Handicapping the FCC Chairman (or Chairwoman) race

Business Week recently provided some insight and speculation into the present consideration of the chairs for the Federal Communications Commission in the Obama administration. Could the FCC's next Chairman be a Chairwoman? And will there be some more significant reshuffling of the Commission's membership?

Regardless who gets the seat, a policy shift will likely take place with more consideration given to Internet-style companies, such as Google, rather than old-line phone and cable companies.

The short list of candidates also includes two African American women. Julia Johnson and Mignon Clyburn find themselves on the same list as four members of the FCC "old boys" club - Blair Levin, Scott Blake Harris, Don Gips and Larry Strickling.

Levin and Strickling may be the most well-positioned candidates for the job. Levin's name has come up early and often as a potential candidate for the position, and he would have the blessing of Reed Hundt, his former FCC boss and Obama campaign advisor. However, Strickling has the strong backing of former FCC Chairman and Obama campaign supporter Bill Kennard AND should get bonus points for being a Harvard Law School graduate - like the O-man - and working on Obama's campaign; Strickling is also supposedly in the running for CTO.

Another scenario has current FCC Commissioner Michael Copps serving as an interim chairman until a permanent replacement is selected, and Democratic commissioner Jonathan Adelstein takes another position in the Obama Administration. If Adelstein does move, you might see one of the other members of the short list take his place.

For more:
- Business Week piece [1] on the shortlist for FCC Chairman.