by Jim Tankersley
The Senate quickly confirmed seven of President Obama's cabinet nominees this afternoon, mere hours after the Inauguration - but it left many more, including Hillary Clinton, to wait at least another day.
Among those winning approval by unanimous consent: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; Energy Secretary Steven Chu; Education Secretary Arne Duncan; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget; Eric Shinseki, the secretary of Veterans' Affairs; and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Secretary-of-State-nominee Clinton was originally expected to make that list, but Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) held her up by a day over conflict-of-interest objections to her husband, former Bill Clinton, and his charitable foundation's foreign donors.
Others who face a more protracted process include Labor nominee Hilda Solis, Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner, Attorney General nominee Eric Holder and Transportation nominee Ray LaHood. Obama also still needs tp nominate a commerce secretary pick to replace Bill Richardson, who withdrew from consideration amidst a scandal in his home state New Mexico.
Most observers expect all of Obama's nominees to eventually win confirmation. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urged as much in a statement this afternoon.
"President Obama has nominated a cabinet of exceptionally bright and capable people," Reid said. "They represent a cross-section of our country, geographically and politically. It is up to us, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, to confirm these worthy nominees quickly so that they, along with our new President, can hit the ground running."
Comments
At lest we have one smart Senator in the pack that can see though the Clintons.
Posted by: Inky | January 20, 2009 5:25 PM
It's back to reality, courtesy Sen. John "Box Turtle" Cornyn, in perhaps the most poorly timed and politically inept move he could make.
It's hard to get more petty and childish than to carry on the Clinton Derangement Syndrome. But also absolutely predictable. I suspect it's going to be a long four years of this kind of futile and petty Republican business as usual. But, by all means, they should keep it up. More crap like this and we'll be looking at a permanent Democratic majority
Posted by: Blinky | January 20, 2009 5:36 PM
Holder and Geithner should but bow out gracefully. Don't try to tell me that no one else in the good old U.S. of A. is capable of filling those slots. These two gentlemen have shown a lack of good judgement and have shown that they can not be trusted.
Posted by: Paul | January 20, 2009 9:09 PM
Think Cornyn will be re-elected Inky? Think again...we the people are tired of his kind.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | January 21, 2009 7:03 AM
Isn't it ironic that the scrupulous Sen. Cornyn didn't utter a whimper at the extraordinary act of bestowing a no-bid contract to the Vice President's former employer - a contract totalling billions of dollars and a contract that led to fraud at worst and ineptitude at best? Now he's inquisitive about donations to a charity? Halliburton was a private charity of the Bushies that didn't warrant any attention from the "good" Senator.
Posted by: Steve Banko | January 21, 2009 11:56 AM