Pete Buttigieg is a near-certainty for Biden's Cabinet

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by NurseJackie (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Axios

One near-certainty about Joe Biden's Cabinet: Pete Buttigieg will be in it. Biden officials have made clear to donors and party officials the question surrounding Buttigieg is not if, but where, he lands, Democrats close to Biden tell Axios.

The intrigue: Behind that certainty, though, are a range of questions about how to put his obvious political talent to use.

The multilingual Buttigieg has told friends he wants U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, but he may face internal competition from Julie Smith, a longtime Biden foreign policy confidant.

...snip...

Other slots for Buttigieg range from Housing and Urban Development to Veterans Affairs to the Office of Management and Budget.


Read more: https://www.axios.com/pete-buttigieg-joe-biden-cabinet-ec5af2b1-c884-4d50-ae41-e40bee7dde8b.html

[MaryMagdaline]

1. Would love to see him chief of staff

So sharp, so articulate.

[Freethinker65]

4. Yep.

[brooklynite]

5. Why do people keep talking about CoS?

Buttigieg IS articulate, but that's not the Chief of Staff's role.

[MaryMagdaline]

6. I thought they do a lot of Sunday talk shows

I’d like him to be the one pushing our agenda and explaining to America what bills are being blocked by the Senate.

[brooklynite]

8. They NEVER do Sunday talk shows...

...at least not the competent ones.

[MaryMagdaline]

13. I used to watch Rham Emanuel - wasn't he COS

Admittedly I never watch trump people. Thought Leon Panetta, too.

[brooklynite]

15. You didn't watch Rahm when he was CoS...

You watched him AFTER that when he became a commentator.

[MaryMagdaline]

18. Nope. He was in the administration at the time. Sorry

[brooklynite]

11. They NEVER do Sunday talk shows...

...at least not the competent ones.

How often do you remember these people appear on TV during the Obama Administration?

Rahm Emanuel
Pete Rouse
Bill Daley
Jack Lew
Denis McDonough

[MaryMagdaline]

16. Rham quite a bit

[BainsBane]

45. That's a reason for him to be a press secretary

not Chief of Staff.

[onetexan]

78. Yup, plus Biden's CoS from previous admin when Jor was VP

Is close to him & shld remain. I'd like to see Pete get the UN ambassadorship to prepare him for SoS in later years.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. It's not that he's articulate, it's that he's calm and rational.

The articulate part suits him for press sec/comm director.

[BainsBane]

44. Chief of staff is a very personal relationship

It has to be someone close to Biden and whom he trusts completely. That's not something we can tell from the outside.

[Upthevibe]

49. MaryMagdaline....

I'd love to see him in a position where he's visible. My sense is that he'd knock it out of the park where ever he goes. Having said that, we have such a messaging problem and have been unable to control the narrative that I'd love it if he was front and center (but not Press Secretary). I always thought Chief of Staff was visible too but I'm reading comments that it's not. I'm just glad we have him. I think he's wonderful!

[Orangepeel]

54. chief of staff should know washington and congress

maybe it's the role for him, but I doubt it.

[secondwind]

2. Ambassador at Large

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Or Chief of Staff or Press Secretary?

He'd be great wherever he lands.

[ailsagirl]

30. Yes he would!!

Can we clone him??

[CatMor]

9. He will be a great asset to any position that's for certain.

[58Sunliner]

10. Good!!

[Firebrand Gary]

12. UN Ambassador

We've got serious work to do, he's a work horse and he's brilliant. His multilingual abilities and capacity to expand on that would be greatly appreciated on the International stage.

[onetexan]

79. Bingo!!

[AlexSFCA]

14. it's a no brainer

Although I would love to see him one day run IN senator, same seat that pence once held.

[IronLionZion]

43. Pence was never Senator

he was a congressman and governor

[Glamrock]

17. Press Secretary

Dude is gifted with the ability to push back hard. A trait many Dems don’t seem to possess...

[msongs]

19. pete has way too much integrity for press secretary which requires a BSer willing to lie nt

[halfulglas]

22. No, that's the current occupant's press secretary(ies).

Actually I don't think there is any member of Trump's cabinet who would hesitate to lie outright if that was required. I don't remember Obama's press secretaries outright lying. They wouldn't exactly answer completely. I don't think Press Secretary utilizes enough of Pete's many abilities considering he has administrative experience as well as his obvious charm so ideally he should get a job that has more responsibility than press secretary.

[SergeStorms]

20. If there's no place for a Rhodes Scholar in your Cabinet....

hang up your politicking shoes.

[bucolic_frolic]

21. Who wouldn't want that level of brainpower on their team?

Just put him somewhere close where his advice is readily available

[aeromanKC]

23. Director of National Intelligence

Mayor Pete's military experience is in Intelligence. This position seems right up his field.

[MaryMagdaline]

50. That's an excellent idea

[relayerbob]

62. Vindman for this role

[aeromanKC]

64. Yes, Very good.

He better not be getting too comfortable in retirement just yet. Damn we got some smart cookies to choose from on our side!!!!!

