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Even before the inauguration, President Elect (though that may already be the most overused term of 2009) Obama’s already gained both praise and controversy, mostly for his administrative picks. Given the hype surrounding his win, not to mention the fact that the last eight years have made the Dems power-starved, Obama pretty much had free reign to choose anyone he wanted for his administration. And it looks like he did pretty much that, picking the most prominent Democrats to run his cabinet. Indeed, if the Obama administration were a baseball team, they’d be the Yankees (as opposed to the more Red Sox like team Clinton picked back in 92, when his cabinet had a surprisingly large number of unknown stars). Obama’s picks also give optimism that this President will truly build on his campaign promise of bridging the gap between Republicans and Democrats. Compared to the way the GOP has been hoarding power for the last eight years, though, Obama seems like Mother Theresa in comparison. This is great news, because liberal social values with conservative economic policies (the real kind, not the Bush chicaneries that created the current crisis) are the only way to go. Obviously though, the cabinet leans more toward the Dem, but that should be expected. Some of his calls, though, are questionable, including probably his most important pick, Treasury Secretary Geithner.
Chief of Staff – Rahm Emanuel: Even though he may be Ari Gold’s brother, this man is no joke. Rahm Emanuel has a serious reputation as being tough, even-handed and somewhat hot headed, which means he’s just the guy to kick some asses around should the new administration decide to pick some of the bad habits left over from the old one (such as criminal negligence bordering on complicity). Obama basically gave this guy the top spot, which is good news for those of us who were wondering what his policy would be on the Middle East (Emanuel’s a staunch advocate for Israel). This man is also full of ideas (in case you couldn’t tell from his book, The Plan: Big Ideas for America), though many of them are undeniably liberal (which is not necessarily a bad thing). Things like universal health care for children, universal college access and universal citizen service to balance it all out are not bad ideas, though they may not be feasible given the current deficit. Though he advocates full disclosure in all government spending, it’s hard to account for dollars you don’t even have. Yup, Emanuel is the super Dem, a bull dog for liberal values, costs be damned. This is kind of a good thing though, because he’s genuinely trying to help people. Thankfully, the rest of Obama’s picks, as well as the man himself, appear more even-handed, which means they’ll help balance Emanuel’s optimism and transfer it to feasible plans that can be accomplished given our current fiscal situation. Oh, and for those of you that didn’t get the Ari Gold thing, the Entourage character of super agent Ari Gold is based on Emanuel’s brother, Ari. I guess they make ‘em tough in the Emanuel house.
Secretary of State – Hilary Clinton: By far his most notable pick, Obama’s choice of Hilary Clinton for Secretary of State shows that the man definitely does not hold a grudge. I mean, six months ago she said he was too inexperienced to run for president. Now, she has to call him sir and confer on all statements. However, Clinton brings with her a wealth of experience, as well as an effective communicative style that will help her when dealing with foreign leaders. Even though she is the third woman to hold the position, after Condalliza Rice and Maddeline Albright, some feel that foreign leaders, particularly in the Muslim states, may not be as likely to listen to a woman in foreign negotiations. In fact, some of the more chauvinistic voters even admitted that this was one of the reasons they preferred Obama to be president over Hilary. Nonetheless, her wealth of experience, not to mention extensive contact list (which she no doubt owes to Bill and his questionable line of donors) will make her an undeniable asset in terms of crafting and delivering solid foreign policy that brings the US out of the international leper colony and back into the top spot as the world’s lifeguard.
Treasury Secretary – Timothy Geithner: This has to be Obama’s worst call by far. I mean, who elects a tax evader as treasury secretary? Okay, okay, so Obama may not have known about it when he appointed the man. Fine. And ya, we all hate paying taxes. But we’re not all running for treasury secretary. If Geithner didn’t have the foresight to know that tax evasion would hurt his chances of being an effective treasury secretary, then he doesn’t have the foresight to know anything about the economy. Given the volatility of the economy, as well as the fact that crooks have already ransacked the government’s coffers, passing an IRS audit should be the minimum requirement to hold this position. Also, his support for the Lehman Brothers and the Bear Sterns bailouts shows he cares more about keeping the old financial guard on life support than spurring new innovations and actual progress in the financial world, which has degenerated into a speculative game of sport. I fear his election may have more to do with the fact that he and Obama share certain characteristics, such as an international upbringing, a wonderkind reputation, and an inexplicable belief that the government should bail out dying investment companies and even purchase major insurance companies (AIG). Bail outs create artificial pressures on the market and serve to correct mistakes that should be learned from, but will instead by erased. Instead of tightening lending policies, creating opportunities for investment, and promoting more transparency in the market, financial institutions will learn that the stock market is a roulette wheel, and that Daddy’s always there to bankroll you. Geitner used to describe himself as a moderate Republican, but his moves are decidedly anti-market, even if he claims otherwise. And his association with the NY Federal Resereve will surely fuel conspiracy theorists that major banking interests are controlling the economy (see Zeitgeist). Obama needs to do what’s right here, and replace this man.
Secretary of Defense – Robert Gates: And here Obama demonstrates his generosity, giving Robert Gates, a classic Republican, another shot at being Defense Secretary. This was a pretty strong pick, considering this man managed to clean up Donald Rumsfeld’s mess in Iraq and create a somewhat cohesive military operation. “Operation Iraqi Freedom” (if they’re even still calling it that) has certainly improved, in that American body bags are no longer flying home daily. As the man behind the surge (along with the ubiquitous General Patrias), Gates is to be commended on understanding that foreign operations require more than a handful of soldiers and some Black Hawks, and that victory requires more than toppling over a statue of a government figurehead. Dems may be complaining that the move makes them look weak in terms of the military, but I think Obama is to be commended on being a pragmatist. After all, the Dems really are weak when it comes to the military.
I’ll be back with my calls for the rest of Obama’s picks in a few days.
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