Secretary of Interior --- any idea who President Elect Obama may pick?

[RiverStone]

I liked Robert Kennedy, Jr. - but I don't believe he is on any short list.

I do worry about Shrub's last minute environmental deregulation rules and am sorry AZ lost an environmentally friendly Governor (when Janet accepted her new post in Obama's administration).

We need a very strong Secretary of the Interior who will work to roll back Shrub's anti-environmental measures and protect what we have from pro-oil and pro-development interests. I really hope for a wise and passionate steward who personally cares deeply for our planet and country's natural resources.

Who do you think would be a strong pick?

[Thrill]

1. Raul Grijalva is the guy. Book it

[Bobbieo]

3. Sure hope Grijalva is the "guy", as he is my Congressman!!!

He is a special person!!!

[snowbear]

2. AP has this list of possibilities for "top posts".. but it's 6 days old...

Go to Google NewsObama weighs names for top posts
By The Associated Press – 6 days ago

President-elect Barack Obama has picked or is considering an array of Washington insiders and outsiders, including some Republicans, for Cabinet and other top positions, according to Democratic and transition officials. They include:

___

TREASURY SECRETARY

Timothy Geithner, president of Federal Reserve Bank of New York, named Nov. 24.

___

NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL DIRECTOR

Lawrence Summers, former treasury secretary, named Nov. 24.

___

SECRETARY OF STATE

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., former first lady and one-time Obama rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

___

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Eric Holder, former deputy attorney general.

___

DEFENSE SECRETARY

Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

___

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY

Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.

___

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY

Gov. Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz.

___

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR

Denny Blair, retired admiral and former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Former Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind., and member of the Sept. 11 commission.

Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., who heads the House Homeland Security subcommittee on intelligence.

Don Kerr, No. 2 official in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Jami Miscik, former head of CIA's analytical operations.

___

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

Retired Marine Gen. James Jones.

___

COMMERCE SECRETARY

Gov. Bill Richardson, D-N.M.

___

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DIRECTOR

Peter Orszag, director of Congressional Budget Office, named Nov. 25.

___

ENERGY SECRETARY

Dan Reicher, director of climate change and energy initiatives at Google, former assistant energy secretary in charge of efficiency and renewable energy programs in the Clinton administration.

Former Rep. Philip Sharp, D-Ind., president of Resources for the Future think tank.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. D-Kan.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich.

___

INTERIOR SECRETARY

Rep. Raul M. Grijalva, D-Ariz.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif.

Former Gov. John Kitzhaber, D-Ore.

Former Gov. Tony Knowles, D-Alaska.

___

EPA ADMINISTRATOR

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

Mary Nichols, head of California Air Resources Board.

Kathleen McGinty, former secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

___

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

Mayor Shirley Franklin of Atlanta.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.

Renee Glover, head of Atlanta's housing authority.

Nicolas Retsinas, director of Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Shaun Donovan, commissioner of New York City's housing department.

Adolfo Carrion Jr., Bronx borough president.

___

LABOR SECRETARY

Ed McElroy, former president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Linda Chavez-Thompson, former AFL-CIO vice president.

Former Rep. David Bonior, D-Mich., member of Obama's transition economic advisory board.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, D-Kan.

Maria Echaveste, former Clinton White House adviser.

___

EDUCATION SECRETARY

Former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. D-Kan.

Arne Duncan, chief executive officer of Chicago public schools.

Linda Darling-Hammond, education professor at Stanford University.

Colin Powell, former secretary of state, former chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

___

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY

Jane Garvey, former head of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mortimer Downey, former deputy transportation secretary.

Steve Heminger, executive director, San Francisco Bay area transportation commission.

___

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY

Tom Buis, president of National Farmers Union.

Former Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas.

___

VETERANS AFFAIRS

Tammy Duckworth, a disabled Iraq war veteran and Illinois veterans affairs director.

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, D-Md.

Former Sen. Max Cleland. D-Ga.

[Phlogistician]

4. anyone but Mike Thompson...

who would be an utter disaster at Interior!

