Occupation: Cabinetmaker

Obama's first order of business: make a few key appointments. He's named Rahm Emanuel, a hardball player, his chief of staff, check. He's picked a few veterans of the Clinton years to serve on the transition team, check. There's the inevitable, uncomfortable meeting with the Bushes at the House, he and Michelle can handle that, check.

Although, inexplicably, Barack hasn't asked for my input on these decisions, I have a few ideas to offer on the crucial upcoming matter of cabinet appointments. In no particular order:

Secretary of State: Colin Powell (That's a gimme.)

Secretary of Defense: John McCain (Give the old guy something to do where he can rattle his saber a little, be the maverick in the opposition camp, spend some time with the brass at the Pentagon, and keep him out of trouble with the Senate.)

UN Ambassador: Condoleezza Rice (She knows the territory, they all know her, and she has credibility on five continents, especially the ones that care about the UN.)

Homeland Security: Bill Ayres (He's familiar with the use of explosives.)

Treasury: Dennis Kucinich (It will take someone who is not one of the boys at Goldman Sachs to navigate this minefield; the economic center of gravity will shift an inch or two in the direction of Cleveland, which needs the business; rename the IRS the Income Redistribution Service; nationalize the banking industry.)

Housing and Urban Development: Jimmy Carter (One big Habitat for Humanity project.)

Health and Human Services: Hillary Clinton (A second go at what didn't fly in 1993 - a national health care system, aka single-payer coverage, aka Medicare for everyone, and keep her out of trouble with the Senate.)

Energy Secretary: Al Gore (Think wind.)

Transportation Secretary: Ralph Nader (Give the old guy something to do where he can shakes up Detroit a little, be the maverick in the opposition camp, nationalize the auto industry and retool it to build a network of urban light rail systems.)

Commerce Secretary: Tom Hayden (One big worker-controlled, community-oriented, consumer-friendly cooperative.)

Education Secretary: Gordon Gee (GO BUCKS!)

Interior Secretary: Gary Snyder (Honor wild places.)

Agriculture Secretary: Michael Pollan (Homegrown/locally grown, seasonal, poison-free food, anyone?)

Attorney General: Bernadine Dohrn (Prosecute Cheney for war crimes.)

Director of National Intelligence: It's a secret.