Election Central Morning Roundup
President-Elect Barack Obama's First Press Conference
Today, after meeting with their economic transition team, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will hold a presser 2:30 P.M. It will be a major media event: It's their first presser since winning the election, it will give us our first glimpse of how the new president and the media will interact, and it will send signals to Wall Street and the rest of us as to how Obama plans to address the financial crisis.
Congressional Dems Ponder Who Will Lead On Health Care
With Senator Ted Kennedy ailing, Congressional leaders are wondering who will take a lead role on health care in Congress when the new President sets about revamping the system. Hillary, perhaps? Meanwhile, Dems are pondering whether to replace the 91-year-old Senator Robert Byrd as chairman of the Appropriations Committee -- a powerful and essential slot at a time of deep economic anxiety.
Hillary Speaks With Obama, Hails Choice of Emanuel
Obama spoke with his Democratic primary foe after winning the election, and Hillary praised Obama for moving quickly to assemble a transition team. She singled out Rahm Emanuel, a creature of the Clinton world, hailing him as someone who is "determined and effective" and "understands both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue."
David Axelrod To The White House
Strategist David Axelrod, one of the visionaries behind the Obama victory, has signed on to be senior adviser to the White House. Look for him to do big-picture stuff, such as setting the tone and message of the new administration and establishing its larger themes.
Democratic National Committee: Our 50-State Strategy Paid Off
The DNC is out with a lengthy memo arguing that Howard Dean's 50-state strategy has enabled Dems to hit the jackpot in this election. "When Governor Dean became Chairman in February 2005, our Party had come through a dismal election cycle," it says, recalling that at the time there was "speculation about the possibility of a permanent Republican majority." Maybe someone should remind Obama's new chief of staff about this...
Yuval Levin (NRO): "But {Rahm Emanuel] has been . . . a vicious graceless partisan: narrow, hectic, unremittingly aggressive, vulgar, and impatient."
Someone has been bitterly navel-gazing in the mirror too much lately. . .
November 7, 2008 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Rahm was reportedly part of the model for the character "Josh Lyman" (played by Bradley Whitford) in "The West Wing"
So he can't ALL bad...
November 7, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember when BO said "if they bring a knife to a fight we will bring a gun." Well does picking Rahm really that much of a surprise?
We had Joe the plumber and now BO has introduced us to Rahm the head banger.
November 7, 2008 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
From most reports Emanuel is the democratic equivalent of Tom Delay. He is known as a 'take no prisoners' type and since he will be charged with executing policy I don't think that is a bad idea.
Sounds like this is good cop (Obama) bad cop with Emanuel being chosen to 'push through and sweep clean with a new broom' for any policies Obama choses to move through the legislature.
November 7, 2008 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
How about "Rahm the Enforcer"?
"Head Banger" sounds a little too much like a heavy metal junkie. :-)
November 7, 2008 10:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I like "kneecapper" or "arm-twister" myself. ;)
I think Rahmbo is a good choice. It's like getting a pit bull -- if you have lax owners (i.e. Clinton era Dems) somebody's going to get bitten. But a knowledgeable, watchful owner (i.e. Prez O.) will know how to use the choke chain.
Now I want to see Bill Richardson at State -- Go Jumbos! :D
November 7, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's gonna be the "BO" administration!
November 7, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
I go with your rec. That's the way I think of him.
November 7, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn right it did. And I have to believe President-Elect Obama (God, I love writing that!) knows it, too. He has to know that he doesn't win Virginia, Indiana, North Carolina, Colorado and Nevada without it. So I'm not terribly worried that Rahmbo's history on this issue is going to be much of a problem.
I am curious, however, who will be the next DNC chair. And what Dr. Dean will do next, too. Personally, I think he'd be great for HHS, though plenty of other good names, like Daschle and Sebelius, have been bandied about there, too.
November 7, 2008 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dr. Dean needs to be rewarded for the monumental contributions he made to the Democrats' victory in this election. He is a visionary and a gifted strategist and leader, and I'd love to see him with a plum job in the Obama Administration.
