President-elect George W. Bush announced his cabinet choices recently -- some of which have drawn considerable criticism from Democratic and liberal leaders.
The first shot fired in what appears to be a contentious battle over cabinet appointments was aimed at Bush's nominee for labor secretary, Linda Chavez.
Chavez, a syndicated columnist and Reagan administrator, withdrew her nomination last Tuesday following allegations that she allowed an illegal alien, Marta Mercado of Guatemala, to live in her home for nearly two years.
Chavez was already facing criticism from labor organizations for her opposition to an increase in the minimum wage.
Bush's new nominee for that post is Elaine Chao, former director of the Peace Corps.
The tempest that surrounded the Chavez nomination may have been a drop in the bucket compared to the storm brewing over Bush's nominee for attorney general, John Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, a former Missouri attorney general, governor and senator has been criticized by organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Organization for Women.
NOW is opposed to Ashcroft's nomination because of his strong pro-life stance. Ashcroft, whose confirmation hearings began Tuesday, once used a sonogram of his own grandson to demonstrate his opposition to abortion to members of Congress.
"Normally, ideological differences don't necessarily preclude someone from being confirmed," said Dr. Thomas Mason, chair of the political science department.
The NAACP objects to the Ashcroft nomination because he accepted an honorary degree from Bob Jones University. The school lifted a ban on interracial dating just recently. Its students caused an uproar when Bush visited there during his campaign. The NAACP also opposes Ashcroft because as a senator he blocked the nomination of Missouri's first and only black supreme court justice, Ronnie White, to a federal judicial appointment.
White will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee when it begins hearings on the Ashcroft nomination today.
"Ideological differences could matter if (nominees) don't uphold the law -- or shade the law," said Doug Imig, associate professor of political science.
Mason said some of the opposition Ashcroft may face in the Senate could be a result of the tactics Ashcroft used to block the nomination of White. Mason said some senators may have felt that Ashcroft used dubious methods to block White's appointment.
Late last week, Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) endorsed Ashcroft and seemed confident that he would be confirmed.
During a press conference last Wednesday, Bush garnered support from the Christian Defense Coalition, Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council.
A spokesperson for the Family Research Council pointed out that as a senator from Missouri, Ashcroft approved 26 out of the 28 black judges that came before him seeking federal judicial appointments. The same spokesperson also noted that as governor of Missouri, Ashcroft signed into law the holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
Other Bush nominees have breezed through the confirmation process.
Rod Paige, Bush's nominee for education secretary, won praise from both sides of the aisle for his work as superintendent of the Houston school district. Paige will be confirmed pending a full vote by the Senate. Paige would be the first African-American to hold that post.
Donald Rumsfeld, Bush's nominee for secretary of defense, is expected to be confirmed, along with retired Gen. Colin Powell, Bush's choice for secretary of state.
Bush's other cabinet nominees are: Norman Mineta for transportation secretary, Paul O'Neill for secretary of the treasury, Spencer Abraham for energy secretary, Gail Norton for secretary of the interior, Donald Evans for commerce secretary, Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson for health and human services secretary, Ann Veneman for agriculture secretary, Mel Martinez for housing and urban development and Anthony Principi for secretary of veterans' affairs.
