click BHO to enlarge [painting by Jack Brummet]
By Pablo Fanque,
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
I am as happy as the next person, hopeful, excited, and re-energized,--exhilarated even--over the prospect of our new President. I love the man and what he stands for, but there have been some disturbing snafus lately. . .violence in Pepperland, so to speak.
"I love you, man!"
Not only does Barack Obama suck at choosing ministers (notably the Reverends Wright and Rick Warren), but he has performed a few pratfalls with his cabinet as well. Obviously the upcoming Obama Administration got caught with their pants down on the failed Bill Richardson nomination (which was just a consolation prize for being passed over for SoS in any case), and now it seems as though his nominee for Treasury secretary is in trouble as well. Not deep trouble perhaps (about which, more later), but trouble nonetheless [1].
One question I have for the transition team: did you bother to read and vet any of the 64 page "job applications" you required of all incoming senior staff members? It seems like none of the other prospective Cabinet Members had to undergo anything like the microscopic vetting Senator Clinton endured. Or did you spend all your time on that application and cross your fingers on the rest?
Timothy Geithner had a nanny problem, similar to the one that disqualified Zoe Baird eight years ago, as well as several years of underpaying taxes, some of which were discovered by Obama's vetting team, and some later, by a Senate committee.
Luckily for Geithner, and Barack Obama, he will probably be confirmed sometime in February. Why, you ask? As it turns out--and this comes from people on both sides of the aisle--we have no choice! Geithner is virtually only person in the world who actually understands the whole bailout, and the banks involved, since he is one of its chief architects. He would probably still be confirmed even if someone discovered a terabyte of kiddie porn on his hard drive! As it is he will not be confirmed by opening day--the guy we need more than almost anyone to hit the ground running. Hillary Clinton survived her mild grilling and will be confirmed right around inauguration day. She also has her hands full, but at least she will be able to begin work immediately.
Finally, we must consider the Blagojevich matter. Obama's "campaign's" first statements about his and his aides communication with Blagojevich were feeble at best and misleading, or worse, at worst. We know he was not involved, but they attempted to cover it up in any case. Does this remind you of any previous President?
This really makes me wonder about the wisdom of choosing Rahm Emmanuel as the White House Chief of Staff. At the first whiff of trouble, Rahm immediately raised the power shields around Obama, and began what almost smacked of Nixonian-Haldeman evasions and bobs and weaves. I get that Obama needs a strong CoS. . .but what he most explicitly does not need is a Haldeman style Iron Curtain drawn between the White House and The People to whom Obama promised something entirely different.
[1] Did BHO never read A.E. Housman's Eastern Hymn? Excerpt:
The thoughts of others
Were light and fleeting,
Of lovers meeting
Or luck or fame;
Mine were of trouble
And mine were steady,
So I was ready
When trouble came.
Recent, related articles on All This Is That:
http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com/2009/01/obamas-first-f-upbill-richardson.html
http://jackbrummet.blogspot.com/2009/01/in-defense-of-ignorancebarack-obama.html
The League of SuperPresidents ® Power Breakfast
Another One Bites The Dust: Demo Governor Blagojevich of Illinois arrested for trying to sell Obama's Senate Seat
BFF: Best Friends Forever? Hillary and Barack start down the road of world affairs
Senator "Crazy" Joe Lieberman lives to see another day
Barack Obama: "Off to a good start" says Republican leader
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