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Staffing Up
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Jerry Seib, Assistant Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal, discusses the progress of the Obama transition and cabinet appointments.
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A good lawyer isn’t supposed to ask a question unless he knows the answer in advance. Obama shouldn’t have asked Hillary to be Secy of State unless he was 99.99% sure of her answer. Obama’s team showed real incompetence by letting this story leak w/o having a plan to deal with Bill’s conflict of interests minefield. They’ve painted Obama into a corner: If Hillary says no, Obama incurs the wrath of millions of her supporters.
Obama should not have seriously considered Hillary as Secty of State until he had got assurances that Bill Clinton's current global activities would not cause a conflict of interest with his foreign policy. Its not just about Hillary and Obama but Bill too.
I think Hillary would be a brilliant Secretary of State. But I would be sad to see her leave her senate seat. And wouldn't it make a future presidential run less likely?
seth,
I happen to think it's a no lose situation.
He made the "offer", if she takes it most people will be happy - "she's qualified", "she deserves it." It's an example of the O admin's policy above personal approach (Lieberman, McCain) and Bill is marginalized via his vetting.
If she doesn't, he made the offer which was gracious, he gets to pick someone his anti-HRC people are more at ease with, the pro-HRC crowd will embarrass themselves complaining about how everything is so unfair... and Bill will be marginalized by how he, yet again, made it difficult for Hil to move onward and upward.
By the way, I loved your choice of Michael Scheuer for head of the CIA.
People on the left don't think Rahm Emanuel is a centerist, they think he's a conservative.
I feel Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State would be a disaster for both the Obama administration and the American public. She has never disavowed her vote for the Iraq war because she agrees with the view that the US can and should function as a "benevolent hegemon". She would sabotage his government from within, most likely in her ambition to run in 2012, and would further militarize our approach to the Middle East; And then there is Bill's foundation - transparency does not preclude conflict of interest. It is time the Clintons stepped aside, and allowed the Democratic Party freedom... They have had their day in power.
clinton one and two were great for me. looking forward to clinton three.
I was a Hillary supporter and how dare your callers call all of the people that worked for Clinton tainted! All of the people that Obama is leaning towards have the experience that he lacks! Don't be naive.
I'd be very worried about a power struggle in an Obama cabinet if Clinton were included, specially in a pre-eminent role like Secretary of State. In a crisis especially, it would pose the danger of tension between the President and the chief of foreign policy. This would be all the more likely because Bill Clinton has taken such a vigorous role in his wife's political activity. He doesn't give the impression of an ex-president who is ready to let go of a global presence.
So far, Obama has picked a bunch of tough SOBs from the Clinton White House. I have not seen any 'change' yet. If he picks Gov. Howard Dean to join his team - I will be impressed.
How about this...
Rather than worrying about whether or not O's hires worked in the last Democratic administration why don't we discuss whether or not they are QUALIFIED!
The litany of severe problems that the country faces at home and abroad demands a certain amount of experience.
Take it easy people! Jeez!
A true agent of change needs experienced hands on the levers to move the machine. If Obama has shown anything, he has shown his ability to focus many disparate opinions to effect his agenda.
Thomas Friedman makes an excellent point in the paper this morning: Hillary C. does not speak for Obama -- her own views are not his and both are well known -- so she would not be effective as a diplomat
Considering the state of our economy and foreign relations, Obama needs qualified and experienced individuals to fill his cabinet, irrespective of their having served in the Clinton administration.
Lets not confuse Bill's personal failings with his former staffers talents and ability to excel in these critical assignments.
I voted for Obama and expect him to use the best he can find.
I don't like Hillary for anything too close or too powerful near Obama. I can't imagine her working under him in anything but bad faith, whether she means to or not. I feel she'd be an under-miner.
While many of our current problems may attributable to policies of the current administration, others may be at least partially rooted in policies of earlier administrations, including the Clinton administration.
By mining the Clinton Era assets, does the Obama transition team risk putting folks who made mistakes a decade ago back in position to make more of the same mistakes?
Recycling people through government does not change anything. Let's get fresh faces in these pisitions. Particularly those who have no ax to grind. I would like to make myself available for the top spot in the Department of Education.
Hey. I think Obama knows what he's doing. How about showing some faith in his decision process. If he did ask Hilary for Sec'y of State then it's because he anticipates what kind of job she could do. I have hope for the best.
