Democratic Dream Team: Part One of Five

(For an introduction and explanation of the criteria used for our 2008 cabinet prospectus, click here.)

Democratic Dream Team: Part One of Five
The top Democratic contenders for the positions of Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Attorney General.
By John Drexel

Part One of a Five-Part Series

Secretary of State:
If one criteria is important in selecting the top US diplomatic post, it's experience. And the Democrats who held the post during Bill Clinton's presidency had it: prior to her appointment, Madeline Albright was the UN Ambassador. Warren Christopher had served as Deputy Secretary twelve years earlier.

Undoubtedly, one of the most experienced, and most relevant Democrats in the pool this time around is Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. He's spent just about 36 years in the Senate, and despite three presidential campaigns that have failed to gain the necessary traction, he's one of the most qualified candidates for national office in the party today.

His foreign policy track record is impressive to say the least. He's spent most of his career on the Senate's powerful Foreign Relations Committee, the same committee that he now chairs. There, he's built a reputation for bipartisanship and results, and for that reason has become one of the most respected members of the Senate, held in high esteem by both Democrats and Republicans.

But it was during the Balkan Wars that Biden earned his foreign policy stripes. In somewhat of an unprecedented move, he made repeated trips to Serbia and Bosnia, meeting with controversial leaders and eventually calling international attention to the butchery of Slobodan Milosevic, whom Biden was the first to dub a "war criminal." But more than that, it was Biden who convinced President Bill Clinton to initiate US military intervention in the region aimed at curbing the aggression of Milosevic's troops. Years later, the peace plan that created partitioned ethnic regions- which he was instrumental in forming- still stands.

To date, Biden is the only Democrat-or Republican, for that matter- to release a comprehensive plan for victory in Iraq. His partitioning strategy (not unlike the one he helped implement in Bosnia) won support across the political spectrum, from Bill Richardson to Bill O'Reilly. Today, he is one of the foremost experts in his party on Middle East policy. It's fair to say that in the next four to eight years, that's where the focus of the world will remain. And that's why Joe Biden should be Secretary of State.

And speaking of Bill Richardson, Biden isn't the only candidate for the job. Having been the UN Ambassador as well as the Secretary of Energy, Richardson not only has foreign policy experience, he has federal executive leadership experience as well. He was a member of hostage negotiation teams sent to secure the release of American prisoners in North Korea, Cuba, and China. But his pedigree may make him overqualified for the State Department job. Unlike Biden, Richardson has served as the chief executive of a state. And after a hard-fought presidential campaign (and his refusal to endorse either candidate), he's placed himself in an excellent position to be selected for the VP slot- whether it's Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama who ends up doing the selecting.

Secretary of Defense:
There is perhaps no more decorated, internationally respected military Democrat who is ready for political office today than retired General Wesley Clark. Clark's military record is both impeccable and astounding, and reads like an honor-badge check list: bronze star (3 times), silver star (1), Purple Heart (1), Distinguished Service Medal (2), Legion of Merit (5), Presidential Medal of Freedom (1), Army Commendation Medal (2), and the Meritorious Service Medal (2). He was a senior NATO commander during the war in Bosnia, and the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe during the war in Kosovo. There are three streets named after General Clark, two in the US and one in Dakovica, presented as a “thank you” from the people of Kosovo for his role in bringing peace to their war-ravaged country. He received the Balkan Peace Award, the Lady Liberty Award for National Security and World Peace, and the Secretary of State’s Open Forum Distinguished Service Award.

Moreover, the American government isn’t the only one jumping at the chance to pin medals on Clark’s chest. And get this, he’s been knighted in no less than six nations: France, UK, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. And in addition to the knighthoods, these six nations, plus Germany, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Albania, Argentina, Croatia, and yes, Canada, have given him medals of honor, valor, and merit.

But Clark is more than a military man; he's also a scholar. He was the valedictorian of his graduating class from West Point. He went on from there to receive a degree from Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. While healing from wounds received during combat, he spent more time in the classroom, earning military science degrees from schools across the country.

Clark may end up the vice-presidential nominee, but he's a shoe-in for this post, especially if Clinton (who he's endorsed) becomes the nominee. But if Barack Obama wins the nomination, he may regret throwing his support behind the other candidate. Still, with his career accomplishments, Obama would be remiss not to use Clark in some capacity.

If the nominee looks beyond Clark, there is one additional candidates who deserve a good, hard look. The first is retired Navy SEAL and former Senator Bob Kerrey, who passed up an opportunity to return to the Senate next year. Kerrey lost a limb during Vietnam, earning himself a Medal of Honor. While in the Senate, he was considered an authority on US military operations. But Kerrey, like Clark, has also endorsed Clinton.

Attorney General:
The rumor mill has been hard at work on this one for awhile, but if either Democrat wins the general election, expect John Edwards to take the helm at the Justice Department. Because Edwards served just one term in the Senate, it's unlikely (though not entirely improbable) that he'll take the vice presidential slot on the ticket.

It's a well-known fact that Edwards' rise to political office was born out of his career as a lawyer- and a very good one. He earned massive verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients in personal injury and product liability cases.

His legal skills came in handy when he reached the Senate: it was Edwards who took the depositions of both Monica Lewinsky and Vernon Jordan during the impeachment trial of Bill Clinton. He served on the Judiciary Committee during his tenure, and co-sponsored an impressive 203 bills while he was in office.

Edwards' considerable skills as a jurist, as well as his national notoriety and popularity, make him a likely pick. And the wheels are already in motion. UpFrontPolitics reported back in February that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had approached Edwards with an offer for the Attorney General slot. Edwards has been tight-lipped, and perhaps wisely so: with the former North Carolina Senator mum on who he supports, he remains the leading candidate for the AG job- on both sides.

If it's not Edwards, though, there are two others who are bound to get some consideration. The more unlikely of the two is California Attorney General Jerry Brown. He has all the relevant experience in the world, including two terms as governor during the 1970s. Brown is mulling a run for the governor's mansion in California once more, but he may be interested in national post if it were offered to him. The other is Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who will be termed out as of 2010. Kaine earned a reputation as a fair and generous lawyer, earning recognition from various organizations for his fair housing advocacy.