Bush Administration's Cabinet Choices Signal Shift in Government Power Dynamics

President-elect George W. Bush's selections for top positions in his administration reveal a strategic decision to delegate authority to seasoned executives, marking a notable departure from the Clinton administration's approach. The new cabinet, with its average age increasing, has more corporate chiefs and fewer liberal lawyers, academics, and campaign strategists. This shift is expected to influence the administration's policy inclinations and personality, with a focus on efficiency over ideology. Notably, the cabinet's pragmatism is highlighted by the inclusion of figures like Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, and Paul O'Neill, who have led significant policy study groups and defied easy partisan labels.

Key Takeaways:

• The Bush administration's cabinet has an average age of 50.8 years, a 4.5-year increase from the Clinton administration's average age.
• The new cabinet has four corporate chief executives, three of whom are from S&P 500 companies, a record for a single administration.
• The administration is expected to lean heavily on governors and other state-level leaders, who tend to be skeptical of Washington's regulatory role and partial to sharing powers with the states.
• Donald Rumsfeld, Paul O'Neill, and Lawrence Lindsey are leaders of the American Enterprise Institute, an organization with a mildly conservative slant that often critiques government programs.
• The Bush cabinet differs from the Clinton administration, which relied more heavily on lawyers, legislators, and academics for expertise.
• Paul C. Light, a transition expert, compared the new cabinet to an all-star baseball club with nine home run hitters and no outfielders, highlighting the potential for internal conflicts.
• The vice president's office, led by Dick Cheney, is expected to exert significant influence over the administration, with Cheney having a strong track record in government and the private sector.
• The National Economic Council, created by the Clinton administration, may be reevaluated, with some advisors hoping to restructure or abolish it.

Statistics:

• 4 corporate chief executives in the new cabinet, compared to 0 in the Clinton administration.
• 3 of these CEOs are from S&P 500 companies, a new record.
• Average age of the new cabinet: 50.8 years, a 4.5-year increase from the Clinton administration's average age.
• 2 governors, both elected before Bush, have been chosen for the cabinet.
• Alcoa's Paul O'Neill, selected as Treasury Secretary, has spent a decade in the budget office in the Nixon and Ford administrations.

Sources:

• Michel, R. H. (Interview).
• Clinton, Bill. (Campaign).
• Bush, George W. (Campaign).
• Rumsfeld, Donald H. (Interview).
• Powell, Colin L. (Interview).
• O'Neill, Paul H. (Interview).
• Lindsey, Lawrence B. (Interview).
• Light, Paul C. (Interview).
• Kemp, Jack F. (Interview).
• Bush, George W. (Speech, Thursday).