Obama Transition or Looking for Mr Change
Comments have been expressed that based on actions taken by President-elect Obama’s transition team the campaign slogans of change or change you can believe in were nothing more than that, slogans. This would be in keeping with related commentary that mystery man Barack Obama presents a wide range of unknowns for anyone attempting to predict the agenda or path to be taken starting in late January 2009.
Those supporting the new President-elect most heartily urge others to withhold judgment at least until his first official day in office. But that may be the only urging his support can muster as nothing since the election suggests an Obama Administration will be change outside of the fact that President Bush will be leaving office and Barack Obama will be entering.
The report below states Napolitano, picked by Obama for Homeland Security, has been praised for her efforts related to that job. A little more detail might make that statement useful. And mention of what the Governor’s own website states would be expected to be positive. And advocating for the federal government to take responsibility for anything can be viewed as Governor-speak for the state does not want the expense so let federal tax dollars cover it.
Based on the nickname, Rhambo, it is not unrealistic to suggest a meeting between GOP leaders and Rahm Emanuel may be nothing more than the new Chief of Staff dictating how things will go if Emanuel has anything to say abou it and he probably will.
Selecting Tom Daschle for HHS chief appears to contradict the Obama claims of ousting lobbyists from politics since Daschle and his whole family seem to be involved in the activity. And there is the addition to current equations of Congressional Democrats trying to convince Hillary Clinton to remain in the Senate. One suggested offer has her leading a working group for health care. With Daschle as HHS and dealing with health care, any inclusion of Hillary in the mix would suggest there will no success on that front in the foreseeable future.
That leaves one more Clintonista in this report, Gregory Craig, who assisted former President Bill Clinton through troubled waters. Does that mean Obama is planning ahead for expected troubles as President? Probably not, but the addition of more former Clinton Administration ‘employees’ gives support to the notion little will ‘change’ with an Obama Administration.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
20 November 2008 |
Democratic Party sources say U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has picked Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano to lead the department of homeland security.
Napolitano presides over a southwest border state and has been praised for her handling of immigration and homeland security issues. The governor’s Web site says Napolitano is a national voice in calling for the federal government to take responsibility for securing the nation’s borders.
Sources say the Democratic governor was selected pending the results of a vetting process.
The Cabinet negotiations are expected to continue as Mr. Obama holds private meetings in the midwestern U.S. city of Chicago Thursday.
In Washington, incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is to meet with Congressional Republican leaders to discuss how best to work together. Emanuel has said Mr. Obama plans to govern in a bipartisan fashion during his term in office.
In other Cabinet selections, Democratic officials say Mr. Obama’s pick for the Department of Health and Human Services, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, has accepted the job.
The Obama transition team has not confirmed the report, but did say the South Dakota Democrat will lead a team of health policy advisors.
Separately, there is still speculation that Mr. Obama’s former Democratic rival for the White House, Senator Hillary Clinton, will join his Cabinet as secretary of state.
Reports say her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will submit to an extensive ethics review if Senator Clinton is nominated as the top U.S.
diplomat.
Mr. Obama’s transition team has also announced the appointment of Gregory Craig as White House counsel. Craig served as special council and lawyer to former President Clinton during Mr. Clinton’s impeachment proceedings.