I agree with you regarding the Bush Administration, I think the people who have stood by that administration's side throughout his tenure there have been complicit in crimes against humanity. I'm not being dramatic, I actually believe that (then again, I am a progressive).

Now, I actually believe that Obama can get away with a very diverse Administration. He cannot get away with an all Black Administration, but a diverse administration would be par for the course. In fact, I think people are expecting that.

http://www.politicalsimpleton.com/

And none of these cabinet position announcements have come out of Barack Obama's mouth.

I think we should wait till our president tells us who he wants in his cabinet before we jump to conclusions.

Plus, Dean is a true Washington OUTSIDER, and Obama campaigned on Change. What message is he sending by stacking his Cabinet with all these Washington INSIDERS? For Justice, Commerce, Treasury – those positions may very well need a Washington Insider; but for other Cabinet positions like EPA, HHS, HUD, Education – a few outsiders might be welcomed, and there's the opportunity to increase diversity in his Administration.

I'd like to see a few people we haven't seen before, and I'd like to see more diversity in his choices, but you know what the argument is going to be – he can't be seen as too sympathetic towards being diverse. However, if he runs far away and ends up with a nearly all Caucasian Cabinet, not only will there be some screaming on our part, but the MSM will run with that fact in a NOT SO GOOD way.

Yeah, Bush had a more diverse Cabinet, but considering the shythole he's leaving for Obama to clean up, what good were the ethnic people he had in office when they merely followed his orders to Eff up the country? I mean, I like Colin Powell, but when he had a chance to blow the lid on going to war in Iraq, he caved and lied to the U. N. to make Bush's case for attack.

Condi Rice failed to persuade Bush that the “Bin Laden Determined to Strike U.S.” memo needed to be taken seriously and to return to DC to deal with it. We got 9/11 as a result, and it probably could have been mitigated or avoided all together if she asserts herself as National Security Advisor, instead of getting punked by Rumsfeld and Cheney.

Claude Allen, when he wasn't stealing from Target or Hecht's Department Stores, was busy facilitating policies as White House Advisor.

Rod Paige gave us “No Child Left Behind” in the Education Department and hightailed it out of Dodge when it became apparent he was lying about the funding that initiative was provided; now every child in public education is being left behind.

Elaine Chao lied about labor statistics and engaged in systemic union busting as Labor Secretary.

Alberto Gonzales allowed the politicization of the Justice Department and allowed the firing of nine U. S. Attorneys because they were trying to uphold the law and do their jobs. What got them in trouble was refusing to violate the Constitution and for being patriots, they got sent to the unemployment line. The Civil Rights division under Gonzales failed to enforce all anti-discrimination laws and engaged in discrimination themselves, using political party affiliation and religious beliefs when interviewing potential candidates for jobs – ask Monica Goodling and Bradley Scholzman (sp) about that.

So much for diversity in Bush's Administration – all he proved was that Bush Rangers came in all colors, genders and ethnicity.

*HOWEVER*

The first thing that popped in my head was, “Yet another seasoned politician”. My only frustration with these appointments is that most of them have been in the game for ages. That is a great thing to have; it shows Obama's lack of ego/insecurity and willingness to listen to people with good ideas who know what they're doing.

However, he ran on the whole premise of change, he was “a new type of politician” with a “fresh batch of ideas” who was going to encourage “a transformation in Washington”. But all of these old people are all well and good, but just like the American people decided to believe in this “new” man, why won't he believe in someone new? You mean he could not find one up-and-coming politician much like himself with good ideas and a bipartisanship approach to getting things done…not one?!

I know I'm gonna sound like the big “rain on Obama's parade” person, and that's not what I'm trying to do. It just that I really thought the man was gonna have a couple of folks in his administration (not a whole bunch, just one or two) that could represent the future of American politics. Because quite frankly, if he keeps picking these long-time politicians, in 8 years (if he's blessed) were gonna be right back where we started.

Oh, and btw: B. Clinton had the most diverse Administration, and the Bush topped that with an Administration even more diverse than B. Clinton…does Obama plan to follow in those steps? So far for diversity we've got Holder. Richardson and H. Clinton (booooooo!) are the only other people I've heard about. You want the best person for the job, I'm not buying that there are no people of color/women/differing sexual-orientation/disabilities who can be the best person for the job. I'm not talking about Affirmative Action; I'm talking about the fact that we have a rare moment to transcend the typical and really look at possibilities we've never considered before.

And I like Dean for Surgeon General if he wants the job.