The late great Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Sam Rayburn (D-Texas) could have been talking about Donald TrumpDonald TrumpHogan on Republicans who won’t accept election result: ‘They are out of runway’ Biden rips Trump’s refusal to concede after Electoral College vote Top GOP senators acknowledge Biden as president-elect after Electoral College vote MORE and Joe BidenJoe BidenHogan on Republicans who won’t accept election result: ‘They are out of runway’ Biden rips Trump’s refusal to concede after Electoral College vote Senate GOP warns Biden against picking Sally Yates as attorney general MORE when he said, “Any jackass can kick a barn down, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.”
Biden’s experience has made him a competent carpenter, but he will need to prove he can be an ambitious architect to solve the grave problems facing his presidency and the nation.
The president-elect has carefully and cautiously constructed his cabinet to meet competing political demands. He must do a high wire act and walk a tightrope between progressives in his own party who want change and the conservatives in the GOP who control the Senate and must approve his choices.
The choice of his Treasury secretary is a good example of Biden’s approach. Progressives didn’t get the pick they loved, Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren-led investigation finds prison accreditation process has ‘little to no value’ 2021: Reality politics vs. liberal fantasy Progressives frustrated with representation as Biden Cabinet takes shape MORE (D-Mass.), but they did get someone they liked in Janet Yellen who has demonstrated concerns about income inequality and climate change. She will probably pass muster in the Senate. The new nominee served as the head of the Council of Economic Advisers during Bill ClintonWilliam (Bill) Jefferson ClintonHow Congress can kickstart COVID herd immunity ‘The View’ hosts urge Trump to take COVID-19 vaccine publicly Stacey Abrams oversees Georgia electors voting for Biden MORE’s presidency and President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein ObamaHow Congress can kickstart COVID herd immunity Obama jokes about birther conspiracy: ‘I was able to get away with’ not being born in US An apology for the Electoral College MORE named her the first female chair of the Federal Reserve Board.
Demography is destiny and the destiny of the Democratic Party is diversity. The default option in cabinet choices has always been white men, so the new president deserves a lot of credit for his efforts to pick an administration that is diverse.
Biden has already chosen three members of the big four cabinet positions, State, Defense and Treasury. Only one of the three nominees, secretary of State, Tony Blinken is a white male. Yellen will be the first female secretary of Treasury and retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin will be the first African American…