Nov.20

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Dem 47

   

GOP 53

Today's Appointments News

There was all kinds of news on the appointments front, so we're going to run it all down in capsule form. Away we go:

• Secretary of Education: For his second term in office, Donald Trump is (partly) getting the band back together, leaning on (some) people who served in his last administration. Such is the case with Linda McMahon, who was Small Business Administrator last time around, and will be Secretary of Education this time around. There was zero chance that Trump's previous Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, would be back, because she had the temerity to criticize him (and resign) after the events of 1/6.
  
  McMahon's most important qualification for the job is that she's a big-time Republican and Trump donor. Her second-most-important qualification for the job is that she funds and co-runs the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute. Her third-most-important qualification for the job is that she's been involved with pro wrestling for decades. None of that, except maybe the pro wrestling, has anything to do with America's education system in the 21st century. Her only relevant experience on that front is that she was on the Connecticut State Board of Education for a few months before resigning, primarily due to criticism that... she knew nothing about education. McMahon is nonetheless sure to be confirmed, because she's already made it through the process once before, and because if the senators are going to die on a hill, it isn't going to be this one.
  
  
• Secretary of Commerce: The job McMahon really wanted was Commerce, but that will go to Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick. The Secretary-designate is in lockstep with Trump that tariffs are the solution to all of America's ills. Maybe they did not touch on that subject when he was majoring in Economics at Haverford College in the 1980s. In any event, he's a normal Cabinet-type-appointee, so he should have no trouble getting approved, either, unless something really bad leaks out. And that is certainly possible, given that the Trump team doesn't do much vetting.
  
  
• Hegseth in Trouble?: Speaking of vetting, Team Trump's dubious vetting team completely missed Pete Hegseth's sexual assault settlement. How that could be missed, we just don't know. In any event, the pressure to dump the Secretary of Defense nominee is not as great as the pressure to dump AG nominee Matt Gaetz, but it could get there. So, Trump insiders are already vetting potential replacements for Hegseth, should he be forced to withdraw. We suggest item #1 on their checklist should be "Has the potential nominee ever settled a sexual assault lawsuit?" The next one might be: "Has the potential nominee ever been credibly accused of sexual assault?"
  
  
• The Sun Always Shines on TV: Trump, who is himself a TV personality, of course, loves to appoint other TV personalities to his administration. And yesterday, he added another, picking Mehmet Oz to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This seems like a reasonable enough pick; Oz is kind of a quack, but it's not like he'll be seeing patients himself. As an added bonus, it doesn't matter that he's from New Jersey. Oh, and he's got plenty of time on his hands these days. So, break out the crudités and celebrate!
  
  
• Secretary of the Treasury: No, Trump hasn't made a pick yet. If he had, then this would be at the top of the list. However, Lutnick was supposedly one of the leading candidates for this post, and now he's headed to Commerce. And the other leading candidate, Scott Bessent, has reportedly been knifed in the back by a bunch of Trump insiders, including Lutnick.
  
  So, Trump is now at least considering other candidates, and the new frontrunner is apparently Kevin Warsh, who worked in the Bush administration, and then as a governor of the Federal Reserve. The fundamental dynamic here is that Warsh is a Reagan-style Republican in his economic outlook; he loves tax cuts, a strong Fed and free trade, in particular. This means that Wall Street would love to see him picked, whereas MAGAworld is up in arms. Donald Trump has always wanted to be loved by Wall Street, since as the owner of a shady, family-owned, boutique real estate firm, he's never felt like one of the club. On the other hand, he also wants to be loved by MAGAworld. Warsh's fate may reveal which matters more to the President-elect.
  
  
• Secretary of Agriculture: No, this one hasn't been filled yet, either. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s long list of bugaboos include things like food dyes, pesticides and GMOs. What Junior apparently does not realize is that these things are not under the purview of the HHS Secretary, they're the job of the Secretary of Agriculture. Right now, the farm interests are "alarmed" at Junior's ascendancy, and are seeking assurance that a normal person will be running Agriculture. Former Trump White House and USDA official Ray Starling is reportedly the frontrunner; also under consideration is Republican former California lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado, who served alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the child of farmworkers, and owns a winery. Starling is the preferred choice of Big Ag, but Team Trump wants at least a little bit of token diversity, and Maldonado could join Tulsi Gabbard in addressing that concern (as a reminder, Trump's original Cabinet, in 2016, had three minority members—Ben Carson, Elaine Chao and Nikki Haley).
  
  
• None of the Way with RFK: As long as we are on the subject of RFK Jr., the medical profession has quickly organized to try to prevent his confirmation. They have formed the "Stop RFK War Room" and are putting on the full-court press with every moderate Senator who might vote against confirmation.
  
  
• Secretary of Labor: This is another position that is not yet filled. However, Teamsters president Sean O'Brien, who is apparently still pretending that he is politically neutral, is lobbying hard for Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), who will be out of work in about 6 weeks, having lost her reelection bid. She would also make the Trump Cabinet more diverse, and is reasonably qualified, having served on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
  
  
• Dead Man Walking: We've already noted that the Trump-appointed, but not sufficiently Trumpy, FBI Director Christopher Wray should probably be getting his résumé in order. Just in case there was any doubt, VP-elect J.D. Vance announced yesterday that Trump is interviewing potential replacements.

That's the latest; undoubtedly there will be much more news tomorrow, as the incoming administration tries to squeeze things in before the Thanksgiving Holiday. (Z)