November 7, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
I nominate David Plouffe to run the DNC.
November 7, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good idea.
November 7, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Good move, Howard! Don't let Rahm and the rest of the DLC DINOs take credit for your idea and your work.
As for Emmanuel's vaunted "partisonship," he's like the guard dog who rips the throats out of family members but rolls over for ax murderers.
And repug criticism of Emmanuel is their attempt at negative psychology. They'd love to have a repug-fellator like Emmanuel that high up in the WH.
November 7, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
One thought, for what it's worth. In the 90s, it made sense for moderate Dems and grass-roots activists to be suspicious of each other. We were retrenching, and we were being forced to sacrifice some ideals in order to save others. So the agendas and interests of the two groups really didn't line up.
I don't think that's true anymore. There's really no reason why people like Emmanuel and people like Moulitsas can't work together to kick the other side's butt. In fact, they just did. So I would humbly suggest that we take a break from the reflexive mutual suspicion between DLCers and dirty f**king hippies.
It may no longer be necessary.
November 7, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I vote a big fat AYE on that.
This is Day 3. Bitching started on cue yesterday - Day 2. LOL!
Dirty fucking hippies just don't know how to be happy anymore.
November 7, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent points Alex.
Some of the hand wringing is to be expected, but people are already pouring concrete around "the Obama Legacy" and putting their grubby little handprints in it. The man hasn't even been sworn in yet! It's one thing to have an opinion, but Christ in a Chrysler, we're not even 72 hours into the transition here! All the electoral votes haven't even been awarded! We don't even know the composition of either wing of Congress yet!
I want to make a sincere recommendation here: Let's take the weekend to decompress a little. If you like to drink, have a glass of wine. Put on some music. Take a nice hot bath. If you've got the scratch, treat yourself to a steak or some good sushi. Watch some college football. Catch a movie. Enjoy the fall colors. Go for a walk. Dig into a good book. Find a local park and just sit on a bench and chill for an hour. Take off your Obama flair and dig out your favorite ratty old sweatshirt from college.
We've got a lot of work to do. Tuesday night was not an end, but rather a new beginning. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are going to need us for the next four years, and we'll be more help to them and to our country if we're rested and ready instead of constantly wound up like a spring like the last 18 months or so. The work is going to be more demanding than clicking a link in an email and plopping down 30 bucks for a t-shirt. It is going to require a level of focus and nuance and consideration and patience that most of us have forgotten over the last 8 years.We might very well need to use the skills we've developed over the last few months to Barack the Vote in Georgia in order to get rid of Crappy Chambliss. We've got a lot of work to do. We'll all be better served if we press reset and try to get away from campaign mode for a little bit.
November 7, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does that mean I can't wear my Obama t-shirts anymore? ;)
November 7, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not at all! It's just a good time to wash them... They smell like victory and nervous sweat! It's also a good time to remember that we have other t-shirts that we love. The R.E.M. t-shirt from the Monster tour with the mysterious purple stain on it... The American Apparel v-neck that looks so good with a long sleeve t under it... that Rolling Rock shirt with the cigarette burns in it. That's a good one!
November 7, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL LOL LOL...using this post, I will encourage Hubby to rotate out the MoveOn.org one shirt the pixillated Obama head, in favor of, say, one of a dozen Red Sox shirts...Big Papi's always a good choice... :P
November 7, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wore that MoveOn one to the airport the week of the big rally in St. Louis and the guy driving the bus from my parking garage to the terminal yelled out "Hey! Obama! What airline are you flying?" I grinned all the way to the ticket counter!
November 7, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Are we going there already? His job won't be to set policy but to enforce it. Read today's profile of him in the WPost and you'll see why he's right for this job. The guy will get Obama's agenda done. And if we're going to throw a shit fit each time Obama works with someone who's agenda isn't the exact same as ours, the GOP doesn't have to try too hard to make a comeback since we'll just drag the Dems down to their level and make everything competitive again.
November 7, 2008 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I sincerely hope you're both right.
