One of the longstanding unifying traditions in America is for an incoming President, which is Biden in this case, to fill one or two Cabinet positions with individuals of the opposing party.
You will recall that President Obama kept Republican Robert Gates as his Secretary of Defense. He also appointed Illinois Congressman Ray LaHood as Secretary of Transportation. He had intended to appoint Republican Senator Judd Gregg as Secretary of Commerce – but the Senator withdrew his name.
President Lincoln was famous for bringing political adversaries into his Cabinet. In fact, the public dubbed it “the Cabinet of rivals.”
President-elect Joe Biden has announced that he, too, will appoint Republicans for key Cabinet positions.
Perhaps someone like former Ohio Governor John Kasich (pictured). Biden has hinted that the Department of Commerce is the most likely spot for a Republican.
But there may be a HUGE difference in Biden’s selections. Word from the transition team is that Biden will select from Republicans who endorsed and supported his candidacy in the election. If he thinks that will satisfy “the other side” as a gesture of unity, he is badly mistaken. It is more likely to outrage Trump supporters who believe that those who abandoned Trump, abandoned the GOP – some actually left the Party to become independent or full-fledged Democrats.
They are not “reaching out to the other side,” but merely using false flaggers to give a false impression of bipartisanship.
Biden is in a bit of a bind on the issue. If he were to select from among those who supported Trump, Biden’s radical left-wing will go bonkers on him. They are still firmly ensconced in the #NeverTrump Resistance Movement that demands no consideration or appreciation of anything remotely associated with Trump. The left will not abandon their character assassination of folks who worked with or supported the Trump administration.
On the other hand, putting in some Republican apostate as a gesture of unity will only further anger Trump folks. It will also widen the divide between the two sides. The best option in these times may be to simply skip the tradition and have Biden stick with all Democrat Cabinet positions.
Conservative Republicans are not likely to see any difference between a left-wing Democrat and a newly anointed left-wing faux Republican. Policy-wise it is a distinction without a difference.
So, there ‘tis.