Sidebar: Trump in Transition (v5)

In my most recent Trump in Transition post, I noted that the wait was still on for an announcement on whether Dr Ben Carson had actually been named the Cabinet Apprentice finalist for HUD.

As of last night, when I wrote the post, we were still biding our time, waiting for an announcement, and remembering the refreshing burst of honesty from Carson's team. You remember, right?

Dr. Carson doesn't feel that's the best way for him to serve the president-elect. Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he's never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that would cripple the presidency.

Carson also noted earlier in November

I've said that if it came to a point where he absolutely needs me, I'd reconsider. But I don't think that's the situation with these positions. My view is that if some people and the media are going to hate him, then he's going to need allies on the outside to be there to be there to move the country forward. I don't care about a position.  

Having me as a federal bureaucrat would be like a fish out of water, quite frankly. 

All that said, and the visuals notwithstanding, here are a couple of excerpts from the announcement.

I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Ben Carson as our next Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities...Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up.

And from Carson's statement:

I am honored to accept the opportunity to serve our country in the Trump administration. I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. 

All that fish out of water stuff?  Yeah, that must have been just water over the dam, or under the bridge, or drained from the swamp.