Cabinet Close to Being Complete
Only a few more slots left to be filled.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 17, 2008
In addition to the expected announcement on Wednesday that Tom Vilsack will be President-elect Obama's choice to head the Department of Agriculture, reports are that Senator Ken Salazar, D-Colo., will also be announced as the next Secretary of the Interior.
Sources say Salazar interviewed for the position last week. A farmer for more than 30 years, Salazar was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004 where he now sets on the Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging committees.
With those two nominations being announced only two seats of the cabinet remain to be filled: labor and transportation.
However there may be another position to be filled. It appears Representative Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., will decline President-elect Obama's offer to become U.S. Trade Representative. Becerra was just elected to be vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus in the next Congress. He also serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
If Becerra does declinethe offer, sources say Harold Ford Jr., chairman of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk could be possible candidates to become U.S. Trade Representative.
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