Brother, Can You Spare A (Cabinet) Job?!?

[Editor's Note: Yep, the inevitable backlash has begun! Break out the CapriSuns.]

What the hell is up with Obama's cabinet picks?



Peep the roster, folks of color in bold. I haven't seen this many white dudes on one squad since the 56' Celtics.

NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED:

TREASURY SECRETARY: Timothy Geithner, president of Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

SECRETARY OF STATE: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Eric Holder, former deputy attorney general.

DEFENSE SECRETARY: Robert Gates, holdover from Bush administration.

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Gov. Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Dipset Capo, Jim Jones (BALLIN!!) .

COMMERCE SECRETARY: Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M.

NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL DIRECTOR: Lawrence Summers, former treasury secretary.

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DIRECTOR: Peter Orszag, director of Congressional Budget Office.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY: Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki.

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY: Shaun Donovan, New York City housing commissioner.

ENERGY SECRETARY, Steven Chu, director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

EPA ADMINISTRATOR, Lisa P. Jackson, former commissioner of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE, Carol Browner, former EPA administration.

WHITE HOUSE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY CHAIR, Nancy Sutley, deputy mayor for energy and environment in Los Angeles.

EDUCATION SECRETARY, Arne Duncan, Chicago schools superintendent.

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY - Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor.

INTERIOR SECRETARY - Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo.

POSTS TO BE DECIDED, WITH THE CONTENDERS:

CIA DIRECTOR
John Gannon, former deputy director for intelligence at the CIA during Clinton administration.
Jami Miscik, former head of CIA's analytical operations.
Steve Kappes, CIA's current No. 2.
Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., now heads House Homeland Security subcommittee on intelligence.
John McLaughlin, former interim CIA chief.

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR
Denny Blair, retired admiral and former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.
Don Kerr, No. 2 official in Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Jami Miscik, former head of CIA's analytical operations.
Former Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind.

LABOR SECRETARY
Ed McElroy, former president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Linda Chavez-Thompson, former AFL-CIO vice president.
Mary Beth Maxwell, executive director of American Rights at Work.
Maria Echaveste, former Clinton White House adviser.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY
Jane Garvey, former head of Federal Aviation Administration.
Mortimer Downey, former deputy transportation secretary.
Steve Heminger, executive director, San Francisco Bay area transportation commission.
Ron Kirk, former Dallas mayor.

Okay, as you guys can probably guess, I'm conflicted on this one. Part of me says this is okay. The "diversity" is at the top of the ticket, and that's really all the change that's needed. After all, make no mistake, the boss is the one calling the shots. He chose them, not the other way around.

That said, what the f*ck, Barack!?!?!

Seriously, one brother out of all the picks made? Just one? And Eric Holder is a Clinton refugee, he prolly would have gotten the gig had Hillary won.

Lisa Jackson gets an EPA gig, but she ain't heading the Department. She's a double-minion.

There's Hispanics (Richardson, Salavar) and Asians (Chu, Shinseki), and lots of white women (too many to cut and paste), but only one AverageBro in the whole damn cabinet? What is this, the Obama Administration or my last Managerial Retreat?

Somethin' ain't right, Barry.

Before folks get all in a tizzy, I know, Barack should be hiring the "best person for the job". But what's to say there weren't lots of other "best persons" who just happened to be black that got shut out. Off the top of my head, folks like Anthony Brown, Deval Patrick, Ron Kirk (still in consideration), and even Colin Powell deserved a seat somewhere. Anywhere.

It's somewhat interesting that many of Obama's down-ticket picks (Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett, Desiree Rogers) are indeed black. They just all happen to be women. Unless I'm missing something here, Holder is the only black and male Obama pick. Sure, there's that black White House butler, but damnit, even Reagan had a black butler.

This is some bullshiggedy!!!

I thought the Obama Administration was supposed to be a turning point in American history. Brothers and sisters would have our chance to shine. Kids in ghettos coast-to-coast would abandon dreams of "the pole" and "the trap" for a life of higher education.

The more sh*t changes, the more it stays the same, apparently.

Thanks for nothing, Barry.

Question: Is the virtual whitewash of the Obama cabinet the sign of things to come, or merely a sign that he hires the best, and brightest (provided they're either from Chicago or close with his wife)?

Name by name, Obama's Cabinet taking shape [AP]