In Cabinet musical chairs, Obama sheds light on his plans for remainder of term

On the surface, the game of musical chairs being played this week in President Obamas Cabinet seems intended to elevate the star of San Antonio Mayor Julin Castro, who is being nominated to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development and is seen as a potential vice-presidential candidate in 2016 or beyond.

But it also involves a set of decisions that sheds light on Obamas thinking about his team heading into the final two years of his administration.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, rather than leaving the administration after six years, now seems destined to stay for the duration as he moves into the job of Office of Management and Budget director. Exiting that role is Sylvia Mathews Burwell, whose nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is moving swiftly though the Senate.

The moves seem to be largely about bringing Donovan into Obamas inner circle. OMB isnt a distant Cabinet agency. It plays a role in nearly every aspect of the administrations actions. Its director is among the presidents closest advisers.

And while recent OMB directors may not have been high-profile figures, the office has been run by prominent figures such as Leon Panetta, David Stockman, and Caspar Weinberger in years past.

Some people close to the White House were surprised by the personnel changes. Donovan has had little exposure to the world of budget wonks. With the housing market still weak and big legislative battles on housing looming, it might have made sense to keep Donovan, a lifelong housing advocate, at HUD.

Alternative arrangements were certainly available. Rather than sending Burwell to HHS, Obama could have chosen businessman Jeff Zients, his new director of the National Economic Council, who last fall rescued Healthcare.gov.

Or if the choice was made that Burwell had the easiest path to confirmation, Zients could also have gone to OMB, where he was acting director in 2012.

Deputy OMB Director Brian Deese, a wunderkind adviser who helped design the auto industry rescue and played a key role in many administration economic decisions, could easily have been elevated to lead OMB or the National Economic Council.

Any of these moves would have probably been more seamless and more obvious than what Obama is doing. But that he is going to such lengths to move Donovan into the White Houses inner orbit says a lot about the team he wants in his final two years, and what he expects its members will do.

Read more:
In Cabinet musical chairs, Obama sheds light on his plans for remainder of term