By SHANE HARRIS
Several news organizations are reporting this morning that Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is President-Elect Obama's pick to head the Homeland Security Department. If the reports are accurate, the choice would not come as a huge surprise -- Napolitano's name was floated early, and when the incoming administration signaled its interest in Eric Holder for attorney general (the other post Napolitano had been mentioned for), she naturally came into focus for DHS.
But if it's not surprising that Obama might turn to a trusted governor for this position, it is significant. DHS is the federal government's point of contact with state and local governments on disaster preparedness and counterterrorism issues. (The FBI also plays a significant role on the latter.) The first DHS secretary was a governor -- Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania -- but the current secretary, Michael Chertoff, was an attorney and judge. Some have argued that governors have a more intimate understanding of state and local governments' concerns, and therefore are a more natural choice to head the vast, often unwieldy department.
DHS is such a young department that one can't say with certainty what kind of experience best suits a secretary. But if nothing else, putting a governor in charge may appeal to state and local officials, who will feel that one of their own is in charge.
Share via
Comments