Hopefully the enthusiastic interest over the election will roll over into interest in his Presidency. Even though he's not sworn in, it's time for him to get to work. In this time of turmoil, what should be the first priorities? What do you hope get's going first?

So is he going to push the liberal agenda? I'm sure Pelosi and Reid have a to-do list to get passed. Does BO just push it through or does he work across the aisle and make sure the Repubs concerns are in the new bills?

Where will his tax increases really be? 250, 150, 120?

It will be very interesting going forward.

BTW...Colin Powell will be his Sec of State?

lol@liberal agenda.

lol@you if you don't think there is a conservative or liberal agenda.

http://i.abcnews.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6188783&page=1

Obama's Priority: Chief of Staff, Treasury Secretary
Obama Starts Shaping His Team, Offers Rahm Emanuel Top Spot

By MARK MOONEY
Nov. 5, 2008

The jubilant crowd of an estimated quarter-million people had barely cleared out of the victory party in Chicago when President-elect Barack Obama (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6182036&page=1) began shaping his administration.
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/ap_rahm_081104_mn.jpg

President-elect Barack Obama has asked Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., seen here conferring with Obama in 2006, to serve as White House chief of staff.
(Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo)

Obama offered the job of chief of staff to Rep. Rahm Emanuel (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/11/obama-offers-ra.html), ABC News' Jake Tapper reported today.

Emanuel, a veteran of President Clinton's administration and a close political ally of Obama's from Chicago, hasn't immediately given his answer.
Obama likes that Emanuel knows policy, knows politics and knows Capitol Hill (http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2008/11/obamas-white-ho.html) and has told associates that he knows Emanuel will "have his back," ABC News' chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos said of the offer.

Pausing to Celebrate, Obama Looks Ahead

Obama didn't have time to savor his history-making victory (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6182036&page=1) over Republican John McCain (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6182813&page=1)that made him America's first black person to win the White House.

The Illinois senator amassed 338 electoral votes to McCain's 162, although three states -- Missouri, Indiana and North Carolina -- remain too close to project.

In a Rose Garden statement today, President Bush congratulated Obama on his "impressive" victory and noted the historic significance of electing the country's first black president.

"No matter how they cast their votes, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made," Bush said.

"It will be a stirring sight to watch Barack Obama; his wife, Michelle; and their two beautiful daughters step over the threshold of the White House," he said.

The president acknowledged "we are embarking on a period of change in Washington" and promised his "complete cooperation" in the transition in the next two months.

The sweeping triumph (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6181477&page=1), which included winning six states that had voted Republican in 2004, triggered euphoric crowds to turn out in Chicago, where Obama claimed his victory, as well as in New York City's Times Square and Harlem, and on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

By the time the dancing in the streets (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=6178926&page=1) had ended, names were being bandied over the airwaves about whom Obama would name to his Cabinet.
The president-elect has signaled that he will rely heavily on former members of Clinton's administration and that he intends to include several Republicans on his team.

Obama intends to quickly settle on a secretary of treasury (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6185247&page=1) to help bring stability to the country's shaky economy (http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Vote2008/story?id=6189129&page=1).

"If people think there is a direction, a vision, a plan that we're moving forward, you can change the psychology, help the markets to settle down," Clinton's former chief of staff Mack McLarty told "Good Morning America."
Timothy Geithner, president of New York's Federal Reserve Bank, and Larry Summers, the former treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, are believed to be the leading contenders.

He needs to fix Hip-Hop for one. That shit is just awful nowadays.

Dude, I was so trying to make Glenn's "It's finally over" thread into a good version of this thread.

He needs to fix Hip-Hop for one. That shit is just awful nowadays.


Done

:)

Dude, I was so trying to make Glenn's "It's finally over" thread into a good version of this thread.

Mods feel free to delete this. Lets go with the other one. my bad.

that other thread was just supposed to be about the healing of WTF, which seems to be going really well so far, btw

^ lol. FTR...I'm just messing around.

Glenn, can you bring the article I posted over here?

^ I know President Obama could.

We NEED an Obama smilie.

http://obama.gabrielmichael.com/obama-change-layout.jpg

Rahm is a good Dem. Good choice.

In this time of turmoil, what should be the first priorities? What do you hope get's going first?

Health care. It's an integral part of the jobs and employment picture as well as securing the economy against the next crisis when entitlements overwhelm the budget and make the credit crunch look like a picnic.

