Uh-Oh!  More potentially bad choices for Obama!

First, Joel Klein for Sec’y of Education (!).  This guy is roundly disliked in NYC (where I live), by almost everyone within the school system - even the most progressive - as well as parents.  This is a VERY bad choice!

Second (hold on to your hats…), Jamie Gorelick for Attorney General (!).  Forget her Clinton mega-ties.  She was a member of the whitewash 9/11 Commission who kowtowed to Bush/Cheney and their 9/11 pit bull (and neocon pal), Philip Zelikow.  This is another REALLY bad choice!

Peace.

Cyrena:

<<<<blushes>>>>

All:

Foreign Policy magazine asked a panel of “top thinkers” (whatever that means) to suggest people for five top positions in the Obama administration. The panel included Bob Gallucci (Dean, Walsh School, Georgetown U), Christoph Bertram (Former director, German Inst for Int’l/Security Affairs), Gideon Rachman (Chief foreign affairs columnist, Financial Times), Katrina Vanden Heuvel (Editor, The Nation), Shashi Tharoor (Former U.N. undersec’y gen’l for communications), Kishore Mahbubani (Dean, Yew School, U of Singapore), Cesare Merlini (EVP, Council for U.S./Italy), Bob Baer (Former CIA Middle East case officer), Grover Norquist (Pres, Americans for Tax Reform), and Leslie Gelb (Board, CFR).

The below list is by position. The letters in parentheses indicate who made that choice. The first five positions were required picks; the remainder were optional offerings by the panel. It is interesting (and very sad) to note how small a pool of names this represents, since so many of the same names appear in numerous positions – though there are admittedly a handful of good, even (dare I say it?) maverick choices among them.

Secretary of State: Strobe Talbott (BG, KM), James Baker (CB), Richard Lugar (GR), Bill Bradley (KVH), Bill Clinton (ST), Robert Zoellick (CM), Sam Nunn (BB), Chuck Hagel (GN), Richard Holbrooke (LG)

Secretary of Defense: Robert Gates (BG, GR, BB, GN, LG), Robert Zoellick (CB), Lawrence Korb (KVH), Richard Lugar (ST), Sam Nunn (KM), Chuck Hagel (CM)

Secretary of the Treasury: David Lipton (BG), Hillary Clinton (CB), Warren Buffett (GR, BB), James Galbraith (KVH), Michael Bloomberg (ST), Mohamed El-Erian (KM), Indra Nooyi (CM), Steve Forbes (GN), Roger Altman (LG)

Director of National Intelligence: Marc Grossman (BG), James Steinberg (CB), Richard Holbrooke (GR, CM), James Bamford (KVH), Jane Harman (ST), Brent Snowcroft (KM), John Abizaid (BB), David Norquist (GN), Jamie Gorelick (LG)

National Security Advisor: Jessica Mathews (BG), Richard Hass (CB), James Steinberg (GR), Andrew Bacevich (KVH), Wesley Clark (ST), Fareed Zakaria (KM), Strobe Talbott (CM), Dov Zakheim (GN), Dennis Ross (LG)

Ambassador to the U.N.: Susan Rice (BG, LG), Anne-Marie Slaughter (KM), Jessica Mathews (CM)

Secretary for Energy & the Environment: Arnold Schwarzenegger (CB)

Energy Security Council Co-Chairs: Al Gore and Van Jones (KVH)

U.S. Trade Representative: Indra Nooyi (ST), Robert Zoellick (GN)

Secretary of Energy: T. Boone Pickens (BB)

U.S. Ambassador to Russia: Sarah Palin (GR) [N.B. This was meant in jest: “The governor’s taste for hunting, plain-spoken talk, and foxy boots – not to mention long years of staring at Russia from Alaska – ensure a special relationship with Putin.”]

Thanks to Maani from the pragmatist/realist

•  “Perhaps most importantly, while he will obviously be close to Obama, COS’s do not make policy.”
Steven said the same thing, so I don’t know why all of the hysteria. I wish people paid this much attention to WHO THEY SEND TO CONGRESS!!! If they’re worried about policy making, they need to pay attention to who they send to Congress. Meantime, the key words here are Chief-of-Staff, and they don’t make policy. Or, at least they don’t make policy or agenda for strong and independently thinking Presidents. The Chief-of-Staff is supposed to carry out the President’s agenda, (whatever that might be) and not the other way around. Part of the problem here (only part) is that we’ve had 8 years of terror and a total perversion of how our government and political system were intended to function. (Longer if we go back to the roots of the illness in the system.) So, I’m making an educated guess that people are still traumatized by it, and the biggest symptom is that folks are unable to separate emotional ideology from practical reality. Bureaucracy is generally dull, but somebody has to do it.
Which is why you’re so on point here:
•  “As for choosing a “Washington insider” for the job when Obama talked much about “newness,” stop and ask yourself: would you really want a complete neophyte to be in this position?  There is something to be said for “experience” in many cases.  Transition teams and chiefs of staff are such positions.”
NO!!! We don’t want a complete neophyte to this position, or a plethora of other positions. That’s at least part of the disaster of the Dick Bush regime. They were all hired for their partisan and other related ideologies. We need some folks who know what the hell they’re doing!!! It’s the same thing any operation needs. People who know what the hell they’re doing. I say that as a long term ‘worker’ and most real ‘workers’ appreciate working with other workers who know what they’re doing. Anyone who has ever had to work with others who DON’T know what they’re doing, and consistently screw up, (thereby making it harder on all of the other workers, and jacking up the results of the work) knows exactly what I’m talking about.

