Category: Politics

Guess Bush’s Cabinet

With the rumors swirling that John Ashcroft will resign as Attorney General, it’s the time in which members of a Presidential Cabinet start moving back into the private sector. The White House is one of the most stressful jobs in the world, and turnover at the upper echelons of government is always high.

So here’s your challenge: leave your predictions for who’s in and who’s out of the Bush Cabinet by Inauguration Day and who will take their place. For the record, here’s my guesses:

  • John Ashcroft out as Attorney General, and Rudy Guiliani replaces him.
  • Donald Rumsfeld decides to hang up his hat as Secretary of Defense, to be replaced by Tommy Franks. (Although I’ll miss those great Rummy press briefings – nobody puts the press in their place like he does.)
  • Colin Powell ends his tenure as Secretary of State to be replaced by Condoleezza Rice.
  • Deputy NSA Steven Hadley will replace Condi as National Security Advisor.
  • Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge steps down to be replaced by former CIA director R. James Woolsey

Post your guesses in the comments…

UPDATE: Scratch Tommy Franks, under US law he isn’t eligible to be SecDef. My bad…

Ashcroft Out?

Rumor has it that AG John Ashcroft is planning on resigning in a few days. While Ashcroft has been effective, he’s been turned into a moonbat whipping boy, and the man has absolutely no sense of public relations. I always thought Frank Keating would have been the better choice for Bush in 2000, but history will judge Ashcroft far more gently than the vicious slurs that have been leveled against him. Ashcroft’s record on civil liberties is in many ways far less odious than Janet Reno’s (Elian, sneak-and-peak-warrants, Ruby Ridge, Waco, etc…) or the terrible Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-Disney). It’s unknown just how many major terrorist attacks have been foiled under his watch, but it’s more than one, which is why Ashcroft for all the controversy did his job and did it well.

Now, if Bush can get Guiliani to replace him, that would be perfect. Guiliani has a background in law enforcement (he was a prosecutor for many years), he’s got the guts to make some serious changes in our nation’s anti-terrorism programs, and he’s got sky-high approval ratings from both sides of the aisle. If he’d take the job, he’d be a natural for the position.

Going Out With Grace

I managed to catch some excerpts of Kerry’s concession this afternoon, and it was one of the best speeches that Kerry has ever given. By dropping any challenges in Ohio he is facing reality, but also sparing this nation from what could have been a long and drawn out process. I especially like this line: “In American elections there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates win or lose, the next morning we wake up as Americans.”

Indeed, I feel a paradoxical twinge of sadness that it’s all over. Kerry made a dignified and graceful exit, and while I disagree with nearly everything he believes in politically, the excitement of the race has been exhilarating.

It’s Over, Deal With It

Bush’s lead in Ohio has gone up to 137,606 as 98% of the state has reported in. Unless the remaining votes are somehow massively for Kerry, there’s absolutely no way that Kerry can win, John Edwards blather about “counting every vote” notwithstanding. Kerry’s hoping for some final Hail Mary in Ohio, but the chances of that are slim to none. At this point, there just aren’t enough votes. If it were a margin of 50,000, they might have some case. But when it’s nearly 140,000 votes, there’s just no case there. Even if Kerry completely sweeps all that’s left of the state, it’s not going to be enough.

Bush won. He got a majority in the popular vote, something not even Clinton did. This election is over, and the only thing that Kerry can do by not conceding is make himself look like a sore loser. It’s not close, Bush has won the popular vote, it’s time to bow out with some dignity.

I’m going to try and get some sleep with the TV on. If something breaks, I’ll try and cover it then…

UPDATE: Right now Bush’s margin is over 145,000 votes, which means he picked up support as the last few precincts came in. At this stage, I very highly doubt that the provisional ballots could give Kerry a win here. Not that it will stop the Democratic lawyers from trying.

BUSH WINS!

NBC has also called Ohio for Bush. Bush’s lead in Ohio has rebounded to just over 125,000 votes, which means that Kerry is nearing the point where he can’t overwhelm Bush’s margins.

Currently, Bush is ahead in New Mexico, will win Alaska, is nearly tied with Kerry in Nevada, and is very narrowly ahead in Iowa. At this stage unless there’s a last minute surge for Kerry in Ohio, there is absolutely no way in which John Kerry can win.

George W. Bush has been reelected by a decent but not overwhelming margin. It’s a good day for America.

It Would Take A Miracle…

It would take a miracle for Kerry to win right now. Despite the heavily Democratic Cuyahoga County, Bush’s lead in that state is strong. When all is said and done, Bush is likely to win Ohio by a decent margin. If he holds in New Mexico and Colorado (both very likely) he’s at 274 and it’s all over…

I’m really hoping that we’ll get that fat lady singing tonight…