Who Would Be in Your Dream Cabinet? | Pivot

Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway answer a listener question about the most important cabinet positions and their ideal nominees if they were president. From CNN anchors to senators to businessmen, are these picks better than President-elect Trump's nominees? Subscribe to Pivot on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pivot/id1073226719 Subscribe to Pivot on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MU3RFGELZxPT9XHVwTNPR Follow us on Instagram and Threads at: https://www.instagram.com/pivotpodcastofficial Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@PIVOTPODCAST Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/pivot #pivot #podcast #donaldtrump #cabinet #cabinetpicks #markcuban #cnn #danabash #andersoncooper #amyklobuchar

Kara SwisherhostScott Gallowayhost

Dec 6, 20245mWatch on YouTube ↗

EVERY SPOKEN WORD

15 min read · 2,634 words

0:00 – 0:31
Listener asks: most important cabinet roles + dream nominees
1. KSKara Swisher
  Okay, Scott, let's pivot to a listener question. The question comes from David. Let's listen.
2. NANarrator
  I've listened to the last few podcasts in which both of you discuss the various nominees Trump has put forward for Cabinet and other important administration positions. My question for each of you has two parts. Which positions do each of you consider the most important positions and why? And second, if you were president, who would you nominate for the most important positions in your administration and why?
0:31 – 5:39
Kara’s top three: Defense, Attorney General, and Treasury
1. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, that's interesting. That's a great question. Um, I'll start. Um, I think the depart- secretary of defense is critically important, the attorney general is critically important, and obviously the, uh, treasury secretary. So, uh, I, uh, if I was President Trump or if I'm me? If I'm me, I would have picked different. I probably would have picked Jamie Dimon for the treasury job. For the head of the defense department, that's, that would be interesting. I don't, I'd have to think. Maybe, oh God, I wouldn't say Pete Buttigieg,
2. but someone who's, someone who's served and who, um, who understands how to run big systems. There's lots of people like that. Uh, certainly not Pete Hegseth, uh, by any means. I could run it better than him. Um, and then the third, attorney general. Someone, uh, you know, not quite as partisan and who didn't deny the election, like Pam Bondi. I do think she's actually, has qualifications. There's no question she ran a big, important state's HSAG. She knows her way around a courtroom, (coughs) et cetera, as they say. Um, but, uh, I think
3. those are the most important. But I, I, one of the ones, as we were just talking about this United Healthcare thing, is the, the Health and Human Services director. I would make that Mark Cuban, uh, you know, or someone like that, to, to c- You need to facilitate change in how healthcare goes in this country very drastically, and how we eat, and the chemicals that are in our system. I completely agree with that. But this friggin' nut job, RFK Jr., who now looks good next to these other people, is, is a disaster, especially around vaccines and everything else. So, someone who respects science, um, I would say Mark Cuban for that job. Your turn, Scott.
4. SGScott Galloway
  I would go, I like the whole cable news as a Cabinet strategy. I'd have Dana Bash. I'd have Da- But except I'd go another cable network. I think the people at CNN are so impressive. I think it should be President Dana Bash.
5. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
6. SGScott Galloway
  Her vice president is Anderson Cooper.
7. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
8. SGScott Galloway
  And we laugh, but these people would be a hell of a lot more competent than some of the people he's proposing now.
9. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
10. SGScott Galloway
  Peter Hegseth and Peter Navarro? Give me a fucking break, or-
11. KSKara Swisher
  I know, Peters.
12. SGScott Galloway
  ... or, or Kash Patel.
13. KSKara Swisher
  Dicks.
14. SGScott Galloway
  These, this would-
15. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
16. SGScott Galloway
  Michael Smerconish I'd like to be Secretary of Commerce.
17. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
18. SGScott Galloway
  I'd like to see, um, I would, I, there's so many outstanding. I'd love to see Michael Bennet as Secretary of Education.
19. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
20. SGScott Galloway
  Uh, I think Vivek Murthy as head of Health and Human Services.
21. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm.
22. SGScott Galloway
  I think he is, he is the most consequential-
23. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
24. SGScott Galloway
  ... surgeon general in history, bringing up loneliness-
25. KSKara Swisher
  Agree.