Now I think I get the concern about the Israeli dual citizenship, if only because the reality of the past decade speaks loudly. The Dick Bush regime has incorporated a lot of these Israel loyals to their operation, and I don’t personally believe that US policy should be established based on any particular ‘special ties’ to any other nation, including Israel. Key word is ‘special’ because we have to deal with ALL of the rest of the globe, and we need to start abiding by the fundamental concept of International Relations, which treats equals as equals. (I know I’m a broken record on this, but such as it is).

Still, while I get the concern, I also know that dual citizenship Americans are *not* exactly a rare breed. There are probably far more American’s holding some form of dual citizenship that most of us ever have reason to consider. Those boring details are available easily enough, for anyone who cares. Again, as long as they aren’t making policy or agenda, I don’t see the boogie man.

Last but not least…a repeat of before…those people who DO make policy, (or go along with President Obama’s agenda) are in the Congress. We need to remember that.

Thanks voice of truth. We do often disagree, but you got my point on this one right off. I am practical in conjunction with my ideology.

#1-#5 were announced by Obama a long time ago is his campaign. Maybe you should have paid more attention. 

FYI, Obama is not President yet and does not make US policy decisions until after he is sworn in. Right now his only decisions are with regard to staff. Get it?

The US is at the present at the “nadir” of its history due in large part to those who promote dual loyalties specifically with Israel.

This in no way is particularly directed at Mr. Emmanuel. But the logic and rational is inescapable. If it were not then why bother with “immigration, citizenship, classifying under the census, taking oaths, borders, etc,. etc,.

A citizen is either a citizen as defined under the US Constitution with all the rights and duties or [s]he aint. Its like the old “army song” you are either pregnant or you are not.

The sooner 300 million Americans aspire to this obligation the sooner the 300 million citizen will get a government of, by and for the people.

Unless of course Americans are ready to have each citizen reake the oath of allegiance to the USA and Israel, etc, etc,.

Outraged:

You certainly live up to your name!  LOL.  (Even when you are overreacting.)

I also want to point something out to everyone.  If memory serves, there are many people here who would support the abolishing of the electoral college in favor of a truer “one person, one vote” popular vote system.  [N.B. Had this been the case in 2000, Gore would have won, without all the legal folderol.]  I also support this.

Given this (and although I voted for Obama), please keep in mind that while Obama trounced McCain in the electoral college, they were only separated by about 3 million votes out of over 115 million cast.  Thus, from the popular vote perspective, Obama does not have nearly the “sweeping mandate” that many are suggesting that he has.

Peace.

Emmanuel is a Zionist imperialist who Obiden has selected to enforce Zionist imperilaist policies.

Voice of Truth, I think Obama should take away all your money and throw a big party.  And not invite you.

We should also pay attention to Obama’s transition team, as it may be indicative of the type of people he chooses for his cabinet, in addition to providing a source for potential picks. I’ve been looking into the folks he has picked today and some up pretty good, while others are not:

http://www.mediamouse.org/features/110608obama.php

I never thought it would come to this….  Cyrena and I have disagreed on many, er, every issue, but she is certainly not biased against Obama.  At worst, she is being practical about Emanuel, because for all of what I see as his negatives, he is a very good politician, which is exactly what a President needs in his Chief of Staff.  To attack her for a fairly harmless comment is ridiculous.  It’s not like she said Obama should do something really stupid like take all my hard earned money and give it to that moron who doesn’t think she will have to worry about her mortgage or gas in her car anymore.

That said, Outraged, you are an idiotic imbecile.  I can’t think of any other words to describe your barely literate ramblings.

Okay, children, let’s all calm down.  Yes, Emanuel supported the Iraq War.  And yes, he is pro-Israel (how could he not be, since he is Israeli?).  Yet although he has openly repudiated the Palestinian leaders, he supports a two-state solution.

Now let’s step back, take a deep breath, and look at some other facts.

Emanuel was Hillary’s strongest supporter during her failed attempt at universal healthcare in 1993.  He will thus be strongly suportive of Obama in this regard.  He is not going to “mandate military service”; rather, he supports OBAMA’S proposal for “public service” (whether military or otherwise) for all students entering college.  He has a 100% pro-choice rating from NARAL, and other than the Iraq War, has shown progressive leanings in almost all economic and social areas.

Perhaps most importantly, while he will obviously be close to Obama, COS’s do not make policy.

As for choosing a “Washington insider” for the job when Obama talked much about “newness,” stop and ask yourself: would you really want a complete neophyte to be in this position?  There is something to be said for “experience” in many cases.  Transition teams and chiefs of staff are such positions.

