Needed: the best talent to fill positions in the next Executive Branch

I understand why neither presidential candidate will say now who definitely would serve in his administration - for starters, until somebody wins on November 4, nobody will commit to joining an administration. But I think that in a moment when we as a nation face "a global economic crisis, two wars and an ongoing nuclear and terrorist threat" (source) it would be helpful to have some idea from each candidate of who he would like to have in his administration, should he be elected. Who would he support as head of the World Bank? Will he make efforts to make sure his cabinet includes people from the other Party especially if somebody from the other Party seems particularly well suited to the position? Will he consider members of his own Party with whom he may not have close ties (Romney by McCain? Clinton by Obama?)? What about executive agency heads? Key advisers?

For many undecided voters, deciding would be easier if the candidates told us something about who they regard as the best talent to people their administrations. And even decided voters need the information, so they can be sure of the decision they have currently made.

Tumultuous times demand the best talent. Franklin Delano Roosevelt understood this, and it showed in his Cabinet appointments both at the time of the Great Depression and then World War II. Among the many things I find telling about FDR's administration is how it included people from different demographic groups and different political parties in a time of national confusion.

FDR appointees:

• Henry Morgenthau as Secretary of the Treasury.
• Frances Perkins as Secretary of Labor, the first woman to serve in a U.S. cabinet position.
• two  Republicans to cabinet positions in his second administration.

FDR Jr. did not care about religion, creed, gender or Party affiliation when difficult circumstances faced the nation. While he valued loyalty to himself in his appointees, he valued at least as much, maybe more, whether those serving in his cabinet were good at their jobs or right for the country at the time.

May our next president be as wise.

Person Henry Morgenthau

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Comments

[ainnj]

"May our next president be as wise."

Sorry Heidi, that's just not possible. 1/8th as wise would be a reach.

[democraticjack]

I love these posts. I get so entranced by Heidi's grasp of history and her gift of correlating the past to the present.
Thank you, Heidi.

[artemis]

When I think about pre-naming cabinet posts I can't help but think about poor Colin Powell. He didn't want to run for President because the process offended him and he felt it was demeaning. Then BushCo sent him in front of the UN to pass on their lies about yellow ore and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

They used him to win their election and then ignored him until he couldn't stand to be associated with them any more.

Personally I wouldn't want to sign onto either campaign at this point. Would anyone want to take the chance that it was anything more than a gimmick?