Democrat’s cabinet likely to be the most diverse in history
Joe Biden faces tough choices for his top team if given the chance to unite a deeply polarised America
Joe Biden’s senior aides have privately suggested the Democratic presidential candidate plans to build the most diverse cabinet in US history.
Mr Biden is fond of saying the government should “look like the country” it governs, and his team have hinted that several women and people of colour are in line for top posts if he wins the presidency. Given Mr Biden’s age – he would be 78 by the time he took office – the Democrat is also under pressure to ensure a younger generation of rising political talent features in his government picks.
Mr Biden has promised to be a president for all Americans, vowing to unite a deeply polarised country.
With that in mind, some have suggested he may include moderate Republicans within his administration.
Among those under consideration are the Republicans with broad appeal who endorsed Mr Biden during his campaign, like John Kasich, the former Ohio governor, who was given a prime slot at this summer’s Democratic convention. If Mr Biden is to unite his party behind him, he will also have to ensure progressive figures such as Bernie Sanders have a seat at the table.
Mr Sanders, a former Democratic presidential candidate, is reportedly angling for the Labour Secretary role. The Vermont senator was instrumental in getting progressives to back Mr Biden and many expect a cabinet post in return for his loyalty.
Alexandria Ocasio-cortez, an influential liberal New York congresswoman, has made it clear that she expects Mr Sanders and other progressive leaders to be given cabinet positions.
Some progressives have touted Elizabeth Warren, a liberal senator for Massachusetts, for the role of Treasury Secretary, despite her unpopularity on Wall Street and among many Republicans.
But with it increasingly likely that the Republicans will maintain control of the US Senate, Mr Biden may struggle to get liberal appointees confirmed by the chamber.
He must also consider the risks involved in selecting cabinet appointees who are serving senators in Republican-controlled states.
Both Mr Sanders and Ms Warren hold senate seats in states that have Republican governors. It is these governors who will choose their temporary replacements in the Senate.
If those seats were filled by Republicans, Mr Biden’s chances of passing his legislative agenda would become all the more difficult.
Some have suggested that this gives him a ready excuse to omit Left-ofcentre candidates from his administration. Instead, Mr Biden may choose to select candidates who are either former senators or serving in blue states.
In that scenario, Chris Coons, who occupies Mr Biden’s former Delaware senate seat and is a close ally, would be a popular candidate for a prominent role. So too would Doug Jones, a well-liked, moderate Democrat from Alabama who lost his senate seat on Tuesday.
One of Mr Biden’s first priorities would be appointing individuals who can help him tackle the country’s most pressing crises – a surge in coronavirus cases and an ailing economy.
Rumblings from within the Biden camp suggest that he has already begun drafting a war cabinet to draw up a comprehensive response to the pandemic.
The team reportedly includes major figures from the Obama, Clinton and Bush administrations who have begun formulating plans for vaccine distribution, expanding testing and safely reopening schools.
With so many competing considerations, and the public expectation of a historic cabinet line-up, Mr Biden has an unenviable task ahead of him.