Cynical Nation

I've now had no fewer than three gloating Democrats approach me with variations of, "Sooooooooooo! Captain Codpiece is facing desertion among the ranks, huh? Commander Murder Monkey's cabinet members are scurrying into their lifeboats like rats on board the Titanic!"

Well I guess if you're absolutely desperate for something to gloat over, no matter how inconsequential, then the departure of two of Bush's cabinet members is as good as any. Still, cabinet changes are perfectly routine between presidential terms. The only thing unusual about the Bush cabinet in this regard is how stable it's been.

Just as a reminder, I'd like to point out that during President Clinton's two terms, we had

• Two Secretaries of State
  
• Three Secretaries of Defense
  
• Three Secretaries of Treasury
  
• Four Secretaries of Commerce
  
• Three Secretaries of Energy
  
• Three Secretaries of Veteran's Affairs
  
• Two Agriculture Secretaries
  
• Two HUD Secretaries
  
• Two Labor Secretaries, and
  
• Two Transportation Secretaries
  

Yes, Janet Reno lasted the entire 8 years, but that was only because he had already nominated every other woman lawyer in the country before she came along. That pretty much leaves Bruce Babbit, Donna Shalala and Dick Riley as the only ones who didn't "abandon ship," to borrow the metaphor.