It's also one of the most politically difficult things to tackle and a good candidate for the honeymoon period when his political capital is at its highest.

lol@you if you don't think there is a conservative or liberal agenda.
LOL@you if you equate it to that. Stop being sour.

lol@you if you equate him to that.
alsoihavenoideawhatthatmeans

http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13426

Back on topic...

What's Hill's roll going to be going forward? Do we really think she'll just roll with BO on everything? Can she roll Reid out of the top spot? not gonna happen.

Time for lunch, i'm going to go have a roll.

Mz2jVe3AGaY

lol

I request a title change to 'Whatcha gonna do now? from BO going forward'

The few articles on BO's cabinet ideas so far all say he'll rely heavily on Clinton's former administration. Judging from his first appointment it looks like that was more than just a nod to get some points from her supporter base. Will that cause any internal power struggles in the future or is that a move to put him at the head of an already established Democratic Party power structure (is he co-opting the Clinton machine?)?

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he runs with SOME Repub items. Clinton did that and it worked out well. We'll see... Its not like Pelosi and Reids aprovals are anything but breaking records shitty. So good point fool.

And that'd be funny to co-opt the Clinton machine...WITHOUT THE CLINTONS.

I suspect that Hagel is going to get a significant appointment (if he wants it).

Barack will add a few Republicans to the mix, IMO.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2848911432_2b9bd7ecbb.jpg?v=0

Never gets old.

He is a cool cat, thats for sure. The most rattled I've ever seen him was during one of those Hillary debates.

I suspect that Hagel is going to get a significant appointment (if he wants it).
He never endorsed Obama, though, and his endorsement would've likely led to an EV out of Nebraska.

Somehow, I just don't see it.

Does BO step in and stop Harry from telling Lieberman to go fuck himself?

BO will prolly let that one go.

Does BO step in and stop Harry from telling Lieberman to go fuck himself?

BO will prolly let that one go.

Yeah, outside his bounds. Lieb's only chance was for the dems to hit 60 exactly, though Harry had always spoke glowingly of him and his votes besides foreign policy before the convention.

I do wonder how long they will continue to let Lieberman caucus with them and then run back over to the Republicans and tell them everything that was discussed.

One bad thing for Obama is if he struggles getting his plans off the ground within the first 100 days or so, he doesn't have a scapegoat to pin some blame on. There are absolutely no Republicans that can prevent him from doing things his way, so his margin of error is small.

Can't blame Bush. Can't blame the Senate or Congress. Can't blame Greenspan, Condoleezza, Paulsen, Cheney, or Scalia. You can only blame yourself.

I will be fascinated to watch this playout.

How many Democrats are going to be saying "What!?!? I didn't vote for this..."

You want him dead, so i'm sure you're fascinated with any scenario involving failure.

I hardly think that he's thining about who to blame right now.

That regime is on the way out in January.

This is great news, Gibbs is awesome and very funny/snarky.

I'll think he'll provide some excellent and entertaining press conferences and back and forth with the media.


Exclusive: Gibbs will be WH press secretary

Mike Allen – 2 hrs 1 min ago
POLITICO.com

Robert Gibbs, a top aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on his campaign and in his Senate office, will be named the White House press secretary, a top Democratic official said.

Gibbs was usually the senior official on Air Obama, the campaign plane. As communications director of Obama's Senate office, Gibbs was a key strategist in Obama's rapid move to the national stage.

Transition planning is still at an early stage and the job has not been formally offered or accepted, officials said.

The announcement is likely to be viewed favorably by reporters because Gibbs has unquestioned authority, access and institutional memory.

Gibbs — a 37-year-old native of Auburn, Ala. — became familiar to viewers during the campaign for his sunny steeliness during frequent appearances on morning shows and A-list cable news programs.

From his July promotion announcement: “Robert Gibbs, one of Senator Obama’s longest-serving and closest aides, has been elevated to Senior Strategist for Communications and Message, taking on a broader strategic portfolio for the Fall campaign while continuing to serve as senior communications aide travelling with Senator Obama.”

The "podium job" makes the White House press secretary instantly famous around the world as the face and voice of Washington.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2090/2166046702_7f6a81f1d8.jpg

lol

Yeah, outside his bounds. Lieb's only chance was for the dems to hit 60 exactly, though Harry had always spoke glowingly of him and his votes besides foreign policy before the convention.
It's still somewhat within Obama's bounds, until he and Biden help work out who their replacements in the Senate will be.

