The Rachel Maddow Show   |  December 20, 2012

Obama slow to appoint second term cabinet

Rachel Maddow compares the relatively long time President Obama is waiting to appoint his second term cabinet to how long it took for previous presidents and wonders what the president is up to as Republicans see it as a sign of weakness and seek to block even rumored nominees.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>> president ronald reagan was re-elected in 1980 . you don't wait for the second term to get started you get on it both to give yourself time to get those nominees elected but frankly because the country gave you a national endorsement by re-electing you. you would like to name that nominee quickly after the election. your plit kal capital after the election. ronald reagan was elected in 1984 by a lot. within 23 days he had named his nominees. then clinton named his within 30 days . in 2004 it was president george w. bush . and within aeight days of being re-elected. president obama , the 44th president. so far 44 days, and counting. it has been 44 days since the election and he has not named a single nominee for his single term cabinet. why is that? nobody knows but republican seem to be psyched about it. or maybe the term you are looking for is emboldened. republican criticism forced her to take her name out of the job. former republican senator chuck haegle is the latest rumor as potential nominee for defense. republicans are trying to shut that down as well before that happens. it was up to the white house who hasn't nominated him yet to start to defend him today. even before they have named him. this president has waited longer republicans clearly think that they are the ones who are in control of who president obama gets to put in his second term cabin cabinet. for some perspective here, it is not like previous presidents were easy picks. it is not like they picked shoe ins who the president wouldn't have to fight for. his first two cabinet nominees were alberto gonzalez and cab doe lisa rice. we are at 44 days now for president obama and if the behavior of chuck haegle is a current sign, the republicans are taking this delay as a sign of weakness in the white house . but i would love to know how they do see