[JI7]

24. UN Ambassador is the best pick for his talents and to represent lgbt community

on the world stage.

[Capt. America]

40. Castro should be UN ambassador. Pete for Va or HUD.

[JI7]

41. No, Castro is overrated .

[Turbineguy]

25. Every candidate who ran on the Democratic platform

was qualified to be President.


It's nice to be able to spell President with a capital P again.

[elleng]

26. National Security Advisor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Advisor_(United_States)

(Puts him @ the right hand of POTUS, and in The Room Where it Happens for EVERYTHING.)

[pfitz59]

69. Good choice

Plenty of face time in pressers. Plenty of Private time with the Prez. Stepping stone to Sec State.

[James48]

27. OMB would be good, or a Secretary of State might work

Either would be good fits fit his talent. He needs to be someplace where he will have more public exposure rather than buried somewhere. He will do great wherever he works.

[BainsBane]

47. He doesn't have the experience for Secretary of State

Sounding good on Fox news isn't a qualification for that level of position. There are a lot of other cabinet positions he could do. Or head of VA Affairs.

[Steven Maurer]

57. He speaks more languages than the last three SoS's put together

He would do fine in that role.

[BainsBane]

60. You think that is all there is to it?

Translators know multiple languages. That doesn't qualify them for SoS. I understand you and other DUers like him on TV. He has indeed been impressive. That, however, doesn't qualify him for one of the two highest-level cabinet positions.
I want someone with deep foreign policy experience, whose written and thought about it for years, in that position. It's too important to give to someone relatively inexperienced.

[Steven Maurer]

65. I strongly disagree...

...the man is exceedingly educated from one of the best universities of the world magna cum laude, is incredibly intelligent, interned for John Kerry (one of the Secretaries of State I mentioned), and served in the military essentially as a diplomatic liaison in one of the most dangerous areas of the world. Given where he's from, he's also practiced in the art of being able to disagree without being disagreeable.

He's not inexperienced. He literally has more direct experience in diplomacy than most Secretaries of State when they take up the position.

[BainsBane]

67. Ultimately it's up to Biden

He wouldn't be my choice, but I'm not the one deciding.

[Steven Maurer]

68. Agreed. Neither of us are. N/T

[karynnj]

75. I think in the future, he may well be an obvious candidate for Secretary of State, but not yet

While it helps that he speaks many languages fluidly, remember that it was NOT the number of languages that Kerry spoke (and he speaks several though fewer than Pete) that made him an exceptional choice and a very successful Secretary. Nor was it, as is well known, Kerry was a veteran and actually a war hero. Though those experiences informed his judgment, they also were not why he was chosen as SoS. As to interning for Kerry, I think he worked for the 2004 campaign - and was pretty junior.

One of Kerry's biggest accomplishments was that he was an essential person getting to the Paris Accord. This was because of his involvement on this issue over decades and his relationships with many foreign counterparts. In fact, the Obama administration considered getting a Paris deal unlikely when he and Obama spoke before he was named. Copenhagen actually moved things backward from where they were at Bali. With Obamas blessing, Kerry was key to getting the deal with China, other deals at the Lima conference that were patterned after the China one making the Paris deal feasible.

I agree that Pete is incredibly intelligent, very articulate, but he really does not have the experience of many people - like Susan Rice, Wendy Sherman, Samantha Powers etc. This also means he does not have the relationships built over years that they have. If he does get the UN job, he WILL get that experience and develop those relationships. (Then he may be Kamala's SoS or a second term Biden SoS)

Another thing to think of is that President Biden first needs to consider what he needs in that position. Given how decimated the State Department is and how shaky all relationships are, I would guess that Biden may want someone very strong on administrative skills, probably with a history in the State Department, who could reach out to rebuilt the expertise lost in the Trump years. That might be a career professional like Susan Rice, Wendy Sherman, or Tony Blinken. Then, like Obama did in 2009, he might have several special envoys to augment the Secretary of State.

[McKim]

70. I Agree

I agree. Pete is very easy to like but he lacks the qualifications for Secretary of State. Biden needs to be very careful to have the best possible cabinet. Pete may not be qualified to head HUD or be Secretary of State. Biden's government needs to inspire confidence that comes from choosing just the right people.

[Sugarcoated]

28. Press secretary

what an asset he'd be out there every day

[MyOwnPeace]

34. No, no, no!!!!!

Press secretary is a BS job - you say what the President says - you have very little input into policy or major decisions - you are presenting the President's plans and positions to the press.
He was criticized for "only" being the mayor of a city - not having "national" government experience.
He needs an administrative position (director, Cabinet member, government representative) where he can get his "national" creds - and wherever he's placed he will be outstanding!

