Bush Builds His Administration

W A S H I N G T O N, Dec. 15 -- — As his troops move into the presidential transition offices in downtown Washington, President-elect George W. Bush is turning to his most important appointments: his Cabinet.

The Texas governor will likely start formally announcing appointments on Saturday from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, said his spokeswoman, Karen Hughes.

Bush’s best-known Cabinet member will almost certainly be retired Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bush has made it clear he would like Powell to be secretary of state.

The president-elect also plans to meet with Democratic Louisiana Sen. John Breaux this morning, who’s said to be on the short list for energy secretary.

Bipartisan Cabinet?

Bush has indicated he will make a commitment to bipartisanship by appointing at least one Democrat to his Cabinet. Americans approve; according to a new ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll, 86 percent of Americans think Bush should appoint at least some Democrats to his cabinet.

But the seemingly generous offer to sitting Democratic Sen. Breaux could be a sucker punch for the Democratic party. The governor of Louisiana, who would appoint Breaux’s replacement, is a Republican. So Breaux’s move into the Cabinet would change the balance of the Senate from 50-50 to 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats — something the Democrats would be loathe to see.

At his news conference Thursday afternoon, Cheney said GOP efforts to reach out to congressional Democrats would have been “awkward while there was still contest under way,” but added, “those constraints are now off, and we’re able to be much more aggressive in that regard.”

Building a Cabinet

Bush is lining up more than just Powell and Breaux for his Cabinet. Bush’s campaign chairman and close adviser Don Evans is assumed to have an offer to be Cabinet secretary should he want it.

Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, a vocal supporter of Bush during the post-Election Day dispute, may be in line to become secretary of the interior, while Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, a Bush ally, may be the front-runner for the position of attorney general. Former Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft, widely respected by conservatives, has also been suggested for attorney general.