Obama Cabinet Part 2

Obama Decries Criticism Over Clinton Era Picks

November 26. 2008

President-elect Obama (New York Times)

This is a follow up to yesterday’s article “Obama’s Future Cabinet” where I wrote:

“Obama is most likely trying to replicate the previous Democratic president's financial successes, using some of the same folks from Clinton’s cabinet, sans Monica Lewinsky of course.”

Today, president-elect Obama stated:

“The last Democratic administration that we had was the Clinton administration. And so it would be surprising if I selected a Treasury secretary who had had no connection with the last Democratic administration. Because that would mean that the person had no experience in Washington whatsoever. And I suspect that you would be troubled, and the American people would be troubled, if I selected a Treasury secretary or a chairman of the National Economic Council, at one of the most critical economic times in our history, who had no experience in government whatsoever."

As the phrase goes, “Don’t shoot the messenger.” Seriously, it’s Obama’s choice to install whomever he wishes in various cabinet posts, but once again, he needs to remember, as his fellow Democrats and opposing Republicans in Congress clearly have not since 2006, you keep the war and America will keep getting poorer.

Ending the war is not solely about politics, rhetoric or bureaucracy - contrary to what some in Washington think. Not only is it the morally responsible thing to do, it is good basic economic sense, also known as math. America cannot continue to spend money like this on a now fruitless endeavor that was misrepresented in the first place.

Obama Names Volcker to Head Panel on Reviving Economy

The president-elect today also addressed criticism that his Cabinet picks so far suggest a recycling of the Clinton administration that calls into question the central theme of Obama’s candidacy, his commitment to change.

Obama rejected this idea, saying it’s only natural some people from the Clinton era would be part of his Cabinet and he’s seeking a combination of “experience with fresh thinking.”

Experience Needed

“The last Democratic administration that we had was the Clinton administration,” he said. “It would be surprising if I selected a Treasury secretary who had no connection with the last Democratic administration, because that would mean that the person had no experience in Washington whatsoever.”

http://www.bloomberg.com

Obama says change is in his vision — if not appointments

"The last Democratic administration that we had was the Clinton administration. And so it would be surprising if I selected a Treasury secretary who had had no connection with the last Democratic administration. Because that would mean that the person had no experience in Washington whatsoever," he said.

"And I suspect that you would be troubled, and the American people would be troubled, if I selected a Treasury secretary or a chairman of the National Economic Council, at one of the most critical economic times in our history, who had no experience in government whatsoever."

http://www.miamiherald.com