1. +
The Cabinet

2. +
What is the Cabinet?
 Circle of advisors
 Appointed by the
president
 Made up of:
 15 secretaries (heads
of various
departments)
 Vice president
 Other top officials

3. +
Obama’s Cabinet

4. +
Selection of Cabinet Members-
things presidents look for in cabinet members:
 Experience in the department he/she will head
 Ex: Secretary of Interior-land and conservation
experience
 Housing and Urban Development- from big city
 Secretary of agriculture- from a farm state
 Knows how to manage large groups of people
 Responsible with $$$

5. +
Diversity in the Cabinet
 Most have been white males- diversity
increasing a lot with recent presidents!
 1933- FDR appoints first woman
 Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins
 1966- Lyndon B. Johnson appoints first
African American
 Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, Robert Weaver
 1988- Ronald Reagan appoints first Hispanic
 Secretary of Education, Lauro F. Cavazos

6. +
Nomination and Confirmation
 Presidentsselect their
cabinet members before
they are sworn-in officially
 Nominees must be
interviewed and approved
by the Senate

7. +
The Cabinet’s Role
 Serve of head of assigned dept.
 Advise the president
 Many strong presidents have not
used their cabinet for advice
 Jackson- met with a group of
friends in the White House
kitchen-”kitchen cabinet” (video)
 Lincoln- “I do not wish for your
advice on the main matter. That I
have determined for myself.”
 Wilson
 FDR- relied on professors and
his wife- “brain trust”

8. +
Inner Cabinet- Obama’s Crew
 Secretary of State
 Hillary Clinton
 Secretary
of Defense
 Leon Panetta
 Secretary of the
Treasury
 Timothy Geithner
 AttorneyGeneral
 Eric Holder