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Obama Hires Top Hillary Policy Adviser
A key hire by the Obama camp: He reportedly signs up senior Hillary policy adviser Neera Tanden, one of her top loyalists, as his new Director of Domestic Policy.
Tanden, a fixture on many a Hillary campaign conference call, was a key architect of her health care plan, which was probably the one domestic policy proposal of hers that was most often compared favorably to Obama's.
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Obama continues his excellent pick of former Hillary staff, and I have to say that this is one of the biggest catch, simply because this will position Obama favourably as far as Health care is concerned seeing that Hillary's plan looked better than his.
This is excellent news1! for Americans!!!
June 27, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
it's obviously a smart hire, yes
June 27, 2008 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
But will this help the stalwart Hillary Clinton Ellen Jamesians hop on board the Unity Pony?
Not until they get her a roll call at the convention, every delegate seated, and jet skis.
June 27, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
OMGOMGOMG, this is a Sexist SLAP IN THE FACE.
June 27, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Priceless!
June 27, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good hire! Between him and Elizabeth Edwards, this is very encouraging because Hillary's health care plan always was the best the plan. Now maybe it or something similar can get implemented.
June 27, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or maybe Congress will manage to jellydick the whole thing and we will wind up with a health care bill that proposes what we now have, but with higher co-pays.
Love that Congressional Democratic Leadership!
June 27, 2008 10:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
With Congress, anything is possible. That's why I never was too attached to anyone's health plan - any plan has to go through Congress first.
June 27, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jellydick.
Heh.
June 27, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
I dont know about you Tena, but I would like to see Hillary in an Obama Administration such as a Health care Czar because not only is she passionate about it but obviously has a much greater vision on providing as much needed and far-reaching,if not affordable, healthcare plan for all americans.I mean, if we give credit where it is due.
June 27, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am fine with that - I said the same thing when she was still running.
I don't hate Hillary. She's damn smart. I just don't like her for president, but I think a cabinet post would be great.
June 27, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't want to jump back on the "Let's Bash Hillary" bandwagon, but given her previous experience with trying to...um...ah...guide health care reform through in her husband's administration, what leads you to believe that she would be any more successful in the Obama administration? Is there some quality, gift, skill, or experience that she's acquired in the past 8 years that would make her more effective at this gargantuan task? I sure didn't see it in the primary campaign.
June 27, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know what you are saying- but my thinking is that the circumstances have changed since Bill Clinton was first in office. Universal health care is an idea whose time has definitely come and that wasn't quite so starkly obvious back when she was trying to get her plan through Congress the first time.
June 27, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
1. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't give up a Senate seat to be a czar or czarina.
2. Lots of people know way more than Sen. Clinton about health care. So if you are designing a policy, I'm not sure I want it designed by politicians or lawyers for that matter.
3. We will need skilled legislators and advocates to pass whatever policy an Obama administration comes up with. There Mrs. Clinton, I would suspect, would be invaluable as a member of the Senate.
June 27, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, no, a thousand times NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Hillary was so bad at being 'in charge' of this in 94 that we wound up with the Contract On America. Let her lead on this in the Senate, where she can and will actually have a positive impact.
June 27, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is a bad move. Obama must dump Hillary and her pimps.
Primarily, Hillary sending her surrogate in to find out how a successful campaign is run.
Secondly, she is trying to pay her debt off.
Third, she is faking that she is helping but the real is to revive and strengthen her relevance, as she thinks she will be forgiven for the damage she has caused to the party and Obama's election.
Fourth, she is secretly trying to fail Obama(read her donors' cold reception as code language:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/tensions-remain.html
June 27, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Come on now, I thought we were past that Hillary-is-faking stage.Hillary is a smart woman and will prove handy to Obama in the GE, no matter how much mudslinging went on btw the two of them in the primaries.So plz stop bashing Hillary and take her at her word. She has publicly endorsed Obama and yes publicly said that we need to work harder in order to elect him for POTUS.Nothing could be clearer than that.
June 27, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Stop being so damn gullible, would you?
The media loves the idea that there's some sort of split within the Democratic Party, and any signal, from anyone, that supports this notion is going to be amplified to the nth degree.
Two people, out of 200, weren't thrilled. That's what's going to get reported.
Finally, Hillary Clinton has been a lot more gracious than some of her supporters. Don't confuse the two.
June 27, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps I am in the minority, but I thought Obama's non-mandate health care plan was better than Clinton's, the latter being the typical "big-brother" GovernmentCare. Though it might be good and all, I don't think many people (outside of the core left) stomach being forced to buy health insurance.
[And yes, I know people have to buy car insurance to drive. But driving is an option, particularly when public transportation is available. Living - not so much.]
June 27, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
her advisors were good enough for hillary so they are good enough for obama. Plus when obama started his campaign he ended up getting the left over advisors and hillary ended up getting all the good advisors so he now getting the best advisors
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/mccains-wife-beating-joke/
June 27, 2008 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
If this signals he is ready and willing to have a mandate, then I am encouraged by it. Some of us speculated that his anti-mandate rehashing of the Harry and Louise Republican talking points was just to stake out positions to her right for centrist appeal. Let's hope he has not give the opponents of substantive and meaningful health care reform ammunition with all his past attacks on mandates.
Health care is one of the more important crises facing us right now - and if he is willing to change his position to one that might actually accomplish something, I will be thrilled on that front.
June 27, 2008 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
You do realize that this attitude is why a high percentage of Hillary's supporters will never vote for Obama? We just don't think he is nice enough.
June 27, 2008 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink