Obama defends Clinton Appointments.

[onehandle]

Fifty-five days before his inauguration, Obama defended his selection of former Clinton officials to help run his administration.

"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," Obama said.

"What we are going to do is combine experience with fresh thinking," he said. "But understand where the vision for change comes from. First and foremost, it comes from me. That's my job, is to provide a vision in terms of where we are going and to make sure then that my team is implementing."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081126/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_economy

Ignore the detractors, Mr. President-Elect. You are doing fine.

[Windy]

1. Agreed! n/t

[goclark]

34. Absolutely!

[Bramlet Abercrombie]

2. yea...

all these clowns crying need to stop the crying. oh no! not 8 more years of bill clinton-like peace and prosperity! scary!

[Kalyke]

3. Yes - but there ARE others who have governmental experience

who aren't Clinton recycles.

There are. There really are.

[wyldwolf]

Yes, Bush, Reagan, and Carter people

[Kalyke]

8. Uh - try 50 states' worth of governmental experience.

What? You don't think employees of state governments have to draft budgets, diplomatically work with other states, manage people, deal with major economic issues?

And, still, yet, there are others who have worked in other public and private sectors who know how to do some of these things, too.

I'm not saying the entire cabinet should have been neophytes, but I am saying there are far too many recycles.

[wyldwolf]

11. nah, who needs someone from Alabama on an economic team with this big job ahead

[Kalyke]

16. OK - 49, then.

(Besides, there are so few Dems in Alabama, I doubt he'd go looking there).

[rvablue]

19. No, maybe 48....maybe....b/c we already know that lady from Alaska is as dumb

as a bucket of nails.

And now I'm off to writing my apology letter to the Association for the Tolerance of Nail Stupidity....b/c it's really not fair to compare anything to her hateful, inciting, and fear mongering that covered for her complete void of intelligence and competency.

[Kalyke]

20. LOL!

OK - how about we limit it to blue states. That's still 26 states. :)

Actually, it's a little more than that. I live in a red state, but have a Dem governor.

[ecstatic]

7. names?

:shrug:

[Kalyke]

15. Without actually thinking too much (I'm at work), how about

this: try finding a state that is still doing fairly well during this economic downfall and plucking that governor or the governor's financial advisor.

Some names:

Treasury: Rob McCord (of PA)
Sec of State: Gen. Wes Clark (retired)
Labor: Howard Dean
And get rid of Homeland Security, but, if he can't, then Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks of Inglewood, CA or Atlanta's Police Chief Richard J. Pennington.

I like Obama's choice for HUD and AG (even if he is a Clinton recycle - but, as I said, I don't mind a few. There just seems to be too many).

[wyldwolf]

18. General Clark is a Clintonite, McCord began his career in DC

[Kalyke]

21. Clark is not a Clintonite - and I knew you would say that.

He started his career under Johnson, served in the Ford White House (on an Army assignment) and was made general while Bush 41 was president.

Yes, he also served under Clinton, but he's done far more. And, he's never served as anything else in government outside of his service in the military. I think he could bring a lot to a civilian table.

And, McCord isn't a recycle. I didn't say "no Washington DCers." I said I was tired of the same faces rotating around.

[wyldwolf]

23. yes he is. It doesn't really matter when he started his career

he cut his political teeth under Clinton.

[Kalyke]

27. No... he didn't.

He cut his political teeth in 1974 he wrote the Weinburger Doctrine, which became the Powell Doctrine and again in 1975 when he was a White House Fellow under Ford and yet, again, when he worked with the Kerry movement to help build the Vietnam War Memorial - also in the 1970s.

Did he do political things under Clinton, yes. But that is not where he earned his political chops.

Sorry - you're wrong on this.

[wyldwolf]

28. yes, he did

In 1991 he was a national guard trainer in Texas. By 2000 he'd led a major military offensive, he'd been elevated to Four-Star General, and had become Supreme Allied Commander - all under Clinton.