However, while "setting policy" may not be in the CoS job description, it certainly falls within the purview of a powerful one, which Emmanuel definitely will be.
And DLC DINOs are not DLC DINOs for their good looks. They sincerely believe everyone left of Joe Lieberman is a dirty fucking hippie commie terist.
Rahm might suck up to Markos, but only for exploitation purposes, never genuine cooperation.
Don't fall for it.
November 7, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to agree here. Axelrod and Emmanuel are flip sides of the Chicago coin. I'd rather have more Axelrods and less Rahms.
The only thing that makes me a little optimistic, is that RE does not go off the reservation. He is a strict "knife who the leader tells me knife cause he's the leader's the one with the money" guy. His fighting with Dean wasn't about hippies or whatever, exactly. He does have a distaste for "grassroots" organizing, being a machine guy, but the bigger part of that conflict goes back to the beginning of this paragraph--Dean hadn't demonstrated yet, in the necessary ways, that he was a man in control so RE was not on that train.
I suspect it may be different now. But we'll see. I'm not thrilled with it either.
November 7, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is my point above exactly -- with RE and Ax in the WH we will have both sides of the coin in place, the machine guy and the grassroots guy, the pit bull and the philosopher. Best of all, I trust the Prez to take his own advice most seriously of all.
November 7, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am very concerned about ted Kennedy. I figured things may not be going well since we did not hear from him on the night of the election.
I want Teddy to pull through and shepard Health Care legislation through so that he can go down in the history books for policies he has championed for over 20 years. Otherwise, HRC will attempt to take credit for his life's works.
November 7, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, whiterosebuddy, the primaries are over and the election is over and both Clintons came through for Obama. Let go of your Hillary Derangement Syndrome. It just makes you look petty and small, like a Repugnican.
November 7, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll cut whiterosebuddy some slack here.
I will also be forever grateful to Hillary for the work she did for Obama in the general, but I don't think it's Hillary Derangement Syndrome to acknowledge her strong ambition and the power vacuum Ted's absence leaves.
I fervently hope Ted Kennedy will be at the inauguration, and that all of us will be impressed by Hillary's humble respect for him and his accomplishments.
November 7, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Yellow Dog....I was not going back down the primary path...but rather just stating how his work has been usurped by folks when it was politcally expedient.
I want Ted Kennedy to have a great legacy as he earned it.
Everyone should earn their own recognition and not just piggyback off others.
November 7, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Yellow Dog for not spinning my post into something other than it's true intent, which was Ted Kennedy's legacy.
I was not headed back down the primary path. As I am fully aware that we have a NEW President-elect and am overjoyed to celebrate that for the next 4 years.
Rather, I want Ted to get credit for his legacy and not have that usurped for anyone else's political expediency. After all, Ted was the one who was responsible for S-Chip and that seemed to have been attributed to other folks during the primary.
Every individual should earn their own accomplishments and not try to piggyback off other's achievements.
I hope Teddy is able to push through the Health Care legislation under President Obama and get full credit for something he has passionately advocated for for over 30 years.
November 7, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
It wasn't spin and you know it.
If all you meant to do was promote Kennedy and ensure that he gets credit, then you could have simply stopped with:
"I want Teddy to pull through and shepard Health Care legislation through so that he can go down in the history books for policies he has championed for over 20 years."
Or simply added: "And if he isn't able to do that and someone else must finish his life's work, we shouldn't forget the credit he deserves."
Instead, you just had to use praise of Kennedy to get in a dig at Sen. Clinton.
Your claim that it wasn't a dig is the spin.
November 7, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
No Yobama..it was spin on your part.
One of the things about being American and this being a discussion board is that I get to state my views without regard for how YOU might state them. I also get to disabuse you of any spin you choose to put on my posts.
Furthermore, I do need to dig at HRC. I made a simple statement of fact. Which because you are emotionally unhinged about Clinton doesn't mean I was making a dig.
