Gary Bauer and Christopher Shays on the Bush Cabinet

(CNN) – President-elect George W. Bush is expected to announce the first member of his Cabinet on Saturday, December 16, when retired General Colin Powell will likely be named as secretary of state.

Rep. Christopher Shays

Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT) has represented Connecticut's 4^th Congressional District since 1975. He is chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Relations and Government Affairs.

Gary Bauer is president of the Family Research Council, was director of the Office of Policy Development during the Reagan Administration and is a former presidential candidate.

Chat Moderator: Mr. Bauer and Congressman Shays, welcome to the Crossfire chatroom.

Gary Bauer

Gary Bauer: Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be with you.

Representative Christopher Shays: It's wonderful to have an opportunity to communicate with your listening audience. Thank you for having me.

Chat Moderator: Should President-elect George W. Bush appoint Democrats to his Cabinet?

Gary Bauer: I don't have a problem with conservative Democrats being appointed to the Cabinet, but I hope that any appointments will share the governing philosophy of the Republican Party.

Representative Christopher Shays: Absolutely. But like Gary, I believe they need to be competent and believe in the general approach of our Republican president.

Question from Kathleen: Why would any sitting Democrats in the Senate be willing to leave the Senate in order to take a position in the Cabinet?

Representative Christopher Shays: I think the only ones willing to do so would be those who have a Democrat governor who could appoint a Democrat replacement. Otherwise, I think they wouldn't agree to the appointment.

Chat Moderator: Mr. Bauer, in your op-ed piece in the New York Times, you said President-elect Bush should nominate a pro-life attorney general. Who do you have in mind? Would such a pick make it through the Senate?

Gary Bauer: I think virtually any Cabinet selection will make it through the Senate, unless an ethical or legal problem arises. Some possibilities for attorney general would be former Senator John Ashcroft, Governor Keating of Oklahoma or people with similar philosophical frameworks.

Representative Christopher Shays: I think that it is not as important whether they are pro-choice or pro-life, but whether they want to enforce the laws of the United States and bring back an ethical Justice Department. I care most about having the Justice Department being honest, honorable and ethical.

Question from Nexus: Should former Senator Slade Gorton be in the Cabinet or a candidate for the Cabinet?

Representative Christopher Shays: I think Slade Gorton is a very competent senator, and I think he would have a lot to offer the Bush administration.

Question from Scott: Mr. Shays or Mr. Bauer, do you believe either of you are up for a position within the Bush administration?

Representative Christopher Shays: I think the answer is no, and that's why we have no conflict of interest in this conversation.

Gary Bauer: I agree with the congressman. I did serve Ronald Reagan for eight years. It was a wonderful experience, but I believe I can help the new president the most by staying out of government and working on these issues as a private citizen.

Chat Moderator: Congressman Shays, how far left would President-elect Bush have to go in order to please the Democrats?

Representative Christopher Shays: I don't think he has to go to the left. He needs to turn to moderate and conservative Democrats to help him lead this country.

Gary Bauer: He will never satisfy the Barney Franks or Ted Kennedys of Washington, D.C., and so he shouldn't worry about them, but continue instead to fulfill the campaign promises that helped him to be elected president.

Representative Christopher Shays: I agree with Gary. He is rarely going to satisfy Senator Kennedy or Representative Franks and shouldn't lose too much sleep if he doesn't.

Question from MikeRosen: Mr. Bauer, wouldn't appointing only conservatives contradict with what Bush ran for, which was for bipartisanship and reaching out to both parties?

Gary Bauer: I don't think he ran for bipartisanship; I think he said that he was willing to work with Democrats to accomplish some mutual goals. It is almost always Republicans who are urged to appoint members of the other party.

Question from GOPESQ: Mr. Shays, as a fellow northerner Republican, men such as Mr. Falwell, Mr. Robertson, et al. seem increasingly bent on isolating more moderate Republicans with their rhetoric of late. What can you tell me to bolster my hopes that I still belong in this, my beloved party? Happy holidays, gentlemen.

