Obama Preserves Political Capital for Stimulus Plan

[Pirate Smile]

Source: The Wall Street Journal

By JONATHAN WEISMAN and DEBORAH SOLOMON

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama's transition team is resisting Bush administration overtures to coordinate more on the financial-sector rescue, convinced that neither the lame-duck President George W. Bush nor the president-elect has the clout to win a smooth congressional release of more bailout funds.

-snip-
Senior transition officials said they would attend the meeting, but they made clear they would neither lead it nor lobby for approval of the funds. Their focus is on passing a separate, half-trillion dollar stimulus program that Mr. Obama said Sunday would be the largest infrastructure program since the Eisenhower administration's construction of the interstate highway system.

"If the Administration believes the second half of the TARP needs to be triggered, we've made it clear to them that we would do everything possible to ensure Congress gives it full consideration," said Obama transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "But until they make that decision, all parties involved are in a holding pattern."

-snip-
But tension is growing: Treasury officials believe Obama aides are being short-sighted in their refusal to offer more policy and lobbying assistance, while the transition team sees an administration looking to be rescued from its own miscues.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122866009874385877.html

[ben_meyers]

1. Mean while people out in the real world

are f'ing drowning! Do we really have time for political games?

[stillcool]

3. you can't blame Paulson..

for trying to grab the purse, can you?

[stillcool]

2. Do like Nancy Reagan, and just say no...

[DUlover2909]

4. I wish Obama would publicly repudiate the Bush Admin's policies after he swears in.

He rebuked Bush during his candidacy, but it would be sweet to hear him bash Bush after he is sworn in also.

[bitchkitty]

9. He doesn't have to bash him, just tell the truth about him.

Just prosecute him!

[msongs]

5. BUSH wants a bailout before he leaves office - wants Obama to do Bush's work lol nt

[Pirate Smile]

12. Exactly.

[PSPS]

6. This is good. Paulson is just trying to grab more loot on the way out the door.

The whole TARP thing was a charade anyway. It's all been pissed off into the personal pockets of bush's cronies. Releasing any more would do nothing to help anything except further empty the treasury into bush's pockets.

These guys should be swinging from lamp posts.

[brianna69]

7. Keep saying no to Bush, Paulson and his cronies

No way should they get their hands on the balance of the TARP money.

[FrenchieCat]

8. The Bush Administration are either in power or they are not.

They don't need to be putting pressure on the Obama transition team....because of the mistakes made by the Bush Administration.

The Bush administration can kiss my ass.

[juajen]

10. I'm not sure how anyone could have trusted Paulson. That guy

just looks like a crook. You know, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a f**king duck.

[NBachers]

11. Don't polish up the Bush legacy

He's doing every treasonous sabotage he can do before he leaves. We're supposed to sit down at the table with him and try to bail his puckered ass out? Put that motherfucker in a welded Supermax cell for the rest of his life.