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Don't Be Surprised to See Clinton Administration Influence In an Obama Interior Department

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Who gets to slap this logo on the side of their car during an Obama administration?

Don't be surprised if there's a decided Clintonesque influence in the Interior Department of President-elect Barack Obama. Several Clinton administration officials have been asked to work on the transition team for the incoming president.

For instance, David Hayes, who worked as a deputy Interior secretary during the Clinton years, has been asked to head the transition efforts for Interior. Expected to assist him are John Leshey, who worked as Interior's solicitor during the Clinton administration, and Don Barry, who was assistant secretary of fish, wildlife and parks at the Interior Department.

Now, who will surface as Interior secretary is nothing but pure speculation as this is being written, as quite a few names have been tossed about.

For instance, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, a Democrat from Washington state who long has been an ally of the National Park Service, has been mentioned. So, too, has Sally Jewell, the CEO of Recreation Equipment, Inc. (aka REI); former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (who also has been mentioned as a possible EPA secretary); U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, another Democrat from the Evergreen State; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who early on ran for the Democratic presidential nomination; Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who just was re-elected; Clinton's Fish and Wildlife Service director, Jamie Rappaport Clark; U.S. Rep. George Miller of California; U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado, and; even John Leshey, himself.

As you can see, this guessing game can be endless. Any thoughts on who might be best?

Comments

I saw on the Missoula NBC affiliate tonight that Schweitzer took himself out of the running for any Cabinet position.

As for Salazar, a report in the Casper Star-Tribune today has him pushing Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal for Interior. Let's hope not! Freudenthal has been an enemy of the gray wolf (pushing Wyoming's draconian wolf management plan that ultimately had a court re-list wolves on the endangered species list) and has not been a friend to environmental interests.

I haven't a clue as to who Obama will pick; Interior Secretaries often come from the West so that's the best hunch I have.

Jim Macdonald
The Magic of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Newspaper
Jim's Eclectic World


Interesting news here out of Politico.com this afternoon - http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15860.html.

Rep. Raul Grijalva has definitely been a parks advocate.

Jim Macdonald
The Magic of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Newspaper
Jim's Eclectic World


Kurt, how about throwing in your hat for the position? You know more than these clowns who are running Bush's environmental fiasco team, or are so called Department of Interior. At least we can trust you to run the National Parks on a quality basis that's filled with transparency. Give it a shot!


Uhhhhhh, no thanks. I couldn't live in D.C.


You asked for it.......you got it........the triumphant return of the Hill and Billary Show!

All the Libs and Cons have enough fodder to last the next 4 years now. There goes the neighborhood.


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