Bush fills half of open Cabinet positions
 |  President Bush announced Tuesday that he had chosen Condoleezza Rice as next secretary of state. |
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|  VIDEO |
 CNN's Ed Henry reports on possible choice for agriculture secretary.
 President Bush nominates Spellings to be education secretary.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush is half way through the job of restocking his Cabinet, naming three new members to help him push through his second term agenda.
The administration has been busy in the weeks since the November 2 election, which has seen the resignations of Attorney General John Ashcroft, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Commerce Secretary Don Evans, Education Secretary Rod Paige, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.
So far, Bush has name three replacements, all very close associates
He nominated White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to succeed Ashcroft, Condoleezza Rice, his national security advisor and trusted confidant, to take over at the State Department and domestic policy adviser Margaret Spellings to replace Paige.
Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, spoke to Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska last Friday about the possibility of replacing Veneman at the Department of Agriculture, according to two sources familiar with their conversation.
Nelson told CNN he could not confirm or deny whether Rove made an offer, adding that he is "happy" in his current job.
But when pressed as to whether he would consider the job if Bush offered it, Nelson said, "Any time the president talks, you listen."
If Nelson took the job, he would be the second Democrat in the Bush Cabinet, joining Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta. (Sources: Dem approached for agriculture post)
Such a move could also increase the GOP majority in the Senate to 56, because Republican Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns would choose Nelson's replacement.
Confirmation preparations
All of the Cabinet nominees must be confirmed by the Senate.
Gonzales was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, where he met with Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Leahy told reporters that Gonzales was "a more uniting figure" than Ashcroft and added that Gonzales "has a far better chance of confirmation with substantial votes from both sides of the aisle than a divisive candidate."
Gonzales is expected to face tough questions during his confirmation hearings, particularly about a January 2002 draft memo he authored as White House counsel on the treatment of suspected terrorist prisoners and whether the Geneva Conventions apply to them.
Leahy said he warned Gonzales the subject would be raised extensively in the confirmation hearings and that he must be responsive to the questions.
"I think it's important for his own credibility" and the credibility of the Department of Justice, said Leahy.
A date for the hearing has not been set. (Leahy: Gonzales likely to be confirmed)
Several Senate Republican staffers told CNN Wednesday that confirmation hearings for Rice would be held next month.
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to hold the hearings either December 6, 7 or 8, staffers said, but the final Senate vote on confirmation would not take place until the new Congress is sworn in, in early January.
CNN's Ed Henry, John King, Andrea Koppel and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.
