(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States would like to know which politicians would become secretaries in a potential federal administration, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 53 per cent of respondents think that, in order to help voters make a more informed vote, presidential candidates should announce at least some of their cabinet choices before an election.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States would like to know which politicians would become secretaries in a potential federal administration, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 53 per cent of respondents think that, in order to help voters make a more informed vote, presidential candidates should announce at least some of their cabinet choices before an election.
Illinois senator Barack Obama became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee on Aug. 28, while Arizona senator John McCain accepted the Republican Party’s nomination on Sept. 4.
In the U.S., cabinet members are appointed by the president and confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. The current federal cabinet consists of 15 positions. The latest addition to the cabinet is the Department of Homeland Security, established in January 2003.
Yesterday, Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin discussed whether members of the Democratic Party would serve in a prospective McCain administration, saying, "If these Democrats are best suited to serve, and if they will not let obsessive partisanship get in the way of just doing what’s right with a team effort, and support of the president to get this economy moving, and to win these wars, to meet these great challenges, I wouldn’t have as my litmus test a party affiliation."
In American elections, candidates require 270 votes in the Electoral College to win the White House. In November 2004, Republican George W. Bush earned a second term after securing 286 electoral votes from 31 states. Democratic nominee John Kerry received 252 electoral votes from 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Bush is ineligible for a third term in office. The presidential election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Polling Data
To help voters make a more informed vote, should presidential candidates announce at least some of their cabinet choices before an election?
|
Yes |
53% |
|
No |
29% |
|
Not sure |
18% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Oct. 20, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
