Possible People in an Obama Administration
According to the New York Times, Barack Obama is already forming an administration. Furthermore, a draft of his inauguration speech has, the Times says, already been written.
Although some may call that prematurely or even arrogant, I think that the arrogance or prematurely criticism is useless. What matters is that Obama is indeed likely to win and that it is, therefore, interesting to look at some of the people who may play an important role in the administration of America’s 44th president.
Here’s a list with some names:
Chief of staff: former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, former Commerce Secretary William M. Daley, former Clinton White House chief of staff John Podesta, Obama’s Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse.
Treasury secretary: president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Timothy F. Geithner, former Federal Reserve chief Paul A. Volcker, former Treasury Secretaries Robert E. Rubin and Lawrence H. Summers.
Defense secretary: Current Defense secretary Robert M. Gates.
Veterans affairs secretary: Current Veterans affairs secretary Dr. James B. Peake
Although these are only a couple of names, they are reasonably encouraging for those who hope that an Obama administration will be reasonably moderate. It would mean that at least one, possibly more Republicans will have a seat at the table after Republicans lose the elections for Congress and the White House, and that moderate conservatives may be taken seriously.
If true, a hopeful sign indeed.
Of course, it could also be spin in order to influence public opinion positively and thereby convincing people that Obama will not pursue as many liberal policies as some fear. That too has to be kept in mind.
Also: it seems that liberal bloggers are less positively impressed by the list than me, although others seem reasonably neutral, believing, for one thing, that a possible McCain administration will be horrific.
Why not mention the names mentioned for a possible McCain administration? He’s not going to win. Obama will win, I believe, and all election news should be covered as such; it’s time to look beyond November 4.
I don’t think it’s spin. As far as I remember, Obama’s had nothing but praise for the job Gates is doing.
But he’s not going to change the presidential seal, correct?
Susan, you’re right that McCain has to be more careful in how he handles Obama – the Clintons’ demise demonstrates that clearly.
But I think that reining in your seemingly pathological hatred of Obama would be a good idea. Like it or not, his election is almost certain and we all have to get through the next 4 years, preferably in peace.
I agree with Susan that Obama is largely a confection created by the press and wishful thinking by right-brained softies and gullible females. Obama is a consummate opportunist and the ultra-left bias of the media [except for talk radio] in the US has sold the country a bill of shoddy goods.
I did consultative work and production for all three networks plus PBS in the eighties and the prevailing vibe was completely left-wing Democrat with an abiding hatred of Reagan and family/religious values in general. The situation has devolved into active agitprop on behalf of the Dems, since all pretense of journalistic values has disappeared.