The praise for Kennedy was also a call to ensure that folks are vigilant and not allow others to usurp his life's worker as HRC did in the primaries. Now, for some reason you think highlighting how HRC tried to usurp Kennedy's work is a dig at her rather than a push to ensure that no one is allowed to take his achievements and promote them as their own platform. HRC is one example of that. There could be several others. Her's is the most recent and most blatant.
Noting those actions is not a dig rather it is a simple truth that you appear not to be able to handle.
YOU want to focus on HRC...My post was about preserving Kennedy's legacy.
I might even be able to see your point if this WAS the primaries. Since it isn't and since we do have a new President...it is you that is engaging in spin for spin sake.
You sound like Hannity and Scarborough...just have to make things divisive when there is no animus involved.
I suggest you take a break from seeing digs everywhere.
It is a new political season.
November 7, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think anyone can or will take credit from Kennedy. We aren't talking about some 2 bit player here.
The only thing that matters on the health care front is that we move toward universal coverage. I don't give 2 shits how we get there: if HRC is the major thrust, then that is fine with me, and I would imagine with most Americans. Especially noting the empathy the Republicans (check out No Quarter) have toward her. She could be the bridge that gets us there.
November 7, 2008 10:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama should be able to add one more electoral vote to his total--NE 2.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10480262
November 7, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yea Dean should be somewhere in Obama's staff. His vision is unbelievably valuable.
November 7, 2008 9:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with Josh. It still hasn't entirely sunk in.
When they announced Gibbs as spokesperson, I reflexively thought, "Hey, that's an Obama guy!"
What a tremendous adjustment. Every day, it's like someone takes a little more weight off the pallet that has been laying across my chest for 8 years.
November 7, 2008 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ditto. My reflexive way of imagining the country has to change.
November 7, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have slept better in the last two nights than I have in years.
November 7, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Every time I pause to think about what we all did to secure this victory and how we are about to change not only our country but the world for the better, I tear up again. My son is starting to think I'm losing it and keeps reminding me "But we won this time, Mommy!" He's too young to appreciate tears of joy, and yet old enough to remember the near-coma I fell into in 2004.
Imagine an administration that put the U.S. Constitution at the TOP of the org chart!
PEACE
November 7, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well I'm glad someone's enjoying this...
November 7, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
To be annoying:
If it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger.
November 7, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
I feel very damn sorry for anyone who cannot or will not let themselves become part of this.
You have my pity, Wallace. You're missing out on the most amazing historical moment I've seen and I'm not getting any younger.
What a damn shame, Wallace. You'll never see another time like this and some day you may regret your resistance.
November 7, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Word up.
Every day I get up and start all over again trying to believe this -
November 7, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Me too. Like I keep doing double-takes.
November 7, 2008 10:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
On one hand I agree. On the other hand I can't believe that we put up with our government as it is for so long. Instead of a good dream to me, it feels like I just woke up.
November 7, 2008 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Agree. All day on Tuesday I was thinking of the end of "School Daze" when Lawrence Fishburne screams "WAKE UP!!!" into that megaphone over and over....and hey, it worked!
November 7, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Mr Gander, one of the most apolitical guys in the universe, has watched the Grant Park speech three times now--and every time he tears up. It's an amazing moment, and I don't know that we'll really appreciate it for a while yet!
November 7, 2008 10:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am with you TenaX
What I find myself doing is stopping whenever I hear his voice or they show his picture on TV.
I look and I say that's MY President!!
MY President, MY President
I have never ever never felt like that before!
I feel that for the first time in my life I am one of the citizens they are referring to when they say AMERICANS.
It is such a joy. I also realize that at no other point in my life did I stop and listen when I heard the President's voice!
I will be glued to the TV for the next 4 years listening and hanging on to his every word.
I know in my heart that Obama is going to mobilize us as citizens to be active in our government and that when he speaks he is going to ask us to ACT. He is going to tell us his policy, why he wants it, what it will do, and then he is going to say he needs our support to get the measured passed...so please call and write your Congressman and Senators.
