US - Bush's Appointees Not As Diverse as Clinton's

I love it when the Democrats attack Bush. It usually backfires.

President Bush's crop of political appointees includes fewer women and minorities than did President Bill Clinton's at comparable points in their presidencies, according to a new report by House Democrats.

Before we go any further, there's no doubt that this is an important subject, but as we are in a war in Iraq and a war on terror, have budget bills and immigration bills, not to mention all manner of business, is this really something we need to look at now?

Here's what the Democrats don't tell you and hat tip the WaPo for telling you.

What the report does not mention, however, is that Bush has established a record of diversity in his Cabinet. Bush's Cabinet, which includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments, currently has two Hispanics, two African Americans and two Asian Americans. Three departments -- State, Education and Labor -- are headed by women, and a fourth, Interior, has an acting secretary who is a woman.

Before Bush took office, no minority had occupied any of the four highest-profile Cabinet positions -- attorney general and the secretaries of the Defense, State and Treasury departments. Now, Alberto R. Gonzales, a Hispanic, is attorney general. Condoleezza Rice is the first African American woman to be secretary of state; her predecessor, Colin L. Powell, was the first African American named to that post.

So instead of filling in the lower ranks with minorities, Bush is appointing them, for the first time in history, to highest positions in the Government. Instead of attacking Bush they should be applauding his ground breaking appointments.

Why do you suppose the Democrats don't want minorities in the highest cabinet positions?

Why is it so hard to fill lower ranking positions with minorities?

"Talented women and minority candidates simply have better job opportunities on Capitol Hill and in lobbying and law firms," said Light, who has studied the appointment process.

Why do you think the Democrats don't want minorities to have these good paying jobs?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------