]

36. He might want to check out how Henry Cabot Lodge, ...

Nixon/Lodge ticket served his mentor JFK. As ambassador to Viet Nam Lodge misled Kennedy on more than one occasion.

Along another note, every time in recent history the democrats extend a hand across the isle, the republicans cheerfully take hold, and pull the center further to the right. If I wanted a republican cabinet, I would vote republican. If Obama can't find enough talent within the democratic party to fill his cabinet with like minded individuals, then he is too right, and therefore wrong for me.

[nonconformist]

38. I would say I TOLD YOU SO. nt

[ArkySue]

39. Screw the Republicans!

They are the reason the country has gone to hell in the last 7 years. I don't want them anywhere NEAR the Admin.

[Cleita]

40. I would feel betrayed. Not that it couldn't be done years from now, but

right now considering what normally reasonable Republicans have done to bolster, enable and laud the criminal Bush administration when they should have put their patriotism for their country before their party partisanship, it would be a slap in the face to everyone who voted for him. No reaching across the aisle and trying for bi-partisanship this time. We need to pull the weeds out by the roots and burn them. It hasn't worked for Congress so far anyway so why should a Democratic President do it.

[Jed Dilligan]

42. Bush has appointed a Democrat or two

Norm Mineta, at least. Didn't seem to put a damper on his reign of terror.

[never_get_over_it]

43. It would depend to some extent who they were

but for the most part I WOULD NOT LIKE IT....