The Back Alley Archives

Thoughts? I've read some speculation...I swear if he appoints Sheila Bair Treasury Secretary I may lose it. She's one of the one who has bungled the financial crisis, IMO.

the short list of names for the treas sec that i heard didn't include bair

the list i heard included voelker and summer though both were unlikely since it was perceived that obama would not be able to control them...besides that, those choices would not be considered something 'new' and didn't qualify as 'change'

corzine was bandied about but since he had ties to the brokerage community (former goldman guy) the prevailing thought would be wanting to get a guy in there with no bias and no influences.

supposedly, corzine has been vetted already....here's his wiki page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Corzine

Just when I thought the horseshit couldn't get higher, he offers Rahm Fucking Emmanuel as CoS? Seriously?

i've noticed the more upset bg gets about politics, the better i like what's going on.

I love how Obama thinks "change" means Emanuel. LMMFAO. This is going to be fun to watch the liberals unravel over the next few years.

emanuel will not take.

has bigger aspirations.

That's where you're wrong, Urap.
You appear to approve of anything that democrats do without reservation. If that's how you see it, good for you. I reserve the right to be incensed by the installation of political appointees who promise more of the same problems.

More of the same? I didn't know Barack was keeping any of W's cabinet or staff around except for maybe Gates. I really don't know what bizzaro parallel universe some people have been living in for the last 8 years but I think there is only one way to go and that is up.

Don't be so short-sighted....political problems have existed in this country much longer than 8 years....Emanuel was one of President Clinton's chief strategists and he's the one who failed to get universal healthcare the last time. He's also apparently one of the biggest dicks around..."Emanuel was so angry at the president's enemies that he stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign, grabbed a steak knife and began rattling off a list of betrayers, shouting 'Dead! ... Dead! ... Dead!' and plunging the knife into the table after every name."

So, THAT'S why it's more of the same, dood, because fucked up politics has existed much, much longer than eight years. Does that make sense?

Oh I know its more of the same but to bring that up now is silly. I didn't hear the "more of the same" routine when W. was bringing back Cheney or Rummy from the Reagen era. Just silly to think or say its going to be more of the same when a Democrat get's in office. Both parties are guilty of recycling the same people over and over.

So his cabinet and staff are separate issues from the "change" he will introduce? I thought he was going to change DC politics? I thought that was his whole platform?

It seems to me this is just the beginning of lowering expectations for Obama....not surprising though. Let's hedge some bets!

i will be watching his choice for treasury secretary closely for that 'change is coming' mantra...does he follow it? if he does than summers and voelker are out...

That's where you're wrong, Urap.
You appear to approve of anything that democrats do without reservation. If that's how you see it, good for you. I reserve the right to be incensed by the installation of political appointees who promise more of the same problems.

not at all, it was an observation that whatever you get worked up over, i have a direct opposite view.

perhaps you can explain how emmanuel is a bad choice and will lead to the 'same problems'. but there are more people in a cabinet than just the chief of staff.

I heard the head of the NY fed was a strong possibility for Treasury Sec. Thoughts on him, rad?

perhaps you can explain how emmanuel is a bad choice and will lead to the 'same problems'. but there are more people in a cabinet than just the chief of staff.

I realize this wasn't directed at me but I'll take a stab. There's no denying the disgusting partisan politics that went on during the Clinton years (from both sides) and Emanuel was Clinton's attack dog on policy...now Obama wants to hire the same attack dog. Expecting similar results, I think, is fairly rational.

geithner certainly has the credentials...i think he's second in command to bernanke.

i believe there was some apprehension early on about his ability as a reformer or a regulator...he's got no wall street ties to speak of and i believe summers is a big fan

geithner would be a better candidate that summers or voelker as we've mentioned if it is obama's play to give the nation some 'change'...it would also help keep obama more 'in the loop' since he'd be giving geithner a shot as opposed to voelker and summers who are already established (more established) in their fields....and geithner is a better pick than corzine given corzine's affiliation with wall street given his past life in the private sector.

i think geithner suits obama's mandates.

wasn't emmanuel the one who publicly criticized (full media coverage) the few republicans who, in the democrats eyes, voted against the bailout package soley because of pelosi's pre-vote speech?

if i recalled, he called it a matter of the inability of republican senators voting based on their hurt feelings as opposed to voting what was good for the country.

the content and spirit of pelosi's speech aside, mr emmanuel showed lack of bipartisanship by not only placing blame but suggesting a reason for it.

The interesting issue with Geithner is who then heads up the NY fed reserve?

^there's a shitload of wall street execs on the beach with resume in hand

you should throw your hat in the ring!

emanuel will not take.

has bigger aspirations.

Apparently it was too tough to turn down the president elect:

WASHINGTON – Democratic officials say Barack Obama's fellow Chicagoan Rahm Emanuel has agreed to be White House chief of staff.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081106/ap_on_el_pr/obama

emanuel has shown he is very good at organizing people and keeping folks with extremly lofty views of themselves on the same page. the role of the chief of staff is more political than any other cabinet positions. no matter who obama choose for that role, they would be criticized due to the nature of the position.

So there's no reason to try to "change" anything about the office? Interesting.

i don't see why rohm would not indicate change. policy decisions come from the top, obama will dictate what the policy direction is and people like rohm will carry them out.

instead of asking rhetorical questions or critcize the pick, suggest who would be better, or give a profile of an ideal candidate. better yet, define what the position of chief of staff would do in your ideal administration.

only after we have an understanding of the position we can discuss the pros and cons of various candidate.

Rahm has worked at the White House before and he understands what needs to be done. I think it is a great pick.

There are rumors of Wesley Clark for Sec. Defense. Another good pick if it happens.