Lieberman was gambling on a Hillary win when he endorsed McCain, I'm sure.

It's still somewhat within Obama's bounds, until he and Biden help work out who their replacements in the Senate will be.

Lieberman was gambling on a Hillary win when he endorsed McCain, I'm sure.

kan u splain that a lil mor

Lieberman committed to McCain just before the Democratic primaries. I suspect he did so thinking that Hillary had the nomination in the bag. There's some bad blood between the two (part of why Lieberman was VP in 2000, in fact).

http://blogs.courant.com/bob_englehart/November72008.jpg

Oh. But I think he would went with JM even if he knew BO was the nominee, but thats just me.

But back to Lieberman and BO, I was thinking about BO in his early days when he was asked by one of the fixtures in Chicago politics to run for her spot cuz she was going to run for something else. He accepted. Her election was earlier than his, she lost, she came back and said, ok, go ahead and move aside, I'm going to run afterall. BO gave her the 'talk to the hand'

So I think the guy can be tough. Pelosi and Reid better not get ahead of themselves.

Anyone see that Obama named Granholm as one of his economic advisers?

I knew he was thinking about it, is it official now?

Anyone see that Obama named Granholm as one of his economic advisers?

Well, I guess she's very qualified to outline the failures to revitalize the auto industry. Qualified to solve them? No. But I'm sure he has plenty of smart people lined up to do that.

To find out how to fix something you do need to find out what didn't work. So I think it's good to bring her in for that reason and that reason alone.

I knew he was thinking about it, is it official now?

Looks that way:

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/granholm_to_advise_obama_on_ec.html

It basically says she's just on an advisory board. I think he just wants to be completely apprised of the situation before he takes office.

She's just helping out as part of the transition team.

I think it has to bode well for michigan that she has his ear. Knowing that the needs and issues of our shit-stain of a state economy here in MI will at least be aired in the room where his policies are formed is a little bit reassuring.

I also noticed that Jenny was right there over his shoulder as he stood at the podium. The way these things are stage managed, I wouldn't be surprised if it foreshadows some kind of role for her in his administration.

Check out the podium, lol.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20081107/i/r3429500796.jpg?

Rahm looks like a cop, IMO.

He is... the bad cop to Obama's good cop.

He'll keep Pelosi and Reid in their place.

He'll keep Pelosi and Reid in their place.

:cogent:

I have no doubt that his primary role as presidential bulldog will be to keep the congressional democratic leadership from running amok.

I love that both the ultralibs and ultracons are bitching about Rahm.

It's Josh Lyman from The West Wing, writ large. Get over it!

I love that both the ultralibs and ultracons are bitching about Rahm.

It's Josh Lyman from The West Wing, writ large. Get over it!

If I didn't know any better I'd swear that the entire campaign was scripted by Aaron Sorkin and we just got to the end of season one.

Barack Obama at a 2005 roast for Rahm Emanuel. Good stuff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/07/obama-roasts-rahm-emanuel_n_142259.html

RHWByjoQrR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHWByjoQrR8

ayt_SoGPZ6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayt_SoGPZ6o

http://www.toplessrobot.com/barack-superman.jpg
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/11/our_first_nerd_president.php

^ That is great.

He's giving up his Senate seat early -- smart move.

But OMG, how can we make an unemployed black man the POTUS?!!? :)

Zd8f9Zqap6U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8f9Zqap6U

http://www.2news.tv/news/local/34274374.html

If I didn't know any better I'd swear that the entire campaign was scripted by Aaron Sorkin and we just got to the end of season one.

Man, I watched all the West Wings back in the day (yeah, I know it's only like 3 years ago...) and this election inspired me to start buying the DVD's....the start of season 2 is some of the best TV ever made....THAT IS ALL, CARRY ON.

Martin Sheen would be a heavy favorite in the tournament of TV/movie presidents.

The old Republican veteran who isn't a Pro-lifer and is more center than the base wants and picks a more conservative VP vs the young minority Dem with an old white haired vet of a VP. That is season seven. The only thing they got wrong was the gender of the Rep VP.

greatest president of all time if he can get this done


President-elect Barack Obama would like a college football playoff. The BCS' response? We'll listen, but ...

BCS coordinator John Swofford responded to a stepped-up playoff push by Obama that was broadcast on CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday. President-elect Obama also lobbied for a college football playoff in an interview with ESPN that was broadcast the night before the presidential election during halftime of Monday Night Football.

