History demonstrates that it is typical for a Democratic President to select a Republican for his cabinet, with the Defense Department the usual position awarded to a member of the opposition party.
This was true with Robert McNamara, who was Secretary of Defense under John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
The same scenario occurred with William Cohen serving under Bill Clinton in his second term.
And under Barack Obama, we saw carryover Robert Gates and later Chuck Hagel head the Pentagon.
If we go back to before the Defense Department was created in 1947, it was known as the War Department, and Republican Henry Stimson served as Secretary of War for Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Republican Robert Lovett served for two years in that position under Harry Truman.
Only Jimmy Carter among Democratic Presidents never had a Republican serve as Secretary of Defense, but he did have James Schlesinger as the first Secretary of Energy.
So it seems likely that Joe Biden will pick a Republican for the Cabinet, and the most likely choice would be former Congressman and Ohio Governor John Kasich, who will deliver a speech of endorsement at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night.
Thank You, Professor, for one of the most interesting ~ and easily the most thought-provoking ~ commentaries You’ve offered in quite some time.
From the sounds of it, the Republicans have controlled the Department of Defense since Reagan came into power. It would be interesting to see if they have similarly controlled the Departments of State, Justice, and Treasury, and, particularly, the CIA and the Federal Reserve.
Do You have a theory as to why Democrat Presidents seem to have this thing about Republicans for SecDef? If nothing else, it certainly has provided continuity and consistency for America’s foreign policy and the Pentagon’s budgets, eh?
Trump has unified the Democratic base.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/2020/08/16/trump-has-done-the-impossible-unified-the-fractious-democratic-base/
OT; but not really.
What are Your thoughts about Trump’s considering a pardon for Snowden? What have Biden and Harris ~ to say nothing of Obamaites and Clintonistas ~had to say about that? After all, Snowden’s actions occurred on their watch. And how about Sanders, AOC, and the rest of America’s Democratic Socialists? Do they think Snowden should be pardoned?
Do You? And what about Assange and Manning?
And what impact would Trump’s pardoning Snowden have on the election. Would it get him votes or lose him votes? It would be certain to raise a firestorm in some quarters, as evidence by this: “Cheney calls pardoning Snowden ‘unconscionable’ after Trump says he’s considering it” [https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/512261-cheney-calls-pardoning-snowden-unconscionable-after-trump-says-hes] .
Thanks, Former Republican. That’s great news! 🙂
Jeffrey, it is an issue of the continuity of American national security, as I see it, and the Republicans who have been selected were not extremists, but rather moderates.
Jon Huntsman, who lost the Utah gubernatorial primary, very surprising, also might be a choice, as he has been Ambassador to China and Russia, and stayed out of the crossfire while working in Moscow for Trump, and leaving at the right time.
Snowden, Assange, and Manning should NOT be pardoned, as they undermined American foreign policy, and actually assisted the coming of Donald Trump, but just as Trump pardons others who are disgraces, he probably will do so in these cases, and we do not have an ability to reverse a pardon.
RF: Jeffrey, it is an issue of the continuity of American national security, as I see it, and the Republicans who have been selected were not extremists, but rather moderates.
“Continuity of American national security”? There were no Democrats capable of providing that continuity when Obama and Clinton were President? i suspect that there is a bit more to it than just that.
Altho, there certainly was and is continuity, from Clinton thru Cheney/Bush the Lesser to Obama and now on to Trump. A completely and totally failed national security policy, but certainly one with “continuity.” It is and has been a continual failure everywhere on the Planet for going on 75 years now, let alone over the past 28.
And, eh….: How “moderate” would You say the pursuit of American national security was under Clinton and Obama with their Republican SecDefs?
RF: Snowden, Assange, and Manning should NOT be pardoned, as they undermined American foreign policy, and actually assisted the coming of Donald Trump, but just as Trump pardons others who are disgraces, he probably will do so in these cases, and we do not have an ability to reverse a pardon.
Really?!? Now THAT is not what i expected to hear, at all.
So how, exactly, did Snowden, Assange, and Manning “undermine American foreign policy,” and with regard to what nations?
In Snowden’s case in particular: How did he undermine anything by exposing the Obama NSA’s mass warrantless surveillance of and spying on Americans’ private digital and telecommunications? How did that undermine this nation’s foreign policy other than by exposing the lying hypocrisy that this government exists to preserve the life, liberty, and property of its Citizens, against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic?
i will admit that i am quite frankly surprised that You agree with Cheney, Limbaugh, Hannity, and that ilk on the matter of pardons for these three. Should Assange and Snowden be tried, convicted, and sentenced to execution for their sins, for their “treason” against America?
Very surprised. James Clapper, Obama’s Director of National Intelligence ~ who lied to Congress thru his teeth under oath about that NSA surveillance ~ is out walking around as free as can be, commanding healthy speaking and tv talking head fees. And he didn’t even need a pardon.
And You’re saying that the guys who exposed that scumbag for the liar he was and is should go to jail, and not him?
That has to be a unique perspective and position for any self-proclaimed “progressive” to hold. Does anybody else on the Left feel that way? What have Biden and Harris had to say about all this? And what about Sanders and AOC? We already know Clinton’s and Obama’s feelings on the matter.
“Undermined American foreign policy” in Afghanistan and particularly Iraq, did they?
WHAT freeking foreign policy?
Sheeesh.
i hope Trump pardons Snowden if for no other reason than just to see the variety of reactions from both the Right and the Left.
i’ve already had one surprise in Your reaction to the idea already, and i’m sure there would be more. It would be interesting to see how many votes that would gain and would cost Trump.
A Bipartisan Rebuke of Barr’s Attack on the Trump-Russia Investigation
The Senate Intelligence Committee found a pattern of contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/08/19/a-bipartisan-rebuke-of-barrs-attack-on-the-trump-russia-investigation/
The Twisted Reasoning Required to Defend Trump
Here’s a look at the pretzel logic conservative pundits use to justify the president’s behavior.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2020/08/19/the-twisted-reasoning-required-to-defend-trump/