A Plague On Both Your Houses

Change We Can Believe In

Obama has choices.  He can choose to ignore the pressure from the left, from the Old Line of the Democratic party, and choose change or he can be a Democrat first and for bi-partisanship, creativity and the nation second.  He would be a fool to choose the latter.  From a pure strategic standpoint (forget the merits) doing what the base of the democratic party wants initially (later will be different) is the absolute wrong move.  He should resist and be seen to prevail to solidify his power and leadership.  The perfect place to do this is Bob Gates.  He is widely respected.  He is part of the existing administration.  He is not a registered Republican.  He is a professional.  He makes sense and would owe Obama.  The democratic left doesn’t like him.  That is a plus, not a minus.  He represents change, not straightforward change (that is easy).  He represents a change from the old way of thinking along partisan lines to a new way of thinking practically and creatively what is best for the country.  I also think Richardson and Somers represent no-change run-of-the-mill uncreative ideas for cabinet posts.  RFK (environment), Powell (education?) and the New York Fed President (treasury) represent more out of the box, interesting, change picks.  Caroline Kennedy is also an interesting idea for the UN.

 

Tags: politics, obama, transition, administration, democrats

Ben Smith's Blog: Reacting to Rahm - Politico.com

Reacting to Rahm

The Republican message is that he's a hyper-partisan pick.

"Barack Obama's first decision as President-elect undermines his promise to 'heal the divides.' Rahm Emanuel is a partisan insider who played a lead role in breaking Washington," said RNC spokesman Alex Conant, and John Boehner called the choice "ironic."

But it's a little more subtle than that. Emanuel likes to win, but he doesn't hail from the left of his party, and he's been successful in part by working with Republicans.

Lindsey Graham puts out a statement stepping on the GOP message:

This is a wise choice by President-elect Obama.

"Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together. He is well-suited for the position of White House Chief of Staff.

"I worked closely with him during the presidential debate negotiations which were completed in record time. When we hit a rough spot, he always looked for a path forward. I consider Rahm to be a friend and colleague. He's tough but fair. Honest, direct, and candid. These qualities will serve President-elect Obama well.

"Rahm understands the challenges facing our nation and will, consistent with the agenda set by President-elect Obama, work to find common ground where it exists. I look forward to working with him in his new position and will continue to do everything I can to help find a pathway forward on the difficult problems facing our nation."

Ben Smith's Blog: Reacting to Rahm - Politico.com.

 

This got me thinking about the election and what it means.  The rift that is forming in the Republican party, and the disappointment that may come from left wing democrats (although its too early for that), tells a lot about the politics of division that has ruled political discourse for the last decade at least.

Extremists beware.  Vitriol is no longer in vogue.  Inability and unwillingness to compromise are passe. Its time for everyone to realize that the center is going to have its day.  Obama has realized upon the desires of the middle for inspiration, intelligence and hope.  The politics of the extremes rely upon and thrive only upon the apathy of the middle.  Those who believe in moderation and compromise must be apathetic for the extreme right or left to rule and even to be powerful in their own party.  This was the meaning of Obama’s victory and the failure of McCain’s strategy.  The old rules dictate that the electorate is apathetic in the middle and active at the extremes.  Obama gained a majority and a landslide electoral college by capturing and revitalizing the middle.  Lindsay Graham and probably John McCain realize this.  The conservatism and combativeness of Boehner and Conant will probably not prosper in this environment.

Tags: politics, transition, republicans, democrats, congress, white+house, obama