Where should Kinzinger go in the Harris administration?

[Wanderlust988]

Dude needs a job. He seems like a decent guy overall, even if he's conservative. I'm thinking somewhere in the foreign policy realm like NSC or something. Or perhaps an high profile ambassadorship.

[Exultant Democracy]

1. So we should cultivate a conservatives power

Giving him the mic at the DNC is already quite the get.
I’m not opposed to hiring him for a job he is qualified for, but Obama played this game and the result was a net loss. Giving plum ambassadorships to tomorrows opposition rather than building our own bench deeper isn’t a strategy I’ve seen work out for dems yet.

[Wanderlust988]

3. Example from Obama?

What do you mean about tomorrow's opposition? If anything, they would be radioactive in the GOP.

I think you can have a successful administration if you hear different points of views. Obama had very strong Dems and Republicans and he won 2 terms and was successful.

[angrychair]

67. Their point of view is irrelevant

They are a Republican. We already know his views.
In a way I despise the Republicans that act like the Republican Party was better before Trump like none of us have a memory or the Internet.
I remember what they did to Obama. I remember Bush dragging us into war with Iraq for no reason. Bush Sr. Reagan. Nixon.

There was never a good ole days with Republicans. They are scum. All of them.

[lapfog_1]

5. borrowing from the West Wing

ambassador to Micronesia or Bulgaria.

He can enjoy the scuba diving or the social parties.

[Irish_Dem]

32. Yes obscure harmless job overseas.

[speak easy]

82. South Africa.

[RockRaven]

2. the void

[elleng]

4. I don't see specialties, but Air National Guard???

Maybe VP Walz could suggest something.

[Voltaire2]

6. He should go vote for them.

And then go home.

[murielm99]

7. Go home and stay there.

He was my congressman. He is an opportunist. He was rude to constituents who were not repubbies. Most of the time, he would not allow us into his so-called town halls. When we could get in, we had to submit questions in advance. Eventually, he had events that were only for repubbie supporters and those were fundraisers.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. This

I have one of those - Tom Kean Jr

[JI7]

8. people like him and liz Cheney would be good for those oversight/advisory things

which usually want some people from each party.

[mucholderthandirt]

69. Not even that. Do not reward them for saying what serves THEIR interests. Never, ever, ever. NO.

[Blue Full Moon]

74. Wouldn't bet on that

Conservative point of view oversight isn't needed and do all they can to protect companies. I think he and Liz will probably be vying for control to reform the republican party. We don't need any internal roadblocks.

[JustAnotherGen]

9. Nowhere

Interior? No.
Transportation? No.
SOS? No


I can't think of a single cabinet position where his core values and vision align with mine.

[Hotler]

19. +1 ... nt

[aocommunalpunch]

42. Indeed. Fuck ALL repukes.

Enemy of my enemy AIN’T MY FUCKING FRIEND. Put his leash on and send him to wait in the kennel. We’ll call if we need him. He knows what the whistle sounds like.

[Ursus Rex]

11. Grateful private citizen.

He’ll most likely be able to pick up some consulting or speaking gigs to make ends meet.

[ProfessorGAC]

12. Nowhere

He's a Reagan style conservative and has no place in a democratic administration.
Before he moved, we lived about 9 miles from him. So, I've talked to him a few times.
You're right; he's a decent guy. But, he's not a liberal & he's not even a moderate.
His positions on economics, national defense, & foreign policy are anathema to a D president's policy agenda.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. Nowhere.

[BlueTsunami2018]

14. Nowhere. He's a Republican.

He’s not our friend. He’s diametrically opposed to everything we stand for.

Simply not being a traitor is the lowest bar a politician needs to get over.

[JHB]

15. Nowhere, but if you insist, Assistant Coffee-Fetcher will do

Go review his voting record in congress before you think too kindly of him. Like with Cheney, it was only on ONE thing where he balked from the party line. The rest he was good with.

That one thing does not make him worthy of having a role in the administration, not when set against the rest.

Let's put this topic aside for a dozen years or so, and see what he's been up to in that time.

