Obama must harness team of giants (with giant egos)

[Jennicut]

"Barack Obama's picks for Cabinet and other senior posts are many things: centrists, veterans, rivals. Most of all, though, they're big: Big names, big intellects and big egos.

The president-elect's national security and economic policy teams, inside the White House and out, will be led by power politics veterans, all but one of them older than the president-elect, and all accustomed to being the most important voice in the room.

While official announcements and Senate confirmations await, it appears that on national security decisions, Obama will have a team of heavyweights: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Vice President Joe Biden, retired four-star Marine Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser, and four-star Gen. David Petraeus as chief of U.S. Central Command.

His economic team is of similar stature: new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will find his rival for the job, Larry Summers, in the White House, while former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker will also be in the mix as head of a new economic recovery advisory board.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel seems unlikely to be shy about his views in either arena.

The choices have been widely praised, with even critics such as Karl Rove and the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board saluting Obama for surrounding himself with some of the most talented and highly regarded figures in American public life. Democrats have celebrated
the sheer muscle Obama has assembled to push through his agenda.

Obama has encouraged comparisons between his governing team and Abraham Lincoln's Cabinet, which included several of his Republican rivals. But Obama's is less a team of rivals than a team of giants — and his best and brightest will inevitably jostle up against one another, as some rise and others fall within an administration that has ambitious goals but limited resources."

http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_11096945


I think Barack will be able to bring them all together, he was a community organizer, after all. Despite Phalin's attitude towards them, community organizers are good at bringing a consensus to many different types of view.

[mkultra]

1. Hillary will be there to guide them

[BeFree]

2. He's gonna need all of them

And if there is much disunity the administration will fail.

There are many enemies of this administration waiting to launch attacks. They really hurt Clinton and showed no remorse in so doing. These people are plain evil and they will not just sit back and watch the liberals run government away from the present course of war, debts, and greater income gaps. They may have been beat in the election, but that was just a bump in their road.

[mkultra]

3. Hillary is a fighter

thats why shes SOS

[NYC_SKP]

4. No, Obama will be there to guide her and the others in his cabinet.

He won, he will be the president.

She might become the SOS and, if so, she will serve at his pleasure and be answerable to him.

We all hope, if she has a role, that all will get along well, but let's keep things in perspective.

"Guiding them", is not in the SOS job description.

[AtomicKitten]

5. Exactly. The Clinton First hubris is barking today.

[mkultra]

6. that dog barks only for one man

and that mans name is "Truth"

[AtomicKitten]

8. you betcha - and it will be told

regardless of resistance

[mkultra]

10. im glad you finally agree with me.

[jrockford]

18. ...

What did she do for you to deserve such odd loyalty? Your non-substance statements are like listening to Hannity praise GWB.

The man's name is truth she barks for. What?? :eyes:

[mkultra]

21. your statements, have substance

SUBSTANCE ABUSE! HAHAHHAHAHA OWNED!

[Grateful for Hope]

7. Exactly right

Sounds like some are already trying to inflate her importance in the new administration.

Obama was overwhelmingly elected as our new president, and, as you say, she will serve "at his pleasure and be answerable to him" should she become SoS.

[AtomicKitten]

9. it's preemptive revisionist history

[Grateful for Hope]

13. I think you are right

I never got involved with any of the primary wars in this forum, and, only really started reading the forum after Biden was announced. It was actually pretty exciting here then and up to the election...with all the polling info, etc., and, everyone seemed to be on the same side.

This newest development is a shame. It's obvious that Hillary is a polarizing figure, and, I really don't know why, but, it does sound to me that there are some who still think she should be president instead of Obama, and, I think these same people will inflate her importance, despite what the reality actuality will be.

[mkultra]

11. thats correct

he will be president and she will be the head of state. All decision will run through her. This is pretty elementary stuff here guys.

[Grateful for Hope]

14. She will be SoS

not, Head of State. This has recently been pointed out in this forum a number of times. Obama will be Head of State. You are a very confused individual.

Have a good one.

[mkultra]

15. i think its also been pointed out that SOS is equal to the head of state

thanks, i just had a good one. Sorry yours is now bad.

[Grateful for Hope]

16. Pleasant dreams....

dream on.

[jrockford]

19. Wow. Did you agree with Palin about expanding VP Powers too?

SOS is = to Head of State? Have you ever taken a political science course?

Head of State is President, Prime Minister, King, Queen, etc. Not a cabinet member who serves at the head of state's pleasure.

You are something else. Desperately want HRC to have power, to the point well you'll usurper it the way Palin was talking about expanding VP powers.

[mkultra]

20. your obviuosly a sexist

its clear by the way you jump to Palin. Here is my link to the internet, its where i get my info. You should try it.

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"

[jrockford]

17. oh I'm glad, 'cause when I cast my vote for Obama, I was really hoping for HRC to be the guide...

:eyes:

[Lil Missy]

12. And I'm sure that team of giants and egos will be easier to harness than the exploding heads in GDP.