"First of all I want to congratulate newly elected President Obama and I am glad he has a passion for college football like so many other Americans," Swofford said in a statement. "For now, our constituencies -- and I know he understands constituencies -- have settled on the current BCS system, which the majority believe is the best system yet to determine a national champion while also maintaining the college football regular season as the best and most meaningful in sports."

Swofford added: "We certainly respect the opinions of president-elect Obama and welcome dialogue on what's best for college football."

Obama said he will use his influence to create such a system.

"If you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner. We should be creating a playoff system," he told reporter Steve Kroft.

According to Obama's proposed system, eight teams would play over three rounds to settle the national champion.

"It would add three extra weeks to the season," he said at the conclusion of a wide-ranging interview. "You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."

Martin Sheen would be a heavy favorite in the tournament of TV/movie presidents.

All the seasons of West Wing are on sale for 17.99 at amazon, by the way.

Sorry, I'll stop de-railing...

Martin Sheen would be a heavy favorite in the tournament of TV/movie presidents.

I still like David Palmer from 24. It helps that he also doubles as Pedro Cerrano.

I'm not sure I want my president worshiping Jobu.

All the seasons of West Wing are on sale for 17.99 at amazon, by the way.

Sorry, I'll stop de-railing...

They are also highly seeded on the intar-webs for torrenting.

re: BO going forward.

I think we're getting the answer with his apppointees. They're mostly Clintonistas. So I'm cautiously optimistic he won't be the lefty to beat all lefties as a Prez.

He might even have to wait to steal from the wealthy for a couple years till economy gets better.

The interesting thing is that, relative to most newbie presidential appointees, this IS change. Reagan, Clinton, and Bush brought in a slew of green people who'd never greased the wheels of Congress before. I'm sure there'll be some of that (Susan Crawford from U-Michigan is an example), but he's making choices that will help in getting what he wants out of do-nothing Congress.

Tax cuts likely to continue, Gates as SOD, the head intel guy, damn what was I worried about?

Then again, Holder at DOJ and Napolitano ... holy shit, that IS scary.

Holder doesn't particularly bug me. I feel the same way about him that he did about Rich's pardon.

Napolitano bugs me, but mostly because it fucks Democrats in Arizona. She should've gone for McCain's Senate seat in 2010. Of course, I don't rightly know who I'd put in for Homeland Security, or indeed if it's even structured properly. It's such a disparate mess that it might need a governor.

I am unhappy with Clinton as SoS, though the political aikido in that move is impressive. Obama didn't really give up much to get both Clintons in "bitch" position. Strictly from who's cut out to be a diplomat, Richardson would've been a much better fit as SoS than for his current gig in Commerce.

Gates as Secretary of Defense is ok for now. I suspect that's an interim move until Iraq is more cleared out.

It seems BO has quite an agenda. He wants to overhaul healthcare, overhaul education to include college and also wants to do the power grid thing with renewable forms of energy.

Lofty goals and an ambitious young man. I hope he doesn't hit that 'bit off more than he can chew' thing in August/September like a lot of Prezs do. He has a ton on his plate right now. I think that is where most of his efforts are going(economy), but don't go too fast.

I'm thinking he is going to find out what a fucked up ball and chain DC really is. But press on with the plan. I hope it works out.

With all of those goals, I'm thinking it will take more than 8 years to accomplish. I expect he'll remain relatively popular. The economy will get better on its own and he'll get credit for it. He has a following like no one before him.

I'm thinkin what he should do is get rid of Crazy Joe and bring in a young Dem at the half way point, so they can carry on what he has started. Maybe even Hillary could slide over.

It seems BO has quite an agenda. He wants to overhaul healthcare, overhaul education to include college and also wants to do the power grid thing with renewable forms of energy.

Lofty goals and an ambitious young man. I hope he doesn't hit that 'bit off more than he can chew' thing in August/September like a lot of Prezs do. He has a ton on his plate right now. I think that is where most of his efforts are going(economy), but don't go too fast.

I'm thinking he is going to find out what a fucked up ball and chain DC really is. But press on with the plan. I hope it works out.

With all of those goals, I'm thinking it will take more than 8 years to accomplish. I expect he'll remain relatively popular. The economy will get better on its own and he'll get credit for it. He has a following like no one before him.
I'm thinkin what he should do is get rid of Crazy Joe and bring in a young Dem at the half way point, so they can carry on what he has started. Maybe even Hillary could slide over.