[snowbear]

5. Welcome aboard Phlogistician!

~~~

Who do you think would make a good Interior Secretary?

[FrenchieCat]

7. Why? I heard the opposite.

I heard if not Raul M. Grijalva, Mike Thompson was the next best pick!

One of Thompson's most notable conservation achievements was the passage of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act, which President Bush signed into law in October 2006.

The legislation gave wilderness status to 275,830 acres in the First Congressional District – with 51,671 acres in Lake County, around the Cache Creek and Snow Mountain areas.

Victoria Brandon, chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group, worked with Thompson on the wilderness legislation.

Responding to Thompson's name being put forward for the cabinet posted, Brandon said Friday, “As far as I know the Sierra Club has not taken a position on this possible appointment, and I personally am of two minds: Thompson would undoubtedly be a superb Secretary of the Interior, but the thought of losing him as our Congressman is dismaying to say the least.”

On species protection issues, Thompson has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration, particularly its handling of the Klamath River fish die-off, which claimed an estimated 80,000 salmon.

Thompson and 35 fellow members of Congress from California and Oregon submitted to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., a request in June of 2007 for an investigation into Vice President Dick Cheney's involvement in policy decisions that resulted in the 2002 fish kill.

He also successfully worked to get legislation passed to assist the struggling salmon industry with more than $60 million in emergency funding in the summer 2007.

The following month, Thompson and Miller were part of a special congressional panel that convened in Vallejo to look at the issues facing the Bay-Delta.

During the half day of testimony, Thompson questioned a Department of the Interior official at length regarding an administration official's possible interference in policy decisions regarding the delta smelt.

The official, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Operations Manager for the California/Nevada Office Steve Thompson, said he couldn't answer Thompson’s question regarding political influence because the Department’s Inspector General was investigating the potential manipulation of scientific evidence from the Bay-Delta.

Steve Thompson did say during questioning by the congressman that the investigation involved the former deputy assistant secretary, Julie MacDonald, who had resigned under pressure from another investigation that May.

Congressman Thompson also opposed the Bush administration's July proposal to drill along the Outer Continental Shelf, saying it wouldn't increase the oil supply for years and was potentially disastrous for the ecosystem.

“Our district’s coast is rich in marine resources that have tremendous value to our local economy. An oil spill would be devastating to the coastal economy and its unique ecosystem,” he said at the time.

Another factor working in Thompson's favor for cabinet consideration is that he and Obama have a track record of working together on issues important to them, and have been of similar mind about their opposition to the handling of the Iraq War.

In January of 2007, Obama and Thompson introduced legislation in the Senate and House, respectively, to get the US out of Iraq. The Iraq War De-Escalation Act set deadlines for redeploying US troops. The legislation did not pass.

More....
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/6431/764/

[Shakespeare]

10. And why is that?

Thompson's a great guy, and very strong on environmental issues. I'm curious why you think otherwise.

[whippo]

6. Edwards.

[karynnj]

11. Why?

Edwards has absolutely no background in this - he had a league of Conservation Voters score in the 60s. He was NOT a profile of courage on this. He would require Obama to push for him.

[snowbear]

8. New name surfaces as possible interior pick

Just did a "latest news search on Google"

Now works for Smithsonian
New name surfaces as possible Interior pick
6 hours ago

Kevin Gover, former ASU law professor

The Arizona Republic



With President-elect Barack Obama's transition team still mulling over a nominee for secretary of the Interior, the jockeying in Washington, D.C., appears to be at a fever pitch.

Citing unnamed sources, the Washington Post reported that "Obama may be weighing some dark-horse alternatives to the longtime front-runners, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a Tucson Democrat, and Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif."

"Grijalva faced some hiccups in recent days and fell off the shortlist," the Post reported.

"Thompson, meanwhile, has been hit by a barrage of environmentalist attacks in recent days for his ties to industry groups and his love of hunting."

A new name swirled into the online rumor mill Monday: Kevin Gover, a former Arizona State University law professor who is now director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

Gover, who is Pawnee and Comanche, was assistant secretary for Indian Affairs in the Clinton administration.

A spokesman for Gover's office denied that he is in the running.

"There's no truth to the rumor," said Eileen Maxwell, director of public affairs for the museum.

Obama is expected to announce a nominee within days. Environmental and industry leaders said the transition team has been tight-lipped during the selection process.

Continued: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/nationworld/104747.php

[DarylD]

9. ANYONE, but Mike Thompson

For those who are interested, Mike Thompson supported Bushy's
"Healthy Forest Initiative" which enabled timber
companies to build thousands of miles of roads into public
lands to cut timber. He also happens to be the largest
Democratic recipient of Safari Club International, you know,
the same people whop fought to keep polar bear hunting. As a
matter of fact, Thompson voted against a ban on the
importation of polar bear heads! Safari Club International
also advocates for hunting rhinos, giraffes, elephants for
"sport" and they also are proponents of using older
zoo animals for "canned" hunts, with their members
shooting these animals in enclosures, even though they have
little fear of humans who have fed them their whole life. Any
politician supported by SCI is not going to be good for our
environment. ANYONE but Thompson, but Grijalva would be great.
Robert Kennedy would be great but I, too, don't believe he
made the short list.