[harumph]

16. Republicans only offer tax cuts to the rich and cuts to entitlements for the rest of us.

That's it. That's the sum total of what they have in the skillet. They're not even a party that provides
better market performance. Their "job creators" don't even provide jobs, but rather hoard their wealth
because our regressive tax system allows them to. They're flacks for the ultra wealthy.
They don't even provide more security for the US from external threats. Because of their laser beam like focus on
the accumulation of unseemly levels of wealth, they can't even "keep an eye out for the common defense."
Promotions within their party are not based on anything we would associate with "merit" but rather
who can suck up the best. In short, they're good for nothing.

[Redleg]

17. Sec. of the Air Force

If they are going to give him a posting in the Harris admin.

[Irish_Dem]

33. Don't pick on the US Air Force.

Give Kinzinger to the Army.

[Redleg]

80. No take backs

I figured that Kinzinger's military service in the Air Force would help.

[Irish_Dem]

81. I didn't know he was USAF.

I guess he does have a leg up on that job then.

[Celerity]

18. Nowhere. Fuck conservatives.

[obamanut2012]

25. Seriously

And, he isn't a "RINO," either.

[Nanjeanne]

20. Why this need to include Rs who are simply doing the right thing by protecting democracy?

He supports none of the Democratic policies Ds stand for. Say thank you and bye bye.

[obamanut2012]

24. Thank you

I was 100% fine with Cindy McCain -- she had her redemption arc and earned the UN role. I was not thrilled AT ALL about Hagel but swallowed that. But Kinzinger is way to the right. No.

[aocommunalpunch]

43. Remnants of Pelosi saying

We need a strong Republican Party? Hoped we were past this, but folks just can’t just go full on Democrat for some reason. Fuck conservatives.

[Emile]

21. Ambassador to Aladamnbama?

Please, we don't allow promoting Republicans on du.

[obamanut2012]

22. He can go start his own party with Geoff Duncan and John Giles

He is still right wing.

[Mysterian]

23. Cleaning the shitters

He voted to repeal the ACA.

[Mysterian]

46. No fucking way

Pukes consider soldiers "fungibles."

[relayerbob]

47. You clearly know nothing at all about Adam Kinzinger

But that's ok.

[ProfessorGAC]

51. I Do

I've spoken with him multiple times. He lived about 9 miles from our house.
True for you, too?
While we agree that he doesn't treat troops as fungible goods, he has no place in the levers of power in a democratic administration.

[relayerbob]

57. Not like you

But we agree that he doesn't treat our military inappropriately.

Beyond that, I support our candidates' position that we need to unify our country around patriotism and not specific policy differences. Sec of Defense keeps him well away from domestic policy and in an area where he has some level of expertise.

It's probably irrelevant in any case, as he likely won't get offered the position, nor accept it if he did, but as a member of a family with 80 years of lifetime military service, continuously since 1942, in all branches, I'm allowed to have an opinion.

[ProfessorGAC]

60. Nobody Said Otherwise

In fact, you seem to have tried to restrict the opinion of another poster, not providing the same privilege you insist we have here.
Curious.
As to his qualifications, I don't care for his views on foreign policy. Too hawkish. Too B&W.

[relayerbob]

62. I haven't attempted in any way to restrict anyone's opinion

Just stated my own.

The person who broadbrushed Kinzinger made statements without fact to back them up. Kinzinger is very pro service. And you’ve clearly expressed yours, part of which I agreed with, and part of it not. That’s how democracy works.

[Mysterian]

64. So Kinzinger is a Bush republican, is that right?

That's the administration that lied us into an unnecessary war in Iraq, when our enemy was located in Afghanistan. That's the administration that called human beings "fungibles." And Kinzinger continues to identify as a republican. And you claim he is "pro service." How laughable.

I hope I can have an opinion too. I'm a former Army infantry officer with two combat tours.

[relayerbob]

65. You can have whatever opinion you want

He served on active duty at the same time you did, so your problem with Bush doesn't actually have to do with him. He wasn't a politician at that time, he was a pilot in the USAF, and was also stationed in Iraq. Which sorta proves my point that you don't really know much about him. In any case, I'm not arguing that he is some great Democratic party politician, he isn't. But the OP said what position would he best for, and I stated my response with a simple answer. I think we should be trying to find common ground with those who are willing to come halfway, as pointed out by our Presidential candidate. You always have the opportunity to scroll right on by.