He is going to be the people's President, he is going to demonstrate leadership the likes of which this nation has not ever seen...he is going to mobilize us via text, you tube and newscasts.
He will have to in order to be heard over the Scarboroughs and Hannitys.
Scarborough is making me sick already...but Laurence O'Donnell is keeping him in check..he really skewered him today when he told him 'that's why educated people supported Obama' I was like Halleujiah tell that idiot he is dumb and dumber with his inane remarks.
Zbeg Brezinski, got him to, when Joe tried to be dismissive of her Zbeg said Mika, tell Joe to stop talking so much!!
I was like YIPPEE...back your babygirl ..Zbeg..from this pugilist mentality.
Scarborough, Hannity and Limbaugh need to be banned from the airwaves in order for his country to unity. They just keep us divisiveness and hate and just breed hositily and distrust.
We need folks to drown out their voices who talk about bringing this country together and pulling together to get things done.
I know that is too much to wish for, but I will simply satisfy myself by listening to Obama and doing everything I can to ensure his Presidency is successful because I mobilized my friends, neighbors and children to do their civic duty and support him.
He looks so good on TV!!!
MY President...in my lifetime.
November 7, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I believe in govt again. I believe in a president again. Yes, I'm totally with you, Lars. I feel like it's been ages, since I was teenager, that I felt protected by a govt (even one 's that coming), instead of feeling lied to and manipulated and ripped off.
November 7, 2008 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does Axelrod move to Washington under his new role? I was hoping that Obama would protect against the White House Bubble effect by keeping trusted advisors outside of Washington, folks that could still live in the real world while having direct access to President Obama and have the complete trust of the President and the ability to speak truth to power.
The 50-State strategy does deserve enormous credit, and Obama surely knows it as he ran with it and kept dean as DNC chair afterall. Emanuel didn't like the idea because it was too longterm and he wanted to win now. I think nobody expected the 50-State strategy to pay off so quickly, and current economic conditions, eight years of Bush and a brilliant Obama campaign went a long way into changing hearts and minds.
You take a generic Dem candidate against a generic GOP candidate in a generic year and the outcome wouldn't be where we are today.
November 7, 2008 9:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Axelrod is a Chicago boy with a Chicago life. He has said that he will move neither himself or his family to DC under any circumstances. I'm sure he'll make trips there, but he's going to keep running his business and doing his Chicago thang.
November 7, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am surprised and delighted that Axelrod took that job. He is a wise man, much more familiar with many aspects of domestic policy than most people realize because of his many years as an adviser to Mayor Daley, and the President will benefit greatly from his continued advice.
November 7, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I like Axelrod and I trust Obama, but the idea of mixing campaign politics and administration policy doesn't sit well with me. Rove has proved beyond question the dangers of this.
I just hope Obama keeps the campaign strategists at arm's length.
November 7, 2008 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
It has to sit well if we want Obama to have a second term. Axelrod will understand those ins and outs.
Obama needs to do like LBJ said...push through the most aggressive policy agend in his first year because in 2010 a new Congress will be elected and it is unlikely that we will retain a majority. So Obama needs to work now, quick fast in a hurry based on his electoral mandate.
Then Axelrod can start positioning him for re-election, if we can be so fortunate.
November 7, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...and it is unlikely that we will retain a majority.
Is this true? I don't think it's likely that the Dems will lose majorities in the House & Senate in 2010. Probably natural for those majorities to be reduced, but unless this administration screws up royally it is quite likely that Obama will have functioning majorities throughout his first term.
November 7, 2008 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Historically, that has been the pattern. When the country elects a Dem President, typically the Dems lose seats in the next Congressional election.
The nation likes to keep a 'balance' in terms of the executive vs. congressional branches. In the last 16 years this has resulted in gridlock and perhaps we will not see that happen in 2010, but in all probability we will.
Obama may make an appeal to the masses and tell them he needs a Democratic congress to make good on what he said on the campaign trail and that could possibly get a response from the electorate.
Both LBJ and WJC loss a Dem majority of Congress. For LBJ it was discontent with the Vietnam war and for WJC it was the 'liberal agenda' they were afraid of with Hill and her universal health care.
