Back in June, when Barack Obama chose the man he wanted to vette his potential candidates for vice president, his choice had to quit within days over his involvment in a scandal involving improper loans from Countrywide at a time when the mortgage crisis was just becoming apparent. Since then Bill Richardson had to withdraw as the nominee for Commerce Secretary over an FBI investigation into improper use of PAC contributions, Geithner had to ride out the revelations that he hadn't paid $36,000 in back taxes (not a good thing for a Secretary of the Treasury), and now Tom Daschle has to deal with a tax issue before his own confirmation hearings.None of this bodes well for Obama or the country or the Democrats since it reveals a pattern of, not just sloppiness which is bad enough, but in keeping with the entire conduct of the Democratic primaries and convention, it reveals an arrogance and willingness among certain people to disregard not just rules of conduct but laws.
The latest embarrassment has come today now that Nancy Killefer, another Obama appointee who was introduced with much fanfare whose job was going to be scrub the federal budget line by line to get rid of waste has withdrawn her name from consideration with no reason given.
It is probably not going to stop.It is this pattern of sloppiness, and a not ready for prime time candidate that has been apparent with Obama from the beginning. And now that the New York Times editorial board is calling for Daschle to withdraw as one problematic cabinet choice too many, the bloom may be off the rose for those, the New York Times included, who blathered about Obama during the primaries about the change and high standards he supposedly represented.
The second pattern that has become apparent is that Obama has been, at least so far, and I expect this to continue, nothing more than what he has always been, a speech maker, not a policy maker, and for many not even a very good speech maker at that, though certainly many people who supported him did so as a result of his speeches,( including the New York Times) that many others considered silly and nonsensical.
It was reported last night on CNN that the current stimulus package has been forged by Democrats in the congress with virtually zero input from Obama. In other words he has absolutely nothing to with what's in it and a spokesman for Obama acknowledged that. This might the reason we see Obama shuttling back and forth from meetings with Democrats to meetings with Republicans where he comes out and says the thinks the Republicans have some good ideas ( I for one agree -- I've heard a lot more good ideas and ideas that make sense coming from the Republicans than I do the Democrats).and then has to go back and try to get the Democrats to drop aspects of the bill the Republicans won't support, then go back to the Republicans with the new version.
In other words, everything is off to a bad start for Obama and the Democrats. Yes Obama signed an order to close Guantanamo within a year, and reversed some Bush Administration abuses by Executive Order but it should be pointed out that Obama has so far ducked the single most important Executive Order he could issue -- reversing Bush's ban on stem cell research and his comment that he wants to leave it to Congress is pure Obama -- if its controversial why stick his political neck out? Let the Congress pass a law and he'll sign it when he could simply reverse the Bush ban himself with the stroke of a pen.
With all of the cabinet level embarrassments in the vetting process occurring on a daily basis and Republican rejection of the stimulus bill ( and for some very good reasons). Obama has lost all traction and if it continues, Obama's statement the other day that if the stimulus doesn't work his will be a one term presidency could be Obama laying the groundwork for yet another pattern fulfilling itself - the one where once elected, Obama doesn't get much done and is on to the next thing.
NOTE: Since the posting this morning, Daschle has withdrawn his name as HHS Secretary, the third Obama nominee to have to withdraw their name and the fourth high ranking Obama appointment to have had questionable tax, ethical or legal problems to answer for in the first two weeks of his administration.
And this from the candidate both he and his supporters said was ready to be President on day one. Maybe he was ready on day one. But what about the other 1,459 days?
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11 comments:
They are letting a novice to run the country. How embarrassing that is!!!
Awesome post, Marc. I've also been realizing that O has brought to the WH the same attitude he held during his former life, but was able to hide quite successfully. Cheat? No big deal. Winning the game is what it is about.
I've been amazed at how open O has become since assuming presidency. Mocking schools for closing one day (Obama is from Chicago). Axelrod saying OO is hot enough to grow orchids 'cause Obama is from Hawaii.
Guess he feels comfortable now. But the tide is turning.