Peace.

Silly rabbits. If you think Emanual is going to be a foreign policy maker in an Obama administration, then your knowledge of Barack Obama apparently goes no further than his name.

Emanuel is being picked to reign in congressional democrats, many of whom Emanuel helped elect (and he will remind them of that any time they try to oppose Obama).  Emanuel will help the new President push the Obama Doctrine forward in congress, which includes withdrawal from Iraq and finishing the war against Al Quaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This decision is not about policy direction. It is about picking the right enforcer for Obama’s already clearly stated policy directions.

But go ahead and spaz out and rant and sound irrationally paranoid. It’s the Truthdig forum way, after all.

No Outraged…Not biased. Just practical. Like, maybe the OPPOSITE of biased. Like, maybe YOU’RE a tad bit ‘biased’.

How can I be ‘biased’ in respect to Rahm Emanuel when I don’t even know that much about him? And, I already said what I know about him, and that’s as a Congressman from Illinois. I know far, far, far LESS about him than I do of Dennis Kucinich, who is a Congressman from Ohio. I know even more than that about the Congress people from my OWN state.

How is that ‘sad’ Outraged? Should I be intimately familiar with all of the details of every person in the US Congress, or just Rahm Emanuel? He wasn’t a Congressman when I lived in Chicago nearly 3 decades ago. What can I say?

But if you find my lack of knowledge about Rahm Emanuel to be ‘sad’, you’d need an IV drip of anti-depressants to deal with the trials and tribulations of most average Americans these days. I can think of a whole bunch of things to be sad or ‘outraged about’, but Obama selecting a fellow Congressional representative/politician from Illinois to be his chief of staff ain’t one of ‘em.

I don’t know if I should envy you or pity you.

Re: cyrena

Your comment: “And, he has been for quite a while now. I don’t get how this is a particularly big deal, since it seems like a damn good practical choice to me.”

That’s sad, because it should.  Unless of course you’re biased.

I didn’t connect Rahm Emanuel to the Clinton admin, (guess my more current memory superseded his stint there) because he registers more in my mind as a Congressman from Illinois. And, he has been for quite a while now. I don’t get how this is a particularly big deal, since it seems like a damn good practical choice to me. They obviously know each other, since they’re both Illinois politicians. They’re both democrats, been around about the same length of time, and are around the same age. 

Who did you all expect him to choose, Joe the Plumber? 

http://www.house.gov/emanuel/

Surprise Surprise…. he picks Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff.  No big deal, he already has Zbig & Ablright as his advisers. I’m sure Colin Powell will get a position somewhere in his cabinet…another traitorous liar.  He wants to keep Gates onboard.  He intends to invade Pakistan and escalate war in Afghanistan. He also has no intention of restoring our civil liberties.  Mark my words.  You guys fell for his pretty smile and empty rhetoric hook line and sinker didn’t ya?.  Shame on all of you.  Fascism is alive and well in america and will continue to be long into the Obama administration.. Like I said, the shadow government got what they wanted.  A man with Jim Jones-like charisma who could lead the lemmings into the sea. I cried last night for, not with, my african american sisters and brothers.  They put their faith in a man who will betray them in favor of wall street and the military industrial complex. Obama and Biden the war hawking, wall streeters will continue on where Bush left off.  Obama showed you who he was with his votes for the patriot act, fisa and the wall street bailout just to name a few of his constitutional betrayals. With those votes, he helped usher in the fascism we now live under. We are in deep shit people.

Shoulda picked Dennis Kucinch. This Democracy might’ve had a chance.

D.K needs to be in the picture somewhere. I’m sure that’ll never happen though…Kucinich is far too Democratic and radical for Obama.

Outraged,

You are right to worry about this potential Rahm
appointment, but let’s not get too worked up yet.
Obama won’t really make the change he offered,
but he’ll still probably be better than McCain.

“We would be better off with nobody in charge.”
Maybe you’re right.

In his very first act, Obama picks the Zionist money raiser from the Dem Leadership Counsel, and militant warmonger, as his chief of staff.  Now he has not only the Zionist warmonger Biden handling foreign policy by the money to support the policies of apartheid Israel.  It just makes me so proud to be an American! 

He obviously doesn’t even give a shit what progressives think.  But that is not going to faze Dean and the Progressive Dems of America.  Next, a neoliberal as treasurer!

To….. Outraged, November 5 at 1:17 pm #
(Unregistered commenter):

As I said elsewhere, it is apparent to this Gramma that you
need a good, long nap, child.

~
There’s also talk of Barack favoring Bobby Kennedy Jr. to head up the Department of Interior.
A wonderful choice, and a nod to his commitment to cleaning up the deregulation and lax enforcement for corporate polluters left behind by Bush and cronies.

There are very few people in America who have tracked the Bush environmental record to the extent he has, and maybe no one as knowledgeable in the field from a political standpoint. His tireless work speaks for itself, and there is not a corrupt bone in his body.

At my age this sounds silly, but he is one of my heroes.
~

Questionable choice to say the least. Should have picked Cynthia Mckinney.

Now that’s what one could real change!.