Fact Check:
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/11/14.php
There are a lot of not very reputable sources pointing to a Jerry Seib interview on the Diane Rehm Show (American University Radio) as the instance in which he said Bush and Cheney would be prosecuted for war crimes. If you actually listen to the audio, he says nothing of the sort.
And yes, I agree, he had to offer her something, and if she declines to accept, it's no skin off his nose. The Hillary people can have her back.
And don't be ridiculous -- Hillary in charge of healthcare? Didn't she already fail? Who asks a failure to try again?
For that matter, this is why I don't like Colin Powell for anything either -- he caved. And he caved big time. I don't want any cavers near Obama. Powell may be a good friend and adviser as an independent voice, but not in the cabinet surrounded by people who can put pressure on him again.
#4 AWM,
Thanks for the compliment (I wish Obama did have the vision to bring in Michael Scheuer).
The most impt thing is for Obama to wrap this story up already. It's dragging on far too long.
The cable news shows are talking this story to death and I'm sick and tired of hearing the pundits mindlessly pontificate on the pros and cons Hillary has to offer.
The Palestinian problem is the key to every thing in the Middle East. Hillary will not be seen as neutral and an honest broker because she is too close to AIPAC. Real change requires that we become less militant and recognize the Palestinian people do have legitimate rights.
seth,
We both know that the pundon'ts don't have anything better to do. I'm sure their pay scale is related to how many times they say something that is cited or quoted on the internet.
I don't know if O lacks the vision to hire Scheuer, he doesn't have the luxury of making any moves that are percieved as controversial, especially in the area of national security.
Scheuer has not been a shrinking violet as far as the media is concerned. He would probably turn him down anyway.
#23 AWM from UWS,
I understand the idea of hiring a lot of Clinton people because they have the necessary experience.
However, I'd like to see Obama show some boldness of vision with some of his picks ie- Stephen Cohen for Amb to Russia, Orville Schell for Amb to China, Flynnt Leverett for Natl Security Adviser, Ed Markey for FCC Commissioner.
seth,
I want people who are intelligent, qualified, inspired and realistic.
I just want people who will, collectively, be able to come up with the most constructive ideas, free from the restraints of ideology, and apply them effectively and pragmatically.
And to whoever will become a part of the next administration, you've inherited an unprecedented mess... good luck, you're gonna need it.
Did anyone see the comment Rahm Enamuel's father made about arabs? The quote is: "“Obviously he’ll influence the president to be pro-Israel. Why wouldn’t he? What is he, an Arab? He’s not going to be mopping floors at the White House." When is this going to stop? If you replace Arab with any other ethnic group, everyone would know about it and would be outraged! Obama should make it clear (as Colin Powell did) that this type of behavior should stop, now.
Mrs. Clinton may be a good fit if one only considers her qualifications, but her combative personality would not. As Mr. Friedman says, someone like James Baker would be better at carrying through Mr. Obama's political agenda and upholding his more open attitude towards relations with other states(too bad he is a Republican, and not a feasible choice, but he was an excellent Secretary of State).
People of the left think Rahm's a conservative? Which people? What is the left?
Rahm E. appologized formally for the insult that his father levied on Arabs.
Why are people so worried about what people are "near Obama?" I don't think he's that fragile. Indeed, he seems willing to have a staff of strong personalities that will probably argue with one another. And he'll watch to see what policy comes forth. I think it shows a lot of guts on his part.
And if people are worried about past political wars then lets put the James Baker idea to bed. Or did we forget FL 2000?
AWM, agreed about the pundits. I think they all have crushes on Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. It's either one or the other all the time.
Here's hoping that Obama and Hillary appear at a presser before Thanksgiving where she'll formally be named Secy of State.
She wasn't my choice - I preferred Bill Richardson, Wes Clark, or Richard Holbrooke; but Obama can't afford to blank off the Hillary diehards again after passing on her for VP.
Having the clueless cable windbags drone on about Bill Clinton's financial dealings thru the Thanksgiving holliday isn't in Obama's interests.
Obama's people and Clinton's people need to lock themselves in a room and get this conflict of interests biz wrapped the heck up.
The nation has big probs and the incoming admin can't afford to waste so much time on this Clinton vetting blank.
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