I always believed all those super delgates who supported him during the primaries were black mailed into it one way or the other. We continue to see evidents of it comming out now. Once they don't need them any more, that it. They will be exposed
I am praying that Blagojevich tells his story. He was not "allowed" to subpeona witnesses at his impeachment hearing and so the testimony of Rahm Emanuel, Dick Durbin and others who KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN what was going on in Illinois was conveniently missing from the impeachment. As an Illinois resident, I like Blago now more than I did during his tenure in office, as he was railroaded and made the fall guy for the massive corruption going on in Illinois which was where Obama learned all the tricks of his trade. Perhaps Blago will still name names and some heads will roll. We shall see.
In the meantime, Obama has a knack for picking people who "bend the rules" as he does, but it looks like the media is not covering up for anyone's transgressions except Obama. Maybe the MSM will come to its senses and actually report the news where Obama is concerned, but I doubt it. But as you so aptly put it, there are still 1450 or so days left to go. There is lots of time for the kool-aid to wear off. Maybe that is the real definition of HOPE and CHANGE.
Obama since taking office is striking me as altogether too casual and by turns too honest. He's not the cheerleader for the economy one might expect. As you say, there is no evidence of a latent Hillary-like policy wonk waiting to emerge. This is why the markets haven't picked up yet - He touts a spending bill while saying the 'economy is bound to get worse'. Smacks of Jimmy Carter's 'malaise'. We all know that staying positive in down times is at least a partial solution for pulling through.
And I can't shake the notion that at least some of his noms were put up only to go down in flames. Richardson and Dashcle can't say Obama didn't reward their loyalty. Now they can sink quietly into the night like all the others he's thrown under the bus. Then again, maybe the Clinton's are working their magic behind the scenes. Either way Obama is looking ineffectual -- he doesn't inspire CONFIDENCE. The markets attest to that!
Keep writing, Marc. We hang on every word!
BRAVO, BRAVO Marc.
The democrats are looking more like republicans every day.
And I am starting to listen to the republicans with a more open ear. That is frightening. But I don't think the democrats of today are who they were in BC's day.
I am appalled at the level of casualness Obama has taken the presidency- and this poor vetting process-
I am at a l oss for words.
Thankfully, scribes like Marc are able to articulate my dumbfoundedness.
"Now they can sink quietly into the night like all the others he's thrown under the bus."
Clunka clunka clunka.....
FRESH DEMOCRAT SALSA -
FRESH FROM UNDER THE BUS!
You've forgotten about Valerie Jarrett, Penny Pritzker, Jessie Jackson Jr, and John Brennan (CIA Director) withdrawing their names from consideration as well.
The saving grace here, as you note, is that Obama appears to be the only one being protected by the media. Eventually this has to catch up to him.
What about zillion-page vetting application that all who wanted to worship at the feet of the Big ZerO had to fill out? So many losers seem to have been slipping through.
I wonder if these documents were notarized as truthful? Any criminal issues with lying on a government application?
ZerO and Friends probably put the forms in a circular file and never read them.
I think President Obama should keep on nominating tax evaders. At least the government is recovering some back taxes. This can turn out to be one effective way to bring in the much needed revenue for Uncle Sam.
Sadly, all of this was predictable. The Dems selected a neophyte for office with a history of dubious associations that no one (not the party nor the press vetted, including some very serious and convincing research that suggests that Ayers is actually the ghost writer of Obama's book) and the electorate bought it hook, line and sinker thanks to the mainstream media's reporting. However, I can't feel glib about this since the issues we're facing are so dreadfully serious and we have a baby in the White House who has no clue. Per the first comment, I wish it were only embarrassing. But, it's far more than that. We're facing national security issues that no one is addressing while in the midst of a massive economic crisis. I hope we live through the next four years to usher in something better. Meanwhile, if we want to, best to get to work NOW, taking action when and where you can, becoming involved with a political party, supporting good people running for office, or perhaps running for office yourself. All-the-while, bombard your elected officials with what's on your mind, with a threat to withhold your vote on election day depending upon on how they vote.
Anna
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