Clean Cabinet
Trump can dispel Americans’ worst fears by nominating a diverse group of advisers.
Imagine a city the size of Houston. Even though she lost the Electoral College, Hillary Clinton is on path to win the popular vote by a margin roughly the entire population of our Gulf Coast metropolis, according to New York Times writer Nate Cohn.
That’s hardly a robust mandate for our next president.
Donald Trump must know this, because he set the right tone last week by having a friendly meeting with President Barack Obama. The Donald even said he’d look to his predecessor for counsel.
Here’s some Obama-style advice that Trump should immediately model: Create a politically diverse Cabinet.
Eight years ago, a newly elected Obama reached across the aisle to nominate three Republicans as his closest advisers. Even with an overwhelming victory at his back, Obama sought to unite the nation with a historically bipartisan team.
The former reality TV host has even less political experience than the firstterm Illinois senator turned president, and he has shown little interest in educating himself about the key policy challenges facing our nation. A series of big-league appointments are needed.
The Rust Belt states that gave Trump his unexpected victory have earned a pro-worker secretary of labor.
The massive cities that gave Clinton her margin in the popular vote deserve a representative in Housing and Urban Development.
And skepticism toward Wall Street among Trump supporters should land an outsider as Treasury Secretary, instead of some billionaire investment banker.
Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, one of Trump’s key supporters, is entitled to his personal pick — perhaps Director of National Intelligence.
Thousands of people are protesting and millions more sit at home worried about a man who spent his campaign threatening and belittling his fellow Americans. Filling presidential appointments with Muslims, Hispanics, women and the disabled would help allay fears of being banned, deported, groped or mocked.
Avoiding lobbyist appointments to federal advisory committees would also go a long way toward Trump’s promise to drain the swamp. But according to his shortlist, as provided to Buzzfeed, it looks like the Washington swamp will be replaced by bog creatures of Trump’s own picking.
Listed as a potential attorney general or commerce secretary is New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Two of his political allies were found guilty on nine criminal charges in the so-called Bridgegate scandal, in which lanes were closed on the world’s busiest bridge to punish a mayor who didn’t back Christie’s presidential campaign. Christie is now facing calls for impeachment.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is also listed as a potential attorney general. She faces questions of unethical fundraising. Her office dropped a probe into Trump U after Bondi successfully solicited Trump for a $25,000 campaign donation.
Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the house, is a potential secretary of state or secretary of health and human services. Gingrich was censured by the House of Representatives for ethics violations, paid a $300,000 fine and eventually resigned from Congress.
Lobbyists, insiders and all manner of self-serving politicians line up to join any new administration, from City Hall up to the White House. Trump’s first test is going to be who he selects and who he weeds out. Trump should target ethical misconduct and conflicts of interest with a healthy spray of Roundup and plant a White House garden that reflects the diversity of America.