26. SGScott Galloway
  ... and the stress on parents.
27. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Yeah.
28. SGScott Galloway
  Um, there's a ton of fantastic... Oh, oh, I, I, I would put together the hottest and most competent Cabinet in history. And I'd give o- AOC a job just 'cause she's ridiculously fucking hot.
29. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm. Good.
30. SGScott Galloway
  But-
1:01 – 5:39
Kara on Defense: operational competence over political theatrics
1. KSKara Swisher
  but someone who's, someone who's served and who, um, who understands how to run big systems. There's lots of people like that. Uh, certainly not Pete Hegseth, uh, by any means. I could run it better than him. Um, and then the third, attorney general. Someone, uh, you know, not quite as partisan and who didn't deny the election, like Pam Bondi. I do think she's actually, has qualifications. There's no question she ran a big, important state's HSAG. She knows her way around a courtroom, (coughs) et cetera, as they say. Um, but, uh, I think
2. those are the most important. But I, I, one of the ones, as we were just talking about this United Healthcare thing, is the, the Health and Human Services director. I would make that Mark Cuban, uh, you know, or someone like that, to, to c- You need to facilitate change in how healthcare goes in this country very drastically, and how we eat, and the chemicals that are in our system. I completely agree with that. But this friggin' nut job, RFK Jr., who now looks good next to these other people, is, is a disaster, especially around vaccines and everything else. So, someone who respects science, um, I would say Mark Cuban for that job. Your turn, Scott.
3. SGScott Galloway
  I would go, I like the whole cable news as a Cabinet strategy. I'd have Dana Bash. I'd have Da- But except I'd go another cable network. I think the people at CNN are so impressive. I think it should be President Dana Bash.
4. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
5. SGScott Galloway
  Her vice president is Anderson Cooper.
6. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
7. SGScott Galloway
  And we laugh, but these people would be a hell of a lot more competent than some of the people he's proposing now.
8. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
9. SGScott Galloway
  Peter Hegseth and Peter Navarro? Give me a fucking break, or-
10. KSKara Swisher
  I know, Peters.
11. SGScott Galloway
  ... or, or Kash Patel.
12. KSKara Swisher
  Dicks.
13. SGScott Galloway
  These, this would-
14. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
15. SGScott Galloway
  Michael Smerconish I'd like to be Secretary of Commerce.
16. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
17. SGScott Galloway
  I'd like to see, um, I would, I, there's so many outstanding. I'd love to see Michael Bennet as Secretary of Education.
18. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
19. SGScott Galloway
  Uh, I think Vivek Murthy as head of Health and Human Services.
20. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm.
21. SGScott Galloway
  I think he is, he is the most consequential-
22. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
23. SGScott Galloway
  ... surgeon general in history, bringing up loneliness-
24. KSKara Swisher
  Agree.
25. SGScott Galloway
  ... and the stress on parents.
26. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Yeah.
27. SGScott Galloway
  Um, there's a ton of fantastic... Oh, oh, I, I, I would put together the hottest and most competent Cabinet in history. And I'd give o- AOC a job just 'cause she's ridiculously fucking hot.
28. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm. Good.
29. SGScott Galloway
  But-
30. KSKara Swisher
  Also competent.
1:31 – 2:05
Health & Human Services as a sleeper priority: Cuban over RFK Jr.
1. KSKara Swisher
  those are the most important. But I, I, one of the ones, as we were just talking about this United Healthcare thing, is the, the Health and Human Services director. I would make that Mark Cuban, uh, you know, or someone like that, to, to c- You need to facilitate change in how healthcare goes in this country very drastically, and how we eat, and the chemicals that are in our system. I completely agree with that. But this friggin' nut job, RFK Jr., who now looks good next to these other people, is, is a disaster, especially around vaccines and everything else. So, someone who respects science, um, I would say Mark Cuban for that job. Your turn, Scott.
2:05 – 2:23
Scott’s tongue-in-cheek “cable news cabinet” (Dana Bash, Anderson Cooper)
1. SGScott Galloway
  I would go, I like the whole cable news as a Cabinet strategy. I'd have Dana Bash. I'd have Da- But except I'd go another cable network. I think the people at CNN are so impressive. I think it should be President Dana Bash.
2. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
3. SGScott Galloway
  Her vice president is Anderson Cooper.
4. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
5. SGScott Galloway
  And we laugh, but these people would be a hell of a lot more competent than some of the people he's proposing now.
6. KSKara Swisher
  Okay.
2:23 – 2:30
Scott blasts specific Trump picks: Hegseth, Navarro, Kash Patel
1. SGScott Galloway
  Peter Hegseth and Peter Navarro? Give me a fucking break, or-
2. KSKara Swisher
  I know, Peters.
3. SGScott Galloway
  ... or, or Kash Patel.
4. KSKara Swisher
  Dicks.
5. SGScott Galloway
  These, this would-
6. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
2:30 – 2:52
Scott’s serious “dream cabinet” roles: Commerce, Education, HHS
1. SGScott Galloway
  Michael Smerconish I'd like to be Secretary of Commerce.
2. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
3. SGScott Galloway
  I'd like to see, um, I would, I, there's so many outstanding. I'd love to see Michael Bennet as Secretary of Education.
4. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, yeah.
5. SGScott Galloway
  Uh, I think Vivek Murthy as head of Health and Human Services.
6. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm.
7. SGScott Galloway
  I think he is, he is the most consequential-
8. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
9. SGScott Galloway
  ... surgeon general in history, bringing up loneliness-
10. KSKara Swisher
  Agree.
11. SGScott Galloway
  ... and the stress on parents.
12. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Yeah.
2:52 – 3:29
Looks + competence: AOC, Ro Khanna, and Klobuchar for enforcement roles
1. SGScott Galloway
  Um, there's a ton of fantastic... Oh, oh, I, I, I would put together the hottest and most competent Cabinet in history. And I'd give o- AOC a job just 'cause she's ridiculously fucking hot.
2. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm. Good.
3. SGScott Galloway
  But-
4. KSKara Swisher
  Also competent.
5. SGScott Galloway
  ... and it's important to have good-looking people.
6. KSKara Swisher
  Okay. (laughs)
7. SGScott Galloway
  Um, uh, but Ro Khanna would have a spot in there.
8. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
9. SGScott Galloway
  I think Amy Klobuchar, I'd put at the head of the FTC-
10. KSKara Swisher
  Mm-hmm.
11. SGScott Galloway
  ... or the DOJ. Um, uh, is she a lawyer?
12. KSKara Swisher
  DOJ, yes, yes, yes.
13. SGScott Galloway
  She's a lawyer. She-
14. KSKara Swisher
  Yes, she wrote that big, giant anti-trust book, remember.
15. SGScott Galloway
  She's a, she's a-
16. KSKara Swisher
  She's a good lawyer.
17. SGScott Galloway
  ... fucking gangster. She's not afraid of anybody.
18. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Oh, she'd be a good AG. Oh, yeah.
19. SGScott Galloway
  Um.
20. KSKara Swisher
  You're right.
21. SGScott Galloway
  Yeah, I would have a ton of... I, I could... Oh my God, put... Give me the chess board, I will put the pieces in the right place.
3:29 – 3:56
If forced to serve: Scott chooses Education; Kara chooses CIA
1. KSKara Swisher
  What would we be? What would be our job, if you had to pick one?
2. SGScott Galloway
  We'd do exactly what we're doing right now, 'cause our lives are really nice.
3. KSKara Swisher
  I understand, but if you had to take a cab- They said, "Here, Scott, you have to take one cabinet job. You don't have a choice."
4. SGScott Galloway
  Oh, easy. I, I'd wanna be Secretary of Education.
5. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, wow.
6. SGScott Galloway
  Easy.
7. KSKara Swisher
  Interesting.
8. SGScott Galloway
  Yeah, yeah. I'd want it-
9. KSKara Swisher
  What would you guess I would want to be?
10. SGScott Galloway
  Head of the CIA. (laughs)
11. KSKara Swisher
  That's right. That's right, my friend.
12. SGScott Galloway
  That's right.
13. KSKara Swisher
  That's correct.
14. SGScott Galloway
  That's right.
15. KSKara Swisher
  I would spy on you.
16. SGScott Galloway
  You do spy on me. You fucking text me at 3:00 in the morning.
17. KSKara Swisher
  I don't spy.
18. SGScott Galloway
  You know what I'm doing at all moments. (laughs)
3:56 – 4:46
Personal banter detour: late-night texts, edibles, and Fox invites
1. KSKara Swisher
  I do know what you're doing at all moments 'cause I've got to keep track of you 'cause you're up to things. I, uh, last night, I was texting a variety of people. I'm not gonna say who, but well-known people.
2. SGScott Galloway
  Uh-oh.
3. KSKara Swisher
  And I was thinking, "What is Scott up to?" I feel like Scott's up to something right now. I don't know why, but I thought, "Is he up to something?" And I-
4. SGScott Galloway
  I was eating alone in the Cotswolds after taking an edible.
5. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, okay. Well, I didn't know that, but at first, second, I was like-
6. SGScott Galloway
  I'm listening to Tom Petty (laughs) , and then taking my dogs-
7. KSKara Swisher
  "What is he up to?"
8. SGScott Galloway
  ... for a long walk at night.
9. KSKara Swisher
  What, what little machinations is he up to? By the way, your other, uh, girlfriend, your side piece, uh, Jessica Ta- Jess Tarlov texted me. Um, she's gonna take-
10. SGScott Galloway
  The hotter, younger woman? (laughs)
11. KSKara Swisher
  The hotter, younger version of me. Um, she, she was gonna come to this dinner that, uh, ******** in New York when she couldn't. Um, but, uh, she's gonna, uh, take my mom to see The Five, and I have to go. So, Jesse Waters-
12. SGScott Galloway
  Oh, that'll be great. That'll be great.
13. KSKara Swisher
  ... get the f- W- Will you come with me?
14. SGScott Galloway
  No way. 100% no.
15. KSKara Swisher
  All right. All right.
4:46 – 5:19
More media appointments: Neil Cavuto and Stephanie Ruhle as ambassador to France
1. SGScott Galloway
  No. Oh, I'd also give, speaking of Fox, I'd give Neil Cavuto a position. I like him.
2. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Uh, okay. Which one?
3. SGScott Galloway
  I'd give Cavuto a position.
4. KSKara Swisher
  What position?
5. SGScott Galloway
  God, this would be fun.
6. KSKara Swisher
  What would... But you left out Stephanie Ruhle. I can't believe it. She's gonna kill us. What would you give her?
7. SGScott Galloway
  Oh, she'd be ambassador to our most important... Like, I'd make her ambassador to... I'd, I'd just like-
8. KSKara Swisher
  London? Like the diplomat?
9. SGScott Galloway
  I'd want her to be ambassador to France 'cause she'd throw, she would throw amazing parties at the residence in Paris.
10. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, we did go. Yeah.
11. SGScott Galloway
  Yeah. No, she's should be ambassador-
12. KSKara Swisher
  She could be like Keri Russell on The Diplomat.
13. SGScott Galloway
  And she's got great style.
14. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah.
15. SGScott Galloway
  I mean, uh, she... Ambassador to France. That's an easy one.
16. KSKara Swisher
  All right. Ambassador to France. Okay.
17. SGScott Galloway
  Yeah.
18. KSKara Swisher
  All right.
19. SGScott Galloway
  Yeah, yeah.
5:19 – 5:39
Wrap-up: gratitude to the listener + ‘puppet master’ joking about governing
1. KSKara Swisher
  There, we got it. Thank you, David. You made my face.
2. SGScott Galloway
  I need you to be president so we can do this.
3. KSKara Swisher
  Oh, my God. This is so good.
4. SGScott Galloway
  I'll be the puppet master. I'll tell you exactly what to say, what to do, and you can just be-
5. KSKara Swisher
  So, you're like Steve Bannon, essentially. (laughs) You're Steve Bannon.
6. SGScott Galloway
  (laughs) Yeah. I get that a lot, um...
7. KSKara Swisher
  Yeah. Yeah. I don't care.
8. SGScott Galloway
  This will be fun. We'd be good at this.
9. KSKara Swisher
  This will be fun. We'd be good at this.