[ailsagirl]

29. That's GREAT!!!

[relayerbob]

31. Not press secretary, or anything like that

He needs to have input on major issues, not be a mouthpiece. Plus he needs the right experience to be President one day (right after Kamala). UN Amb. would be good.

[BainsBane]

48. but the very reason people like him

is that he's good at talking to the press. That's the reason, oddly, that someone above gave for his being Chief of Staff.

[relayerbob]

51. However

Those positions (well, CoS more) doesn't give him relevant experience, nor would he be in a decision making position. Great that he's good at speaking to the press, but he's far too brilliant to be stuck only talking to the press. Again, CoS maybe, I thought about that, too, but I doubt Biden will go for that, it'll be someone he's worked with a lot longer. It's not like Joe has a shortage of qualified contacts, unlike his predecessor.

[BainsBane]

53. You seem to think lack of experience

is a reason to give him a high-level cabinet position. I don't. I think those positions should be given to those who have a great deal of experience and knowledge. That's not to say that Mayor Pete isn't talented and that he shouldn't have a role, but there have to be limits based on his very limited experience in government. After all, his highest position has been as mayor of a small city. I like him. I see a future for him, but that he has a fan club on DU isn't a qualification.

[relayerbob]

55. First off, that's very condescending

But I'll refrain from retorting in kind. I'm saying he NEEDS to get real experience, precisely becuase he was a mayor, and not be a simple mouthpiece. That is a worthless career move, IMO, and a complete waste of his abilities. I did not specify a role for him, I said I thought UN might be a good role, and I said that BECAUSE of his ability to communicate well. I do not think he will be chosen CoS, nor should he be.

[BainsBane]

56. I agree he needs experience

and I don't think Ambassador to the UN is appropriate because of that.
I apologize for seeming condescending. It was my overall reaction to this thread, not you personally. And it's not just this thread or Mayor Pete. I've seen it dozens of times over. It's often based on what people see on TV.

[relayerbob]

61. Fair enough

There are hundreds of positions he can fill that use his skills and give him real-world-wide experience. I would like to see him get international exposure, more than some domestic role, as I believe he has a much wider view of things than many others. Hence UN, but there are many roles even within that sphere for them to choose from.

[BainsBane]

63. Ultimately it's up to Biden

It will be interesting to see where he places him.

[relayerbob]

66. Of course

When the (paraphrased) question was posed, "Who do you want to see in what Cabinet role" in another thread, my answer was Whoever Joe's team selects.

There are many good choices out there, and he knows them all. Pete has become like a son to Joe, and has proven invaluable and loyal, with few errors. I'm sure he'll get a good slot.

[cstanleytech]

32. I still like him as secretary of state.

[nilram]

52. ditto!

[AwakeAtLast]

77. Me, too

Setting up for a future Harris/Buttigieg ticket!

[yonder]

33. Someplace where he can interact on the world stage.

SoS, UN or similar.

[The Polack MSgt]

35. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Fox?

The UN position almost seems limiting - Didn't Nikki Haley fling fistfuls of shit all over that job?

Press Secretary seems like a fit to me

[left-of-center2012]

36. Right now it's just a guessing game.

I'm sure Biden will use him where Joe think's is most helpful.

[LittleGirl]

37. I think SOS or UN Ambassador would suit his skills well. eom

[Capt. America]

38. VA or HUD.

[TexasBushwhacker]

58. Yeah. I'd love to see him at the VA N/T

[Thunderbeast]

39. Secretary of Defense!

[Roy Rolling]

42. Use his strength!

Secretary of Explaining things to Fox News viewers. He’s a Fox-whisperer.

[IronLionZion]

46. Communications director or press secretary would be great

considering his talents speaking to people in the midwest. UN Ambassador would be great. It should definitely be a public facing role

[CaliforniaPeggy]

59. Wherever he goes, whatever job Joe gives him, he will bloom where he's planted!

He's young and his youth gives him boundless energy and enthusiasm; plus his superior intelligence means he will fit in well. It will also mean he'll be a quick study for the job he will have.

Joe promised him a job in his administration, and I know Pete will get one where he will shine.

There is so much promise in this young man!

[Illumination]

71. This is so exciting! I can hardly stand it!...

[eppur_se_muova]

72. Can't the President(elect) create a new cabinet position ?

Is it too much to hope for a Cabinet-level position with the official title of "Slayer"?

[apnu]

73. Very progressive message sent with this news.

Of major LGBTQ representation within the Biden Administration. This would be a first that an openly gay man has a high-level position of power in the Executive Branch.

This is a good thing. It will bother moderates and defiantly upset conservative minded people. But its good all the same.

If we are going to be about civil rights and equality. Those rights must extend to all people, no exemptions.

People who can't get on board with that can go to the trash bin now.

[Evolve Dammit]

74. Chief of Staff. He'd be great at anything but that would suit him very well.

[Cha]

76. Just what we wanted! Pete is a true

blue Dem &

[NurseJackie]

80. Locking.

This is not yet important national news. Speculative analysis and anticipatory.

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