MESSAGE BOARD Presidential race 2000 Election 2000 Election law     TRANSCRIPTS Chat Transcripts main page Salon.com's Jake Tapper on whether bipartisanship will work Kate Snow on reaction from Capitol Hill

Representative Christopher Shays: I share his concern. But ultimately, we can't allow them to succeed. I don't mind conservatives being a part of this administration. I'm happy to have pro-life and pro-choice people be part of this administration as long as they believe in the general philosophy of smaller government, stronger defense and addressing the very real problems that face us socially and economically.

Gary Bauer: I would urge the questioner to not let anybody invite him out of the Republican Party, but I would expand the definition of Republican beyond the definition that Congressman Shays just gave. It is true that we're the party of lower taxes, stronger defense, smaller government, but we are also the party of traditional values and respect for the sanctity of life, even though some Republicans will disagree with one or more of the items I just mentioned.

Question from Tulanegreen: What do you think the international repercussion will be if Bush decides to push this missile defense system?

Gary Bauer: President Bush will have to handle the issue delicately with our European allies, but I believe there is a moral imperative to defend the people of the United States. And in a world where weapons of mass destruction are proliferating, we desperately need a missile defense system.

Representative Christopher Shays: We need a missile defense system, but we need one that works, and we shouldn't deploy one until it works.

Question from DJD: Isn't it under Bill Clinton that our government is smaller than it has been in over a generation.

Representative Christopher Shays: I think it's smaller in part because he reduced the number of men and women in our armed forces and has used that in calculations. But government is not that much smaller in general. In fact, he opposed efforts in Congress to consolidate and eliminate various branches and departments.

Gary Bauer: The congressman is absolutely right. For many liberals like Clinton, cutting back government almost always means only cutting back the Pentagon.

Question from Nicholas: Interesting. I believe that most of the Republican presidents of late have been for the death penalty. Why don't you say what it is – antiabortion?

Gary Bauer: I don't -- with all due respect to Nicholas -- I don't accept his logic. I believe there are appropriate times when a country has to go to war. I see no contradiction between that and saying I'm pro-life. The folks that I believe have an inconsistency are the people who are adamantly opposed to capital punishment, but have no trouble with 1.3 million unborn children losing their lives every year.

Question from Katherine: With the new administration, what do you think the prospects are for the United States' reliance on foreign oil, as well as on fossil fuels, for energy? Why are Republicans generally opposed to a shift towards alternative forms of energy?

Representative Christopher Shays: I think it's absolutely imperative that we promote alternative forms of energy -- and the sooner, the better. But we shouldn't have any illusions that in the short run it will replace fossil fuel.

Gary Bauer: I agree with the congressman; I would particularly like to see more done to promote ethanol. But for the foreseeable future, we are going to be relying on coal, oil and natural gas, and that will involve some environmental trade-offs.

Question from Nexus: Should Bush appoint the Democratic governor of Alaska to be in his Cabinet, considering that the governor is for drilling in Alaska?

Representative Christopher Shays: I certainly would be reluctant to see drilling in Alaska, but if the president supports and promotes it, he should have the ability to make that kind of appointment.

Gary Bauer: I don't know enough about the governor of Alaska to have an opinion.

Question from John561: Wouldn't it be contradictory to appoint a Republican to a secretary of energy position, since Republicans are, in general, less concerned with energy and the environment?

Representative Christopher Shays: First off, Republicans are very strongly concerned with energy, and many with the environment, but we don't necessarily believe we need an energy department.

Gary Bauer: My great political hero is Teddy Roosevelt. Many Republicans are conservationists, and it's frustrating when stereotypes persist like the stereotypes inherent in the questioner's comment.

Chat Moderator: Do you have any final thoughts for us?

Gary Bauer: I would just say that we've just been taught again the importance of involvement as citizens in the country's political process. And I would congratulate all those who took part tonight in this conversation, whether or not you agree with everything Congressman Shays and I have said.

Representative Christopher Shays: I'd like to echo Gary's words and add that it's important that we allow George Bush to lead with his very inclusive style. And I ultimately believe that he'll turn out to have a very productive administration that moves our country in a more conservative direction.

Chat Moderator: Mr. Bauer and Congressman Shays, thank you for joining us tonight.

Gary Bauer: Thank you.

Representative Christopher Shays: Thank you.

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