Clark believes Bill Clinton encouraged him to run for President when he attended a party hosted by the Clintons, and Clinton toasted his wife Hillary and Clark as the two "stars" of the Democratic Party - months before Clark's announced candidacy.

[karynnj]

32. Writing a Pentagon position paper is not political

I never knew Kerry had anything to do with the Vietnam Memorial, though it doesn't surprise me, but in the 1970s, he was not a politician = though he ran in 1972.) In fact, until he retired, I don't think he was allowed to be political.

He ran supported by Clinton people out of Arkansas and Bill Clinton said only Clark and HRC were stars of the party - and she wasn't running.

[Captain Hilts]

30. He's a Clintonite. He would most likely have been HRC's veep.

FP creds and not too much taller.

[TexasObserver]

4. Agreed

[SKKY]

5. That kid is so money!

[ecstatic]

6. I'm glad he addressed it

The guy who asked the question sounded so whiny! It makes us look like fools.

[Median Democrat]

9. He Seemed Like He Almost Called Goalsbee Baby-Faced...

He kind of laughed, and paused, as he called Austin Goalsbee a fresh face. I believe Austin is in his 30s, so he is a real new kid on the block.

[antigop]

10. The fact that he had to make a public statement about it indicates there is lots of criticism

Keep questioning, everyone.

Keep questioning these appointments.

[wyldwolf]

12. ..or it means one person asked at the press conference...

[antigop]

24. Did you watch the press conference or read the transcript? n/t

[Radical Activist]

42. You think its some big victory?

That he has to calm down the chicken littles crying that Obama had suddenly changed because of a few appointments? :eyes:

[antigop]

13. Keep questioning, everyone. Keep questioning these appointments.

And ask why there isn't someone from labor on the economic team.

[BlooInBloo]

14. The fools around here advocating for Team Rookie really aren't to be taken seriously....

The more so when they say DU knows more about the country and its problems than Team Obama.

[rvablue]

22. "Team Rookie" is the perfect term for this and is the exact same

mistake that Clinton and Carter made.

And then they were forced to cave towards the right because the folks steering the ship were still learning the nuts and bolts of the very complicated system of federal government.

Then years later...NOW....they GET criticized left and right and up and down for not being progressive enough.

And so Obama learns from this mistake, has people ready to head into battle on Day One and all the same folks who criticized Carter and Clinton are now whining that they're aren't enought progressives included.

My request is that we all try to cheer on, yes, cheer on, Team Obama for the next four years and I think if he gets reelected and the economy has recovered we will see policies finally implemented in this country that will surpass our wildest dreams.

That's asking too much, I know...but one can only HOPE!

[firedupdem]

17. Exactly. I want a mix of ideas and a mix of people...not a bunch of rookies.

He's doing a great job.

[JamesA1102]

25. Good going Mr. President!!!! nt

[Cha]

26. More like he explained the Clinton appointments..

and I hope the press is smart enough to get it.

[Captain Hilts]

31. Not when it comes the the Clintons. nt

[polichick]

29. Good statement - I'm glad he knows when to clarify. Helps to keep the media in line.

[demokatgurrl]

33. Why the hell should he have to DEFEND

his decisions? He's the fucking president (elect). If we didn't trust him to make a decision why did we elect him?

[glitch]

38. You have been a citizen under a Bush Government too long.

Obama was correct to respond, we don't need another "decider" who thinks the nicest thing about being president is he doesn't have to explain his actions.

[amitta]

35. in other words "fuck off liberals"

no Democrat on earth is qualified to replace Gates?
I find that hard to believe.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

37. Gates has a crucial qualification no Democrat has:

He's currently secretary of defence, so keeping him on means continuity.

I think it very likely he will be replaced at a later date, though.

[Radical Activist]

41. Or "Fuck off Chicken Little"

The sky isn't falling and Obama won't suddenly become conservative just because of a few appointments.

[NJmaverick]

36. Obama is doing better than fine

he is doing great!:applause:

[democracy1st]

39. thank you K & R

[Danger Mouse]

40. I support his decisions so far. I trust him.