Clinton Studying Cabinet List Decisions Anticipated On Return To Washington
Word out of Asia was that President Clinton was planning to spend some time on the 19-hour flight back working on Cabinet selections and maybe putting the defense-diplomatic crowd out of its misery by making some decisions.
The various candidates for the State and Defense Department jobs continue like those little bobbers on a fishing pole, bouncing up and down in the water.
Outgoing Sen. William S. Cohen, R-Maine, seems the leader for defense, with CIA Director John M. Deutch also in the running.
State is a more crowded field, but U.N. Ambassador Madeleine K. Albright, former assistant secretary of state Richard C. Holbrooke and former Senate majority leader George J. Mitchell, D-Maine, are among those still bobbing.
National security adviser Anthony Lake is still being talked about as the pick for CIA director to try to get a grip on the troubled agency.
Lake, however, was said to be resisting - who wouldn’t, given the agency’s difficulties - and may end up going private.
Clinton could then elevate Lake’s deputy, Samuel R. “Sandy” Berger, to the adviser job or maybe bring over Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.
If Clinton puts the energetic and creative Holbrooke in as secretary, he might want to keep Talbott there as No. 2 to ensure against a war with Canada or the Netherlands.
As one Holbrooke admirer put it not long ago: “Dick is immensely talented. He’ll stop three wars in a single day. Problem is, he may start five.”
xxxx WHAT’S OPEN The comings and goings of President Clinton’s Cabinet and top foreign policy posts: Secretary of state: The short list to replace Warren Christopher includes former Senate Democratic leader George Mitchell; Richard Holbrooke, who helped negotiate the Bosnia settlement; U.N. Ambassador Madeleine Albright; retiring Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and Thomas Pickering, former ambassador to Russia. Secretary of defense: Retiring Republican Sen. William Cohen of Maine is considered the front-runner. Other candidates include Nunn, CIA Director John Deutch, Deputy Defense Secretary John White and Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick. Clinton also is said to be considering candidates from the defense industry, including Loral Corp. chairman and Democratic donor Bernard Schwartz. Secretary of commerce: The early front-runner to replace Mickey Kantor is Bill Daley, a Democratic activist and brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. But Clinton aides now consider this a good post to give to a Republican; John Young, former head of Hewlett-Packard Co., and Edward McCracken, chief executive of Silicon Graphics Inc., are GOP candidates. Other prospects: Rep. Bill Richardson, D-N.M., and close Clinton aide Mack McLarty. Secretary of transportation: Possible replacements for Federico Pena: Federal Highway Administrator Rodney Slater, an Arkansan, or Daley if he does not get Commerce. Secretary of energy: Hazel O’Leary was shown the door. Prospects include Richardson, retiring Sen. Bennett Johnston, D-La.; EPA Director Carol Browner and Tim Wirth, undersecretary of state for global affairs. Secretary of housing and urban development: Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros resigned, saying he needed a higher-paying job. Mayor Norm Rice of Seattle is the front-runner to replace him, though mayors Dennis Archer of Detroit and Kurt Schmoke of Baltimore also are under consideration. Secretary of labor: Robert Reich is resigning to return to Boston. Former Sen. Harris Wofford, D-Pa., is the top candidate. Maria Echaveste, administrator of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, has been mentioned. Secretary of education: Richard Riley could become the eighth member of Clinton’s 14-person Cabinet to resign. The president likes him at Education, but Riley may move to the White House or another Cabinet position. Prospects: West Virginia Gov. Gaston Caperton; Colorado Gov. Roy Romer; retiring Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh; Republican former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean and former Assistant Education Secretary Madeleine Kunin, who is now ambassador to Switzerland. Attorney general: Janet Reno says she wants to stay. Clinton will meet with her after Thanksgiving to discuss her future. Aides suspect he will retain her, but nobody knows for sure. U.N. ambassador: If Albright becomes secretary of state, Richardson would have the inside track on this post. National security adviser: Anthony Lake, current director of the National Security Council, may move to the CIA, The chances increase if nemesis Holbrooke becomes secretary of state. Clinton buddy Strobe Talbott, now the No. 2 official at the State Department, wants Lake’s job. One scenario has Lake and Talbott swapping. Trade representative: Charlene Barshefsky, who has been acting U.S. trade representative since April, is Clinton’s choice for the permanent post. But his lawyers still need to find a way to overcome legal restrictions that could prohibit her service because of her private work for Canada.