As everyone’s thoughts turn to turkeys and football (or to both, in the case of the Detroit Lions), here’s a speculative assignment to while away the time until the relatives arrive.
With President-Elect Obama filling-in the key positions of his administration, it’s your turn.
Let’s say you’re Sarah Palin, or Mitt Romney, or Tim Pawlenty, or [fill-in a name]. The Obama Administration hasn’t yet taken office, but you’re already looking to 2012 and a possible run to challenge Obama. The GOP has hit bottom (let’s hope) in the voting public’s confidence. You recognize the huge challenges ahead to develop policy positions and to regain the voters’ confidence. If you’re serious about the ’12 race, you have to begin now.
Who do you pick as your key advisors on the issues facing the country, and facing the party? Who are your key advisors on the economy; on taxation and budget issues; on national security; on health care; on education; on government reform; on foreign policy? Also, importantly, who would you look to for building a winning political strategy for 2012? Who would you want on your communications team? And who would you pick as a mentor to help you understand and articulate a new or renewed vision for the GOP? They could be authors, members of past administrations, current officeholders, from the private sector. Or, lacking names, what knowledge or expertise would you be looking for in a campaign team (or what would you be looking to avoid)?
Serious suggestions are expected. Joke suggestions are welcomed.
November 26th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Maybe you’d want to pick Gary E. Johnson.
November 26th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Well, can’t name a whole cabinet or cadre of advisors. But, for State or NSA – John Bolton. I’d really like to see him at State, maybe he’d clear out that cesspool of bureaucrats and those who have gone “native.”
November 26th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Foreign policy: Robert Kagan, William Kristol, Daniel Pipes, Bernard Lewis, Michael Ledeen
Domestic policy: Thomas Sowell, Tommy Thompson, Meg Whitman
Speechwriting: Ann freakin’ Coulter
Why are no women (besides Condi, Albright, and I guess Hillary)into foreign policy?
November 26th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
That would be a disappointing exercise for me.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Foreign Policy: Fred Kagan, Jack Keane, Bob Kerrey, Jim Jones
Domestic policy: Glenn Hubbard, Ross Douthat, Frank Keating
Campaigning: Tom Davis, Chris Shays, Tim Pawlenty (assuming I’m not Tim Pawlenty), Don Carcieri, Jon Kyl
November 26th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
This is assuming, of course, that I can just magically get anyone to advise me. It’s hard to imagine, practically, that Obama’s National Security Advisor would advise me, or Bob Kerrey, but I’d like them there.
November 26th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I was just thinking of people, I would appoint and then upon googling their names I find most of them are dead. Like I said disappointing.
Scowcroft was one of the few still (barely) living.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Doug,
I was trying to think of some Republican foreign policy realists, and I couldn’t think of anyone under 60. If I had to choose a label, I’d probably go with neo-con, but I’ve been pretty unimpressed with a number of them. Doug mentions Daniel Pipes, who always seems vaguely intellectually lazy to me. I take muscular realists pretty seriously. Sometimes, they’re a little too cold-blooded for my tastes, but with neo-cons, I’m constantly asking myself questions like “would these folks have pushed Britain to ally with the Soviet Union in the late 30′s, or would they have spurned him on principle?” And I can never answer the question to my satisfaction.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Foreign Policy: Randy Scheunemann, John Bolton, and Daniel Pipes.
Domestic Policy: Newt Gingrich, Bill Kristol, and Grover Norquist.
Campaign: Dick Wadhams, Dick Morris and Steve Schmidt.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
No one advising Liz dole. If I wanted to win a primary, I would ask Rove. He could also name my advisors.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I’d not mind using Richard Posner and Sidney Winter as economic advisers.
November 27th, 2008 at 1:05 am
10
YES, KARL ROVE , please
November 27th, 2008 at 2:12 am
Economy: Meg Whitman, Fred Smith, Ross Perot
National Security: David Petraeus, Jim Jones, Norman Schwarzkopf
Health Care: Bobby Jindal, Linda Lingle
Education: Michelle Rhee, Lisa Graham Keegan, Gary Johnson
Government Reform: Sarah Palin, John McCain, Thad Cochran
Foreign Policy: Randy Scheunemann, Condi Rice, John Bolton
Communications Team: Dick Morris, Glenn Beck, Karl Rove
Mentor: Fred Thompson
November 28th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
If I were building a white house staff:
Chief of Staff:
Mitch Daniels
NSA:
Dennis Ross or Robert Zoellick
NEC:
Glenn Hubbard
CEA:
Robert McTeer (Former Fed Chair down in Texas)
White House Political Office:
Patrick Ruffini (thenextright.com)
White House Communications Office:
John Ellis (johnellis.blogspot.com, venture capitalist, boston globe columnist, FOX NEWS 2000 election decision desk head)
November 28th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Deputy Chief of Staff and Counselor to the President:
Rich Galen (mullings.com)
Deputy NSA:
Jack Keane (Former Army Chief of Staff)
WH Legal Counsel:
Fed Judge Lawrence Silberman or Fed Judge Richard Posner
November 28th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
sorry, Jack Keane was actually Vice Chief of Staff. I stand corrected
November 28th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Chief Domestic Policy Advisor:
Vin Weber