A Couple Of Good Cabinet Picks

Nobody seems to know what's going on with the pick for Secretary of State in the Obama administration. There are those who say Hillary Clinton is a lock for the position, others who say serious vetting is going on and it's up in the air, and still others who say the pick will not be Clinton because of her husband. It looks like we're going to have to wait to see how that comes out.

But according to sources within the Obama group, it looks like two choices have already been made. The first is former senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota (pictured). He has been chosen to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This is a very good pick.

In some departments (like State or Treasury), it might make sense to pick a moderate. But the Department of Health and Human Services needs a strong progressive voice. This is the department designated to help the poor and underprivileged, and with a strong recession (and maybe even a depression) coming on fast, we need someone willing to help these people instead of ignoring them like the last administration did.

This is also the department that will have a key role in fixing our broken healthcare system. In fact, Daschle is probably going to be a major force in designing a universal healthcare proposal. Fortunately, Daschle is a man with a proven progressive track record. I think he's the right man for the job.

The other pick is Eric Holder to be the Attorney General. He has the right experience, having served as Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton Administration, and he is ready to step up to the top position. Maybe now we can put civil rights and voting rights back on the agenda at the Justice Department. The Bush administration has ignored both areas.

I hope all of Barack Obama's cabinet picks are as good as these two.