Clinton Names Reich Labor Secretary

President-elect Clinton, as expected, yesterday named Kennedy School Lecturer on Public Policy Robert B. Reich to his Cabinet as Secretary of Labor.

Reich who roomed with Clinton at Oxford when the two were Rhodes scholars, was a key economic advisor during Clinton's campaign.

In a press conference yesterday, Clinton called Reich "one of my most trusted advisors and closest friends."

Clinton also named University of Wisconsin Chancellor Donna Shalala as secretary of Health and Human Services, Florida environmental official Carol Browner to head the Environmental protection Agency, and Berkeley economist Laura D' Andrea Tyson to chair the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).

The appointments of Reich and Shalala bring the number of Cabinet-level appointments to three, after Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.) was named Treasury Secretary Thursday.

Reich, 46, is a political scientist, although much of his work has focused on economics.

Many analysts predicted Reich would receive a top economic post, but when Bentsen was named Treasury Secretary and Rep. Leon Panetta (D-Calif.) named budget director yesterday, speculation about Reich widened.

John D. Donahue, an associate professor at the Kennedy School who taught some of Reich's classes when the campaign aide joined Clinton's transition team last month, said the Labor Department is "the perfect place" for Reich.

Donahue said structuring policies to serve American workers best has been "the whole thrust of Reich's work."

Reich's colleagues at the Kennedy School, where he has taught since 1981, said yesterday he would be missed.

"Robert Reich is an original thinker long dedicated to serving the publicinterest," said Kennedy School Dean AlbertCarnesale in a news release. "His colleagues andstudents...will miss him, but we have greatexpectations for his contributions to the nation."

"My first choice would've been to have him backin Cambridge," Donahue said.

Reich is no stranger to government. Beforecoming to Harvard, he served as director of policyplanning for the FTC under former president JimmyCarter and assistant to the solicitor generalunder president Gerald Ford.

When he joined the Clinton transition team lastmonth, Reich told reporters at the Taubman Centerhe was not seeking a position in the Clintonadministration. But few analysts ever doubted thatClinton would reward his long-time friend andadvisor with a position.

Ropes Professor of Political Economy LawrenceH. Summers--who one source told The CrimsonThursday will "probably get a very, very highpost" in the new administration--was not mentionedin today's round of announcements.

Summers had been considered a candidate for theCEA post given to Tyson yesterday. The source,close to the transition team, said Summers'appointment to that position was blocked forseveral reasons.

The naming of Tyson, Shalala and Browner bringsClinton's appointments to a more equal genderbalance, and apparent effort by Clinton to keephis pledge of appointing a Cabinet that "lookslike America."

The President-elect said Tyson knows "what itwill take for America to prosper."

The new administration is so far mostly white,but experts have offered several Hispanic andBlack candidates for high-level jobs.

Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, aKennedy School graduate and member of Clinton'stransition board, is considered a leading choicefor housing secretary, although he may also beappointed by Texas Gov. Ann Richards to fillBentsen's uncompleted Senate term.

And among Black candidates competing for seniorposts are Democratic National Committee ChairRonald H. Brown, a possibility for either AttorneyGeneral or ambassador to the United Nations, andGen. Colin Powell, chair of the Joint Chiefs ofStaff, as a candidate for secretary of state.

This story was written with wiredispatches.

"My first choice would've been to have him backin Cambridge," Donahue said.

Reich is no stranger to government. Beforecoming to Harvard, he served as director of policyplanning for the FTC under former president JimmyCarter and assistant to the solicitor generalunder president Gerald Ford.

When he joined the Clinton transition team lastmonth, Reich told reporters at the Taubman Centerhe was not seeking a position in the Clintonadministration. But few analysts ever doubted thatClinton would reward his long-time friend andadvisor with a position.

Ropes Professor of Political Economy LawrenceH. Summers--who one source told The CrimsonThursday will "probably get a very, very highpost" in the new administration--was not mentionedin today's round of announcements.

Summers had been considered a candidate for theCEA post given to Tyson yesterday. The source,close to the transition team, said Summers'appointment to that position was blocked forseveral reasons.

The naming of Tyson, Shalala and Browner bringsClinton's appointments to a more equal genderbalance, and apparent effort by Clinton to keephis pledge of appointing a Cabinet that "lookslike America."

The President-elect said Tyson knows "what itwill take for America to prosper."

The new administration is so far mostly white,but experts have offered several Hispanic andBlack candidates for high-level jobs.

Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, aKennedy School graduate and member of Clinton'stransition board, is considered a leading choicefor housing secretary, although he may also beappointed by Texas Gov. Ann Richards to fillBentsen's uncompleted Senate term.

And among Black candidates competing for seniorposts are Democratic National Committee ChairRonald H. Brown, a possibility for either AttorneyGeneral or ambassador to the United Nations, andGen. Colin Powell, chair of the Joint Chiefs ofStaff, as a candidate for secretary of state.

This story was written with wiredispatches.