Subject: Cabinet names; Edelman
From: "Christopher Edley" <[email-masked]>
To: "John Podesta" <[email-masked]>, "Froman, Michael B" <[email-masked]>, Federico Peña <[email-masked]>, "Cassandra Butts" <[email-masked]>, "Varney, Christine A." <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:55:34 -0700

From Peter Edelman and Marian Wright Edelman:

Attorney General: Former NYS Supreme Court Chief Justice *Judith Kaye

*HHS:  *Sebelius. * Peter had qualms about *Howard Dean, *having recalled
that while he was governor folks at HHS thought he was difficult to deal
with (well, sure -- he was trying to rip off the feds for money to implement
universal health care for kids); but Marian thinks he'd be terrific and
Peter muted his concern.

Labor/White House:  Peter Edelman would really like to be in the mix for DOL
Secretary (I think he'd be interested in something less, though.  Perhaps
Assistant Secretary for Employment & Training?), and has lots of ideas and
passion around the workforce agenda.  I think Peter would be a terrific
candidate to lead the WH effort on poverty reduction, perhaps as a Deputy
Asst to the President, double hatted in NEC and DPC?  This seems a better
fit to me than DOL.  Recall Obama's pledge to cut poverty 50%, and of course
Peter's role in the CAP project on poverty.

White House: DPC staff position on Early Childhood Learning, coordinating
interagency council on same (per campaign pledge):  David Kirp, UC Berkeley
public policy prof who is working on the transition policy group and is a
big deal author/expert on the subject.  Substantively brilliant, but also
terrific at messaging and political thinking. No DC experience, but knows
tons about what's going on around the country.

-- 
(personal email)
Christopher Edley, Jr.
Professor and Dean
UC Berkeley Law School