Thecabinet

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The Cabinet

+What is the Cabinet?

Circle of advisors

Appointed by the president

Made up of:15 secretaries

(heads of various departments)

Vice presidentOther top officials

+Obama’s Cabinet

+Selection of Cabinet Members-things presidents look for in cabinet members:

Experience in the department he/she will head Ex: Secretary of Interior-land and

conservation experience Housing and Urban Development- from big

city Secretary of agriculture- from a farm state

Knows how to manage large groups of people

Responsible with $$$

+Diversity in the Cabinet Most have been white males- diversity

increasing a lot with recent presidents!

1933- FDR appoints first woman Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins

1966- Lyndon B. Johnson appoints first African American Secretary of Housing and Urban

Development, Robert Weaver

1988- Ronald Reagan appoints first Hispanic Secretary of Education, Lauro F.

Cavazos

+Nomination and Confirmation

Presidents select their cabinet members before they are sworn-in officially

Nominees must be interviewed and approved by the Senate

+The Cabinet’s Role Serve of head of assigned

dept.

Advise the president

Many strong presidents have not used their cabinet for advice Jackson- met with a group of

friends in the White House kitchen-”kitchen cabinet” (video)

Lincoln- “I do not wish for your advice on the main matter. That I have determined for myself.”

Wilson FDR- relied on professors and

his wife- “brain trust”

+Inner Cabinet- Obama’s CrewSecretary of State

Hillary Clinton

Secretary of DefenseLeon Panetta

Secretary of the TreasuryTimothy Geithner

Attorney GeneralEric Holder