It is often assumed that given the sheer scope of issues that the President has to manage that a Cabinet of well-chosen experts is integral to effective policymaking. As a result, presidential candidates often describe their philosophy for picking Cabinet members even if they are unwilling to mention specific names during the campaign. Obama stressed the importance of a "team of rivals" that would design optimal public policy through rational debate and deliberation. This article from Vanity Fair looks at Obama's Cabinet and argues that he failed to follow his stated philosophy of building a team of rivals. Nevertheless, the implications of this change in focus are limited as Cabinet members in modern politics play a role that is more symbolic than substantive.
Published in Vanity Fair, July 2012
Eric
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