As of this morning, Georgia, Alaska, and Minnesota senate races are still open, but all leaning toward a republican win (debatable statement, but lets run with it...) This will make the makeup of the senate 55 dems, 43 republicans and 2 independants that caucas with the Dems.

It occurs to me that should PE Obama wish, he could finnagle a dem supermajority in the senate by choosing a few republican senators from states whose constitutions allow the governor to appoint senatorial replacements that also have Democrats in the Governor's mansion.

PE Obama has said he wants to emulate Lincoln's cabinet; to build around himself a "team of rivals." If his cabinet is going to include republicans anyway, why not appoint them from states whose governors can replace them in the senate with democrats?

States with democratic governors and at least one republican senator include:


WY, Micheal Enzi, Craig Smith/John Barasso
CO, Wayne Allard
AZ, John McCain, John Allard
NM, Pete Domenici
KS, Sam Brownback, Pat Roberts
OK, James Inhofe, Tom Coburn
IA, Chuck Grassley
KY, Mitch McConnel, Jim Bunning
TN, Lamar Alexander, Bob Corker
VA, John Warner
OH, George Voinovich
PA, Arlen Specter
ME, Olympia Snow
NH, Judd Gregg,

.. shit... I just noticed I'm working from a pretuesday list. I think I got everyone who was ousted off the list... Anyway... we'd need to come up with a list of 4 acceptable choices so we don't have to depend on lieberman to put us over...

The most obvious pick on this list is John McCain for Vet Affairs. Throw the old guy a bone and get him out of the senate at the same time.

Olympia Snowe would be a great choice as well. She's a moderate republican, and is also known for her ability to influence close votes and fillibusters. (so sayeth wikipedia, anyway...). I'm not quite sure where we'd put her though...

Sam Brownback's positions on immigration and iraq help put him more in line with Obama. He might be a good fit for interior.

Lamar Alexander has already served as education secretary, though he probalby wouldn't be a good fit for Obama's Ed secratary. he might be placable in one of the lower influence positions, such as transportation.