November 7, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bear in mind that the campaign Axelrod helped run wasn't just your ordinary, lying-sack-of-shit Rovian distortion. Obama's campaign was rational, built on a keen understanding of the needs of the American people and offering solutions in the proper context. We will all benefit from the Obama administration's ability to transparently and thoughtfully thoughtfully communicate it's goals and methods. Things will be different. I know it's hard to believe, but government can be done far better than it has been done in the recent past.
November 7, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Which is to say, I suppose, that there is a viable alternative to spin.
November 7, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Big kudos to Howard Dean for his role in making 2006 and 2008 Dem wins a reality.
After getting bounced in the 2004 primary, Dean didn't go sulk. He dug in with a tremendous effort to help revive the Democratic Party.
Dean is a player and should have a significant role going forward.
November 7, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary's come a long way on Rahm since trying to get him fired in '93.
http://pufferfish.typepad.com/
November 7, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe someone should remind Obama's new chief of staff about this...
Oh, snap!
November 7, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
My Senate and House health care leaders: Sanders and Kucinich.
November 7, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign.
November 7, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Many of the Bush appointees were weak, Mike Brown for instance, and I can't believe Obama won't do better. I met Emmanuel once in Chicago, although I do not know him. My impression was positive. It was Howard Dean's internet fund raising - the DFA - that began the 50 state strategy. Money primed the pump, and Obama used the strategy well. But, much credit should go to Karl Rove, who shrunk the GOP to white value voters in the deep South and Midwest. Thanks, Karl.
November 7, 2008 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
All the people freaking out about this appointment or that advisor need to chill the fuck out.
Have you forgotten who Obama is already? He's the guy who listens to everybody, gets every point of view. He listens to everybody, and then he makes the decision, and most of the time, it's the right decision. Even if I don't agree with the decision, I understand that it was a thoughtful decision.
Obama is a strong thinker and a strong leader. He gets stronger from having a variety of views and styles around him, but always, he sets the agenda, and he sets the tone.
That's the key. He sets the agenda, and he sets the tone.
November 7, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with the chill out part Fay. I do beleive that as strong as Rahm's voice is, Obama wants him right at his elbow. Not to mention how Rahm will know how to squelch voices, twist arms, and take names.
Neither Biden nor Rahm are yes men...that speaks volumes about the strength of Obama's leadership. He is not leaving the big guns on the street to be aimed at him...he is bringing them into the fold so he can aim them.
November 7, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
My concern about Rahm is whether chief of staff is the ideal place for a pitbull. I'm not convince that this is the key quality needed for what is a significantly managerial position.
Idle speculation? Rahm may turn out to be a transitional chief of staff who is shifted to a different position once things solidify . . . and he pisses off too many people too quickly.
November 7, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
I actually think that Rahm is a great choice because he sends a signal to the political world that Obama isn't going to be a wimp. Because of his demeanor and his approach of "new politics", many of the media and the GOP thought Obama was "Obambi" but now they know that he is not. Obama needs to run the White House from stance of strength.
Obama needs to accomplish 4 things in his presidency: 1. End the Iraq War. 2. Improve the economy/create jobs. 3. Usher in an Energy Policy that changes our economy to one of energy run. 4. Improve Health Care. In order to do that he will need 3 legs of the stool working together: the presidency, the Congress, and the Senate.
The Presidency: Obama has the intelligence and the inspiration to inspire the country to go along with him. He has the humility to put the best people in each cabinet post to get things done.
The Congress: Rahm Emmanuel was brought in from the Congress to the White House to be the ENFORCER in the Congress. He WILL get things done. Obama isn't just about let's all work together but he IS about let's get things DONE. Rahm has Republican enemies but he ALSO has Republican friends. He will be the power broker in the Congress:
The Senate: Biden has been in the Senate for decades and knows the Senate inside and out. He will be the power broker in the Senate.
November 7, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Co-sign. Well said.