And continuing to press the BS that I am somehow suppressing your opinion - I've done no such thing. At all.

[mucholderthandirt]

70. Many of us are willing to find common ground, but giving positions to people like this?

Oh, hell no. His only change was to speak out about Trump. He's still conservative, still a nasty Republican. He deserves nothing from us. He should not have been at the convention in any way, shape or form, and whoever got him there needs a slap upside the head, figurative speaking. And if that was Kamala Harris, then so be it.

I know, I'm not going to agree with everything she does, but there's only so much you gain by "reaching across the aisle" and as long as the party is MAGA, all you get is your hand mangled.

The leopard didn't change his spots, he went cammo so he can gain something, fame, money, a cabinet position, whatever he thinks he's getting from us. Fuck that shit.

[Mysterian]

75. Kinzinger went to Texas to visit AWOL Bush

to kiss the ring and get the support of Bush republicans who don't like Trump. Kinzinger identifies as a republican after republicans lied us into the Iraq war, in which 200,000 Iraqi civilians were killed, 4,492 US troops were killed and 33,000 US troops were wounded. The intentional, unjustified war in Iraq, based on knowing fraud by the Bush administration, cost the US more than 1,000 billion dollars.

But you want to see Bush acolyte Kinzinger as Sec. Def. because he was in the Air Force. What a joke.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/texas-special-election-poses-test-for-antitrump-republicans-adam-kinzinger-texas-republican-mansfield-newsmax-b1840024.html

[Think. Again.]

27. Straight to the registration office to change his party affiliation...

....then we'll talk.

[yagotme]

28. To borrow from the Fab Four...

"He's a real, nowhere man..."

[RainCaster]

29. Nowhere - the DNC has so many quality choices

Really- he can go home and rest.

[bucolic_frolic]

30. He wasn't looking for a job

He was looking to his political future. I mean 5, 10 years out the GOP pipeline is thin.

But no he should not be on the inside of a Democratic administration. He should be rebuilding his party if he can find any of it.

[Hugin]

31. Kinzinger made it pretty clear last night that his priority is rebuilding the...

Republican Party to match the beliefs and values of what he feels it should represent.

That’s going to occupy his time and is a very worthwhile endeavor.

[Renew Deal]

34. That is too big of a job to do simultaneously with a cabinet position

I don't have a problem finding room for him, but if he's serious about cleaning house at the republican party, there's no time.

I'm also not convinced that it's possible to clean house unless Trump loses by over 10 points.

[Hugin]

35. I know.

It might be easier to set out into the wilderness and gather like minded individuals to form something new. Instead of this >

Another important thing to do is look around the World for instances where conservatism is good and popular. There are plenty of them…

Like, for instance, instead of completely unconditionally banning women from having abortions. A real conservative would ensure that they are safe and available, should the need arise.

[Funtatlaguy]

36. Something with Veterans Administration

[Mysterian]

45. No fucking way

Pukes want to privative VA health care.

[Freethinker65]

37. Possibly an ambassadorship?

[JuJuChen]

38. Pity him for being a Republican but no job.

Cassidy Hutchinson too

[SARose]

39. In Texas

We need folks like him. We need Republicans and Independents to turn out for Kamala and Colin Allred. Kamala has already cut Trump’s lead in Texas in half! Allred is within 2 percentage points of Cruz!

We need all of the Republicans who spoke during the convention and those who lend their support to the Democratic Party.

Folks, Texas just became a swing state. Will Florida?

We are not asking them to be Democrats - we are asking them to put country over party.

Can we dial the temperature back a little bit?

[TheKentuckian]

48. What does that have to do with appointing them to positions?

Particularly anything of gravity?

[SARose]

58. I'll tell you

I asked to lower the temperature on the thread in response to several posts I thought were negative.

I could be wrong but wasn’t putting country before party a theme of the convention?

Look at the posts above mine - how many answered the question posted?

This attitude does not help states like mine. Deep ruby red Texas here. We are working our buns off to turn out the vote and convince our neighbors to put country over party. We need folks like Kinzinger talking to Republican suburban Moms in the deep red towns in Texas.

What is more important 40 electoral college votes or banning all Republicans to serve in the Harris/Walz Administration?

Right now, welcoming Republicans and Independents is great to me.

I want to cut the head off the MAGA snake and put it in the trash.

[mucholderthandirt]

71. I'm not dialing anything back. If he will work to bring votes to us, fine.

But no job, no recommendations, nothing. He can spend his time finding those moderate, non-Trump Republicans and remaking the party to suit himself. We don't care. Whatever. Let him and others like him go on the news shows, get out on the streets, and try to spread some sense. My guess is he'll fail, because Trump owns the RNC, and his MAGA base isn't going anywhere.

Moderate Republicanism is dead, folks. Get over it. Move on. Vote blue.

[SARose]

79. Bless your heart

N/t

[hawkeye21]

40. Lincoln put some of his harshest critics in his Cabinet

Kinzinger has guts. He did a great job on the Jan. 6 Committee, and he did a great job at the DNC last night. He gets it, and I think at least considering him for an appointment makes some sense. I certainly appreciate what he did in standing up to MAGA and Trump, something the vast majority of gutless conservatives STILL have not done.

[returnee]

41. It's kind of unseemly...

…to offer a reward for just doing the right thing. A little quid pro quo-ish.

[Dlpger61]

44. Nowhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Republicans in the Administration. When do Republicans put Democrats in their Administration. Unemployment is low, there are plenty of jobs he can apply for.

[JHB]

49. Better idea: Let him lead the effort to restore sanity in the Republican party.

That's his mission, should he choose to accept it. Which he won't, because that's a hard job and he'd need to fight hard uphill to make any headway at all.

Let him muck out his own pigsty.

[DoBW]

50. country above party ... perfect example ... Kinzinger ain't cheap talk.

absolutely there's a role. Veterans affairs area maybe, or comunications. .... just spitballing

[dobleremolque]

52. One righteous and admirable act does not make a saint. Appreciate him from afar, imo. n/t

[Ocelot II]

53. Nowhere. I appreciate his rejection of Trumpism, but

he's still an old-school Republican. Those are not nearly as bad as Trump Republicans, but they hold views on economic policies and the role of government in particular that are not at all compatible with those of the Democratic party, and for that reason he shouldn't be part of the Harris administration. He might be more useful in helping to reconstruct a legitimate center-right party that doesn't pose an existential threat to our democracy.

[pecosbob]

54. Appointing a cabinet member from across the aisle is only done when the other party is interested in compromise.

Why extend an olive branch to those who would impeach you if they control the House?

[ecstatic]

55. ambassador or something that doesn't affect Democratic policy or justice. nt

[Skittles]

56. nope

you don't get Brownie points just for doing the right thing

[jcgoldie]

59. nowhere

.

[Crunchy Frog]

61. Maybe some position that's focused on Ukraine policy.

He's been very strong and active on that issue, and I think there needs to be a change in direction in our policy there. I think this is a place where he could be very helpful.

[kentuck]

63. Under-Secretary of Defense

He would be good with military affairs.

Some folks do not seem ready for no big tent.

[Thrill]

66. He's a young sane Republican

He’s a bigger threat than any of the Trump crazies. Let’s not promote his career at all.

[mucholderthandirt]

68. My opinion is nowhere. I don't care how much he talks about the Republican party, he's still one.

No "anybody but Trump" should get any cabinet position, or anything else Harris/Walz can nominate. They can't be trusted. So, no Liz Cheney, either. Let's not let all we've gained go out the window. Only liberal judges, only liberal Supreme Court nominees, only liberals in any government job.

This reach across the table crap will only bite us in the ass, and we should have learned better by now.

[Conjuay]

72. He lost any chance of redemption as soon as he said

He was a Reagan Republican. We are still cleaning up Reagan's messes.
No.thank.you.

[Bucky]

73. the VA. It's a career killer

[kentuck]

76. We need a smaller tent....

So every election is so close that sometimes we even get beaten by fascists. Let's just close ranks and hope for the best.

[Cherrycheeks]

77. No where

[nycbos]

78. As an Air Force reservist

Maybe as the Secretary of the Air Force?