David Brooks (NYT) expresses praise for Obama's cabinet but says it shows a Centrist Admin

[TeamJordan23]

Editorial
The Insider’s Crusade

By DAVID BROOKS
Published: November 21, 2008

As a result, the team he has announced so far is more impressive than any other in recent memory. One may not agree with them on everything or even most things, but a few things are indisputably true.

First, these are open-minded individuals who are persuadable by evidence. Orszag, who will probably be budget director, is trusted by Republicans and Democrats for his honest presentation of the facts.

Second, they are admired professionals. Conservative legal experts have a high regard for the probable attorney general, Eric Holder, despite the business over the Marc Rich pardon.

Third, they are not excessively partisan. Obama signaled that he means to live up to his postpartisan rhetoric by letting Joe Lieberman keep his committee chairmanship.

Fourth, they are not ideological. The economic advisers, Furman and Goolsbee, are moderate and thoughtful Democrats. Hillary Clinton at State is problematic, mostly because nobody has a role for her husband. But, as she has demonstrated in the Senate, her foreign-policy views are hardheaded and pragmatic. (It would be great to see her set of interests complemented by Samantha Power’s set of interests at the U.N.)

Finally, there are many people on this team with practical creativity. Any think tanker can come up with broad doctrines, but it is rare to find people who can give the president a list of concrete steps he can do day by day to advance American interests. Dennis Ross, who advised Obama during the campaign, is the best I’ve ever seen at this, but Rahm Emanuel also has this capacity, as does Craig and legislative liaison Phil Schiliro.

Believe me, I’m trying not to join in the vast, heaving O-phoria now sweeping the coastal haut-bourgeoisie. But the personnel decisions have been superb. The events of the past two weeks should be reassuring to anybody who feared that Obama would veer to the left or would suffer self-inflicted wounds because of his inexperience. He’s off to a start that nearly justifies the hype.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/opinion/21brooks.html

[babylonsister]

1. Holy mackeral. High praise indeed. Props to Brooks. Major props to PE Obama. :) nt

[tblue]

2. I have no interest in pleasing David Brooks.

I'll make my own judgment of Obama's cabinet. I don't need a rightwinger of any stripe weighing in. Thank you for the post, though. I'm sure it gives a lot of so-called conservatives comfort to hear Obama's got this guy's stamp of approval.

[lessthanjake1234]

5. If Obama can get moderate Republicans' stamp of approval

Then he will become extremely popular. Popular presidents get their agenda passed. Obama's agenda is progressive. Therefore, this is good.

[EFerrari]

3. Cool. David Brooks is stoked.

lol

[BzaDem]

4. Hahaha -- Hillary as SOS + Samantha Powers at UN

:rofl:

[FrenchieCat]

6. That could be a good balance. I love Samantha Power......

She'd be great at the U.N.

I can only wish.

[BzaDem]

7. She probably would be. But in that case, she wouldn't like her future boss very much.

Something about calling her a monster and getting canned for it.

[FrenchieCat]

8. A lot of people said a whole lot of things.....

I'd suggest that Hillary Clinton emulates the example set by her possible boss; forgiveness and grace.

[BzaDem]

10. Oh, I hope and suspect so.

I don't think Hillary would have a problem. But I don't think Samantha Powers said what she said to help her candidate in a campaign (e.g. Bill Burton talking about how Clinton wasn't change). I think it was more of her view than anyone elses', and that she really believed it. If that is true (and I could be wrong), I think it might be hard for Powers to work for someone she so distrusts and dislikes. But hopefully both will let bygones be bygones.

[democracy1st]

K & R great article thanks for posting

[democracy1st]

9. K & R great article thanks for posting

[Demeter]

11. True, They AREN'T Bushbots! How Refreshing. Where Was Brooks These Past 8 Years?

Being a good little Republican? Sitting on his mouth and hands to keep the disapproval to himself?

Or praising the Idiot and his appointees?

[No Elephants]

16. Knowing which side generates his income. I trust Brooks as far as I can throw him and William

Buckley.

[mmonk]

12. It will be an Obama administration and he will decide

the political lean, Mr. Brooks's opinion noted.

[craiga86]

13. I saw him in a lecture 2 days ago in Jacksonville

He is actually very funny and very reasonable. He doesn't hide his beliefs in that he's a conservative who's in love with the Reagan years, but he doesn't buy into all the smearing and Republican talking points like many of the pundits who claim to be conservatives. He's actually very knowledgable. That was actually one of the better lectures I've been to.

[cali]

14. Actually it doesn't say anything of the sort.

I think it says that Obama is one cagey son of a gun who knows the best way to push his ambitious and largely liberal agenda is NOT TO BE PORTRAYED AS A RAGING LIBERAL, and one component of that is to appoint people who are not perceived as raging liberals.

[No Elephants]

15. Okay, no way I can prove this, but I suspect both Brooks and Will

ended up voting for Obama. Not that they won't eviscerate him whenever they see an opening, but I don't think either of them could bring himself to vote for McCain-Palin after watching McCain "handle" the economic crisis, soon after seeing him choose Palin to be a 72 year old heartbeat away from the Presidency. And, no, Joe the Plumber would not have don it for either of them either.

[No Elephants]

17. BTW, portraying Obama as centrist, maybe even just a tad right of center, is part of the

Pub survival strategy. They are not going to believe, or let anyone else believe, that Obama's victory over Clinton and McCain indicate that America is a left of center nation.

[Demeter]

18. Doubt That Strategy Will Work for Them

Because Obama WILL make large and beneficial socioeconomic network changes, and then the GOPpers will be shown to be swimming naked, again.