McCain's possible Cabinet considered

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Republican presidential front-runner John McCain has vowed if elected to have an administration that reflects conservative ideals, it was reported.

The Arizona Republic reported Monday that a McCain White House would be more like the administration of former President Theodore Roosevelt than that of President George W. Bush, as some Democrats have charged.

Although the Arizona senator has said he has not begun to consider who would be in his Cabinet, or even who his vice-presidential running mate would be, that has not stopped political observers from offering their predictions.

McCain said last week that he'd be seeking Cabinet members who "just share my conservative philosophy and views: less government, less regulation, lower taxes."

He also said that he would want people who share his vision "to preserve the great natural treasures of the West and our state and do whatever we can to protect our environment."

The newspaper said among possible McCain appointees are Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., possibly as secretary of state; former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., as attorney general; former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as homeland security secretary, and former Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas as treasury secretary.

"Like (former President Dwight) Eisenhower, McCain would probably be his own secretary of defense," said Claremont McKenna College political scientist Jack Pitney Jr.