Visions of the dream team
Published Mar 21, 2000
George W. Bush may have won enough delegates to secure the Republican nomination for President, but he is far from a shoo-in to win in the fall against an incumbent Vice President Gore. Not only does he face the difficult challenge of unseating an administration presiding over one of the hottest economies in the nation's history, Bush also has the misfortune of running in the wake of two consecutive losing campaigns run by his predecessors Dole and Bush Sr.
All in all, it is the Vice President who seems to have the advantage, demonstrating a ruthless hunger for the top job and a willingness to do anything to get there. In order to win, Bush must make bold and early moves to exorcise the demons of mediocrity that characterized the '92 Bush and '96 Dole campaigns. Having solidified his conservative base, Bush must take dramatic, sweeping and unprecedented steps to show reformist McCain voters and moderate Democrats alike that he will be a president they can be proud of, in an administration they can trust and be comfortable with.
Looking ahead
It is the idea of a Bush administration and what it might look like that will help attract voters to a Bush candidacy, but only if the candidate himself is willing to breathe life into his party and the process.
One of the few advantages that Republicans have over Democrats in this election season is their bench, a cadre of talented and youthful leaders, many of them minorities, who are ready for prime time. Bush could dramatically alter the course of the 2000 race by naming his cabinet before the Republican convention convenes in Philadelphia and running as a team with his hand picked lieutenants. After all, if Clinton could run in 1992 with the slogan "elect one - get one free" referring to his wife, why shouldn't Bush run with an all-star Republican team with the slogan "elect one - get the team?"
The Dream Team
John McCain, the Arizona Senator and Republican runner-up, has passionate supporters that Bush must corral. In most circumstances this would mean bringing in McCain as Vice President, but for reasons of temperament and ambition this pairing would clearly be impractical. While McCain would clearly make a lousy Vice President, he would make an excellent Secretary of Defense. Combining his concern for the military with his passionate advocacy of reform, at Defense, McCain would no doubt be given a free hand by a president who delegates as avidly as Bush.
Next Bush should find a strong Vice President whose selection will send a powerful message of inclusion without alienating Bush's conservative base. Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts would be an excellent choice.
Then Bush should reach out to General Colin Powell for Secretary of State. Powell has the judicious temperament and experience needed for this important position, and conservatives who might be spooked by the liberal domestic policy leanings of Powell will be enthusiastic about Powell in this slot.
Rounding out his foreign policy team, Bush might choose Stanford Professor, Condoleeza Rice, an African-American woman with unquestionable experience and strength.
For Attorney General, a position that has fallen into disrepute as a result of Janet Reno and the Clinton era scandals, Bush could tap into the moral strength of the Book of Virtues editor, William Bennett.
For Secretary of Health & Human Services Bush could tap Elizabeth Dole who would bring knowledge and resources to the position not only from her experiences as a Cabinet member in the Reagan administration, but from her stewardship of the Red Cross.
For Secretary of the Treasury Bush might select former New York Congressman Jack Kemp whose own presidential ambitions seem to have subsided with his loss to Clinton-Gore in '96. As such, he should made an excellent and loyal economic lieutenant to a President Bush.
For Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Bush could turn to House Budget Chairman John Kasich, the man who, against all odds, crafted a plan to balance the budget and would bring the same passion for reform to HUD.
Taking a page from the play book of Ronald Reagan who selected his own Vice Presidential nominee early on in 1976, such a bold move on the part of candidate George W. Bush would show the electorate that this is not their parents' Bush, and give reassurance that a second Bush administration, in contrast to the one his father presided over, would look like America and reflect the best leadership our country has to offer.
Click here to read other articles about the presidential campaign: No media ear has heard, What Bush can learn from McCain, and Primary faith.
All in all, it is the Vice President who seems to have the advantage, demonstrating a ruthless hunger for the top job and a willingness to do anything to get there. In order to win, Bush must make bold and early moves to exorcise the demons of mediocrity that characterized the '92 Bush and '96 Dole campaigns. Having solidified his conservative base, Bush must take dramatic, sweeping and unprecedented steps to show reformist McCain voters and moderate Democrats alike that he will be a president they can be proud of, in an administration they can trust and be comfortable with.
Looking ahead
It is the idea of a Bush administration and what it might look like that will help attract voters to a Bush candidacy, but only if the candidate himself is willing to breathe life into his party and the process.
One of the few advantages that Republicans have over Democrats in this election season is their bench, a cadre of talented and youthful leaders, many of them minorities, who are ready for prime time. Bush could dramatically alter the course of the 2000 race by naming his cabinet before the Republican convention convenes in Philadelphia and running as a team with his hand picked lieutenants. After all, if Clinton could run in 1992 with the slogan "elect one - get one free" referring to his wife, why shouldn't Bush run with an all-star Republican team with the slogan "elect one - get the team?"
The Dream Team
John McCain, the Arizona Senator and Republican runner-up, has passionate supporters that Bush must corral. In most circumstances this would mean bringing in McCain as Vice President, but for reasons of temperament and ambition this pairing would clearly be impractical. While McCain would clearly make a lousy Vice President, he would make an excellent Secretary of Defense. Combining his concern for the military with his passionate advocacy of reform, at Defense, McCain would no doubt be given a free hand by a president who delegates as avidly as Bush.
Next Bush should find a strong Vice President whose selection will send a powerful message of inclusion without alienating Bush's conservative base. Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts would be an excellent choice.
Then Bush should reach out to General Colin Powell for Secretary of State. Powell has the judicious temperament and experience needed for this important position, and conservatives who might be spooked by the liberal domestic policy leanings of Powell will be enthusiastic about Powell in this slot.
Rounding out his foreign policy team, Bush might choose Stanford Professor, Condoleeza Rice, an African-American woman with unquestionable experience and strength.
For Attorney General, a position that has fallen into disrepute as a result of Janet Reno and the Clinton era scandals, Bush could tap into the moral strength of the Book of Virtues editor, William Bennett.
For Secretary of Health & Human Services Bush could tap Elizabeth Dole who would bring knowledge and resources to the position not only from her experiences as a Cabinet member in the Reagan administration, but from her stewardship of the Red Cross.
For Secretary of the Treasury Bush might select former New York Congressman Jack Kemp whose own presidential ambitions seem to have subsided with his loss to Clinton-Gore in '96. As such, he should made an excellent and loyal economic lieutenant to a President Bush.
For Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Bush could turn to House Budget Chairman John Kasich, the man who, against all odds, crafted a plan to balance the budget and would bring the same passion for reform to HUD.
Taking a page from the play book of Ronald Reagan who selected his own Vice Presidential nominee early on in 1976, such a bold move on the part of candidate George W. Bush would show the electorate that this is not their parents' Bush, and give reassurance that a second Bush administration, in contrast to the one his father presided over, would look like America and reflect the best leadership our country has to offer.
Click here to read other articles about the presidential campaign: No media ear has heard, What Bush can learn from McCain, and Primary faith.
Originally published March 21, 2000.