November 7, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone else seen the ridiculous AP article on Emmanuel this morning? For those who are familiar with Nedra Pickler, it should come as no surprise, but it works to poison the well before Obama even takes office--headline reads "First Obama Pick Partisan", describes RE as highly partisan and someone who doesn't mind breaking glass or hurting feelings, among other things.
First of all, isn't toughness generally a job requirement for this anyway? And I'm already getting sick of Republicans whining, as if Obama needs to appoint Republicans to every key post, or some wuss that they can walk all over. Compared to Bush, Obama will be the most bi-partisan president ever, but that doesn't mean he isn't going to be appointing mostly Democrats to his administration. Personally, I don't think he should appoint Repubs to any of the top four cabinet posts--and why does it seem that a Republican always has to be Sec. of Defense? This goes back to Cohen in the Clinton Administration.
And to repeat myself from yesterday, I'd also prefer that Obama not appoint Summers to the exact same post he held when Clinton left office. There are plenty of highly qualified candidates who didn't contribute to the problems we face today. I was also hoping to see more new faces, at least not the exact same face in the exact same post.
At any rate, that AP article makes me glad that the organization is dying a slow death. Good riddance to Halperin and Pickler.
November 7, 2008 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
And my God I'm listening right now to the NPR crew whineing already that Obama did not have this news conference "24 or 48 hours earlier" and then going on about how stingy Obama has been with the press. It's all about them, of course. "This doesn't bode well... blah blah blah." I mean, wtf?
November 7, 2008 2:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
The GOP have been whining too much about Emanuel. As a result, I expect Rahm to be one of the most EFFECTIVE chief of staff person ever.
November 7, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone not believing the McCain camp's Palin claims need only re-watch the Couric interview to see not only her ignorance but her ability to lie and spin and the feeling that she can get away with anything (excessive shopping just to get something for nothing) as long as it's followed by a giggle a wink and a smile.
LIEBERMAN's chairmanship would already be gone if left up to the dem voters. If, as he 'claims', it was all a matter of "conscience", then he would still in good "conscience" caucus with the dems even if he lost his chairmanship as he has always done in the past.
Is he saying that removing his chairmanship would also make him lose his conscience and make him vote with republicans. Sounds like a senator up for sale who completely lacks integrity...from dem to independent to republican??? We really don't want anything to do with this guy and Reid should be done with him after he tried to keep Obama from being president. He should be put in the corner and shunned immediately without his chair.
HEALTHCARE: What charge...what plan etc. That should be easy as we are already set up with a proven efficient and cost effective program that could easily be expanded for all IF Obama is truly wanting national healthcare for all that is affordable. It's called Medicare and could be expanded for all within 3mos.. LOST JOBS: Let people in the healthcare ins industry transfer over to the Medicare industry. ANY OTHER SYSTEM IS GOING TO KEEP COST UP TO PAY FOR CORPORATE PROFITS AND CEO BONUSES ETC.. Also, their lobbyists will be out there with donations to get legislators to to pass laws to increase their profiteering at our expense. Is Obama going to act like Uncle Sam and end the profiteering off our health care...or is he going to act like a slave to corporate masters whose lobbyists have been writing our health care policies for their own benefit throwing milions in donations and promises of future jobs for congress people and their families.
Never has the decision been more clear than in national health care ins. PROFETEERING CORPORATIONS or THE PEOPLE. It's one or the other...it can't be a little less profiteering because we all know that won't last. Time to decide Obama.
WE ARE NOT A CENTER RIGHT NATION: but our elected leaders try to govern as if we were. All the polls show that on the issues we are collectively progressive liberal yet many are uncomfortable using that term because it's been demonized by the right. Obama ( "the most liberal dem in the senate-ha) was a clear mandate that we are not center right...because he was "overwhelmingly" voted to be president. Seems old dogs can't accept the new wave of liberalism without their shock collars zapping them.
After we hear Obama's plans for our country's future we, the landslide voting public, need to make our plans public to Obama so he's clear on what we want too.
November 7, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink