Team Obama thus far:

— Attorney general: Sen. Claire McCaskill (if not veep pick).

— Secretary of state: Gov. Bill Richardson (if not veep pick).

— Secretary of environment (new position): Al Gore.

— Secretary of the interior: Robert Kennedy Jr.

— Secretary of education: William H. Cosby Jr., Ph.D.

— Secretary of defense: retired Gen. Anthony Zinni.

Team Obama continued:

— Secretary of peace (new position): Dubya looked to Weimar to create his post-apocalyptic Department of Homeland Security. Why not a department charged with securing the nation through nonlethal means?

The peace secretary would be charged with ensuring domestic tranquility, defense of the Constitution and adherence to cosigned peace treaties. Secretaries of peace and defense would be equals in the war room.

Who: Sen. Joe Biden knows the Constitution well, and he often corrects fellow lawmakers who don't. He has supported past conflicts, though not as an incurious enabler. This reputed liberal pugilist urges debate and thoughtful deliberation. (When a Supreme Court seat opens, Biden should be nominated.)

The late Mother Teresa said she never would attend an anti-war rally, but if asked to attend a peace rally, she would accept. Biden knows this difference goes beyond semantics.

— Secretary of homeland security: This department should be abolished as redundant, wasteful and useless. Under Homeland Security, Hurricane Katrina victims were relocated to toxic trailers and not told they were at risk. Agencies such as FEMA performed better before having to respond to a post-9/11 terror czar.

— Secretary of agriculture: The next ag secretary must be outside the industry and willing to gut the USDA. The USDA is too cozy with Big Agriculture, as underscored by its tardy responses to meat scandals and inquiries.

After the Humane Society exposed abuse and downer cattle in the U.S. food supply, our government issued the largest meat recall ever. Still, the USDA refused to ban downer cattle, proving the weight of the beef lobby in Washington. The USDA reversed its position only recently.

With the U.S. food supply in peril from unregulated genetic modifications, shortages, cloning, terrorism and concerns about over-reliance on corn for ethanol, this agency needs a fearless and ethical leader. Small farmers, especially those producing organically, need someone who will listen and understand how their success keeps the food supply chemical-free and the land more sustainable.

Who: Russ Feingold, if not veep pick. Feingold is tough and believes open hearings expose things in government and private industry that are in the public interest. He would not wait for Congress to call hearings. He's proactive, not reactive.

— Secretary of commerce: When others engaged in euphemism, New York's Michael Bloomberg didn't hesitate to use the R-word, as in recession. If anyone can pump up the dollar and get weak industries strong again, Mighty Mike can. He knows Big Business because he's part of that club. Therein lies the rub: This new role poses conflicts and potentially jeopardizes the Bloomberg empire, two reasons to refuse the appointment.

— Secretary of labor: If not a veep pick, John Edwards, a miller's son, would fit here. Before ending his presidential bid, he was the voice of working-class Americans, a population since abducted and exploited by The Hillaries.

His "two Americas" resonates with many voters. His passion means he will work hard to make sure an Obama administration helps workers make livable wages to care for themselves, their families and to realize the American dream. An expert in Southern poverty issues, Edwards would launch a new national war on poverty, one that doesn't pit undocumented immigrants against underemployed citizens.

— Secretary of the treasury: This is the best deal Hillary Clinton can expect from Obama. By signing the currency, she gets to leave her mark on history. She'll refuse the offer, however. She's more likely to go after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's job and give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple migraines.

Vacancies: secretaries of health and human services and the newly created housing, urban and rural development.

Rhonda Chriss Lokeman (RCLCreators@kc.rr.com) is a contributing editor to The Kansas City Star. To find out more about Rhonda Chriss Lokeman and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2008 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.