US 2020 Elections: Joe Biden Nominates First Members of His Cabinet

As expected and projected by AroniSmart team, women and minorities are being highly represented and will play a major role in Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' administration (see AfroAmerica Network: US 2020 Elections: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Prepare for Transition)

In his official announcement by e-mail, President-Elect Joe Biden nominated the following candidates, by the selected key departments. The candiidates that were included in AroniSmart team projections are highlighted.

Secretary of State:
- As predicted by AroniSmart team: Former Obama Deputy National Security Adviser and Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken;
- Joe Biden's statement on Tony Blinken: "Tony is one of my most trusted advisors, and no one is better prepared for the job. He served as my staff director on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when I was a Senator. He went on to serve as my National Security Advisor when I was Vice President and as Deputy Secretary of State under President Obama, continuing a life-long dedication to public service. Tony is universally respected by those who know him, and with good reason. He’s a principled, compassionate leader, and as America’s top diplomat, he’ll help strengthen our State Department and represent how America is strongest when we lead with our values."

Secretary of Homeland Security:
- As predicted by AroniSmart team: Alejandro Mayorkas, Head of Citizenship and Immigration Services at the department under Mr. Obama;
- Joe Biden's statement on Alejandro Mayorkas: "The son of refugees, Ali will be the first Latino and immigrant to lead the Department of Homeland Security. As Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security under President Obama, he led the implementation of DACA, enhanced our cybersecurity, and responded to natural disasters and public health threats like Ebola and Zika. He will play a critical role in fixing our broken immigration system and understands that living up to our values and protecting our nation’s security aren’t mutually exclusive—and under his leadership, they’ll go hand-in-hand."

Director of National Intelligence:
- Avril Haines as Director of National Intelligence. AroniSmart team had predicted that Avril Haines would be considered for Central Intelligence Agency
- Joe Biden's statement on Avril Haines: "A consummate national security professional, Avril was the first female Deputy Director of the CIA, and now, she will be the first woman to hold the office of Director of National Intelligence. I’ve worked with her for over a decade. She’s brilliant and humble and will always tell it straight while engaging in this work in a way that reflects our shared values. Under her leadership, our intelligence community will be supported, trusted, and empowered to protect our national security, without being undermined or politicized. We will be safer because of her."

Other appointees, on positions that were not included in AroniSmart projections are:

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
Joe Biden's statement on Linda Thomas-Greenfield: "As a 35-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield is a distinguished, respected diplomat who has served on four continents. Raised in segregated Louisiana, she follows in a tradition of barrier-breaking African-American diplomats who have dedicated their lives to public service, and brings critical perspective to a role that is more important—and more necessary—than ever before. As UN Ambassador, Linda will renew our relationships with our friends and allies, help revitalize our diplomatic corps and restore America’s reputation on the world stage."

Jake Sullivan as National Security Advisor
Joe Biden's statement on Jake sullivan: "Jake was my National Security Advisor during my Vice Presidency, and a top advisor on domestic and foreign policy throughout my campaign, including on our strategy for controlling the pandemic. No one has a deeper understanding of the overlapping challenges we face, and how to protect our national security and advance a foreign policy that delivers for the middle class. He will be one of the youngest National Security Advisors in history, and his once-in-a-generation intellect and poise under pressure makes him the ideal choice for one of the toughest jobs in the world."

Secretary John Kerry as Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Joe Biden's statement on Secretary John Kerry: "Secretary Kerry needs no introduction. From signing the Paris Agreement on behalf of the United States as Secretary of State, to forming a bipartisan climate action coalition alongside the next generation of climate activists, his efforts to rally the world to combat climate change have been expansive and relentless. Now, I’ve asked him to return to government to get America back on track to address one of the most urgent national security threats we face—the climate crisis. This role is the first of its kind: the first cabinet-level climate position, and the first time climate change has had a seat at the table on the National Security Council. There could be no one better suited to meet this moment."

In the e-mail including the announcements, US President-Elect Joe Biden wrote:

"Folks,

It’s been a couple of weeks since I last reached out. In the time since, we have been hard at work, building a government that reflects the values we campaigned on: healing our nation’s great divides at home and restoring our leadership role abroad. You were an integral part of our team, so I wanted to share some exciting news: I’ve selected my first Cabinet nominees.

The men and women I am announcing today will be core members of my national security, foreign policy, and law enforcement team. They are experienced and crisis-tested. They will keep us safe and secure. And, they are leaders who look like America and reflect my core belief that America is back and that we lead not just by the example of our power, but by the power of our example."

Below are the latest projections by AroniSmart Team, on the key remaining positions

Housing and Urban Development:
- Stacey Yvonne Abrams, former Georgia House Representative;
- Karen Bass, Democratic Congresswoman from California and Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus;
- Alvin Brown, former Adviser to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
- Maurice Jones, former Deputy at the Housing and Urban Development;
- Keisha Lance Bottoms, mayor of Atlanta, Georgia;
- Diance Yentel, Chair of National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Attorney General:
- Democratic Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama;
- Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota;
- Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez;
- Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey,
- Former deputy attorney general in the Obama administration, Sally Yates;
- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
Treasury:
- Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts;
- Raphael Bostic, President of Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank;
- Lael Brainard, member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors and former under secretary at the Treasury Department;
- Sarah Bloom Raskin, former deputy Treasury secretary and a former member of the Fed’s Board of Governors;
- Janet L .Yellen, former chair of the Federal Reserve.
Defense:
- Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois;
- Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island;
- Former undersecretary of Defense in the Obama administration, Michele Flournoy.
Agriculture:
- Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota senator who served on the Agriculture Committee;
- Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Veterans Affairs Department:
- Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana;
- Robert A. McDonald, former veterans affairs secretary during the Obama administration.
Education Department:
- Lily Eskelsen García, former president of the National Education Association;
- Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers
Energy Department:
- Washington Governor Jay Inslee;
- Former Deputy Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall;
- Chief Executive of the Nuclear Threat Initiative Ernest Moniz.
Labor Department:
- Democratic Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders;
- Seth Harris, former deputy labor secretary;
- Michigan Democratic congressman Andy Levein;
- Julie Su, secretary of California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
Health and Human Services Department:
- Mandy Cohen, former chief Operating Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Obama administration
- David Kessler , former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration;
- Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General and one of Mr. Biden’s top advisers on the coronavirus.
Interior Secretary:
- Michelle Lujan Grisham, the governor of New Mexico and a former member of Congress.
Central Intelligence Agency:
- Tom Donilon, National Security Adviser under President Barack Obama;
- Mike Morell, former Foreign Service Officer;
- Jeh Johnson, former secretary of Homeland Security
- Susan Gordon, former Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration;
- Lisa Monaco, top adviser on Homeland Security to President Obama;