November 24, 2008
Heavyweights vs. Lightweights?
...and it may be unfair to compare his cabinet to the best since George Washington's, it's nonetheless embarrassing to see what lightweights they are alongside W's:
VP: former Chief of Staff and Defense Secretary vs. Senator
Secretary of State: former General, Chairman of Joint Chiefs, and National Security Advisor vs. Senator
Secretary of Defense: former Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense vs. well, he got the double Bush holdover right
Secretary of Treasury: former CEO of Alcoa and chairman of Rand vs. well, another Bush holdover but promoted.
Attorney General: former governor, senator and US attorney vs. US attorney
Secretary of HHS: former governor vs. former senator
I'm not one of those who thinks executive experience is the most important thing, but there are going to be a lot of mistakes that will trip up all these former senators, because they've never run anything. And it is interesting , just the whole lightweight/heavyweight thing. Bill Clinton had 8 years as president. Where are the "seasoned executives" that he brought up through the ranks, so to speak?
Maybe they are there, and I just don't follow these things closely enough to know them. And also, where are the guys like Cheney or Rumsfeld, who, when their party is out of power, go run big companies? And then take huge pay-cuts to come back and serve thir country?
Posted by John Weidner at November 24, 2008 7:24 AM