I like a guy biting off more than he can chew, especially if it's not two mid-east quagmires that will take fifty years to dig out of.

He has a following like no one before due in no small part to the fact that he is foloowing the worst president EVER and an administration which held this country hostage for 8 years and bankrupted the nation.

lol

Wow, BO seems to be doing quite a power grab. I heard so much about that when Bush was in office with the liberal press, but its crickets now.

1st the Census and now with the Czars.

Crickets...

What's the topic Tahoe?

My ramblings. If I had to pick one, it'd be BO subverting the Constitution. I know that'll go over big here.

The Census thing is power grab, but putting Czars (Executive branch)in place to do the things the constitution gives to the legislative branch is not good. And its a slow news day, so I thought it might be good to discuss.

Now that is my description of what I read in a few different articles. Granted I was also talking on the phone, but thats what I gathered from it.

You talking about farming the budget out to business execs?

And I don't know what the Cenus thing is.

He moved control of the Census to the WH, instead of where its been...commerce secretary. Power grab that would have been headline news if Bush did it.

The Czar thing is about him appointing Czars to oversee the money going to the Auto industry as an example. He appointed a Car Czar and some Congress peeps are getting pissed about it. Congress peeps are supposed to be seeing the package through.

Wanna point me toward something talking about the Census thing?

I would say that judging the press coverage of BO against their coverage of Bush by the end of his second term is a bit disingenuous.

Its just an early take on the press coverage. It has changed a lot, imo.

LOL Newt.org That cracks me up, but I'm going to link to it. If you ng;dr then just google a couple of key words and choose your site.

http://newt.org/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4000/Obama-Census-Move-a-Nixonian-Power-Grab.aspx

I'll read it, but do you have a news source as well?

As for the press coverage I would expect each new regime gets the benefit of the doubt at first. You can't argue that by the end the press had good reason to thoroughly scrutinize Bush and Cheney.

So after a page and a half of "BO is terrible because he just is" there is this


Obama did not formally announce plans to take over the census, but numerous press reports cited unnamed senior administration officials saying he planned to have the Census Bureau’s director report directly to White House staff. Further, in withdrawing from the nomination for Commerce secretary, Gregg cited concerns over the census.

The White House issued a statement Feb. 5 clarifying the earlier news reports, saying the Census Bureau director would “work closely” with the White House, not be controlled by it.

“There is historic precedent for the director of the Census, who works for the Commerce secretary and the president, to work closely with White House senior management — given the number of decisions that will have to be put before the president. We plan to return to that model in this administration,” White House spokesman Ben Labolt told Congressional Quarterly.
Then it's back to "he's just so partisan and in only 30 days he's ruined the country!"

Is this really how you get your news Tahoe?

Newt is News.

Newts?

85 Ah, I see what you're saying. Fair enough. I agree with that.

As far as news source??? I'm not sure there are any anymore. At least no non-biased ones...other than Fox. lol

BTW, the only thing I'm seeing on the Car Czar is the nixing of the plan that was reported last week. Is there something new?

Well according Rober Byrd there is. He was all in a lather over BO and his Czars.

And as far as I know Rahm will still be who the Census peeps report too. I haven't heard anything to the contrary, but BO may have reversed himself.

He may have reversed himself? That was from the like you gave me.

So none of this is about actual news?

Depends on what you call news. I call a Prez grabing a census (something that is supposed to be completely non political) news. But thats me.

I'd swear these are facts...but take it fwiw.

After Gregg was asked to be the Commerce Sec (where the Census peeps report too) some of the minority groups complained that Gregg wouldn't count minority districts accurately. So BO got together with Rahm and said the Census peeps would report to Rahm. Gregg pulled his name from the apointment.

The public statements didn't refer to the stripping of the Census from the Commerce dept, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out.

If BO reversed himself, I hadn't heard about it.

POWER GRAB!

The link you gave said census officials would work with WH reps and that it isn't unprecedented for that to happen seeing as the census effects all kinds of policy decisions.

The Census is a key part of the work I happen to do for a living so I'm not an unfriendly ear to concerns over keeping it an unbiased.

But so far you've cited commentary on rumors as your sources.

I heard Gibbs answering questions about it too. It was announced. But with no links to it, I don't blame you for not believing it.