Perhaps this makes me uncool on DU, but I'm pretty pleased by Obama's appointees so far.

[TheWraith]

While there are a few I disagree with, I think the vast majority of them show that he means to get things done. Some people are worried about "Clinton recycling," but one mustn't forget institutional memory: knowing what worked and what didn't in the past so that you don't make the same mistakes. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the team that's going to be pushing healthcare reform.

He just picked the most visible doctor in the US to educate the public on his plan. He's got two Senate veterans, Daschle and Biden, to sell it to the Senate. And he's got Rahm Emanuel, the former enforcer of the D-Triple-C, to lay down the law among the weak-spined Dems in the House.

The same principle applies to other areas. He brought in an outsider to run the CIA--someone with no existing interests in covering the agency's ass or executing a particular agenda--but still an accomplished and respected manager who's dealt with intelligence, and is loudly on the record stating that torture is illegal. He chose an Education Secretary whose crusade has been education measured by results instead of tests. No, Obama didn't always choose the people who would please the DU contingent. He's choosing people who get things done.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. I love the Gupta pick.

Mostly because of who it's pissing off.

[AtomicKitten]

2. same re: the Panetta pick n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Oh, yeah.

Watching Feinstein getting pwn3d on Maddow last night was great.

[Cha]

10. Especially the

Panetta pick.

[cascadiance]

25. Gupta pick sucks, but Panetta I think was reasonably good...

Panetta and Steve Chu are about the only picks so far that I see promise in, and where I think he picked the right choices over others being considered.

I was reading that Jane Harman was being considered for CIA director instead of Panetta (which I think is one other big reason that Feinstein is pissed!). Now THAT would have been a disaster! Harman's another person we need to get out of congress in 2010, one way or the other! Maybe Winograd can try again and beat her then.

[AtomicKitten]

40. Feingold approves, Feinstein not so much. Power plays abound! n/t

[Cha]

4. Not a good reason.

:)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Oh, I'm sure he's qualified.

But watching the wailing and gnashing of teeth is just plain old-fashioned fun.

[Cha]

8. I wish I knew

how to get fun from it.

[John Q. Citizen]

12. Bill Krystol loves him too.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Bill Kristol loves your mom.

Wait, did you actually think that was a valid argument?

[onehandle]

3. Overall, I'm very pleased. nt

[Cha]

7. I know Obama Team wants to get things done

so I can only think that's what they have in mind with all these Appointments..some who are upsetting and others who are satisfying.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Absolutely right...

K&R

:patriot:

[firedupdem]

9. I guess I'm uncool too...

He's picked competent individuals to get the job done. It also helps that he's not a dummy that came into office on somebody else's coat tail. He wants to do a good job and plans on doing a good job. That's what this country needs.

[CreekDog]

31. No, no, no, no

everybody he picked is just like Paris Hilton.

for example, Dr. Stephen Chu of UC Berkeley for Dept. of Energy was only picked because he was a celebrity because all that matters. (I read here on DU just a few minutes ago that celebrity or corporate connections were all that mattered in that pick). Thank God for the genius that pointed this out to me. :sarcasm:

get with the program! :boring:

[John Q. Citizen]

11. You of course are entitled to your opinion, but my opinion is you haven't made much of a case for

why you are pleased.

My guess is that under the Obama plan US taxpayers will continue to subsidize private health insurance companies at greater and greater amounts. This will drive up costs, and will result in more expensive and thus rationed health care for the former middle class.

Look to MA if you want a real life on the ground example of what the future holds.

If the MA Romney plan pleases you, then i see why you (and private health insurers) are enthusiastic.

I think Panetta was a good choice, considering the more likely kinds of alternatives we usually see from our empire minded leaders.


It's interesting. bush also picked his cabinet mostly from dad's people. That didn't insure good government, even though it can be argued that they got a lot of things done. Unfortunately, many of them were the wrong things.

[Thrill]

13. I really don't have an issue with any of Obama's picks

I'm not a big fan of Hilary as Sec of State. But its fine with me.

[Political Tiger]

14. I'm happy to be one of the uncool too!

I may have made some different choices than Obama did, but there again, I'm not president and I don't have all the information about each person that Obama has, or the personal experience with them, nor have I talked to any of these people to find out their person views on the various issues, so with all that in mind I am still willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt, not to mention Obama is a very smart man and I believe he knows what he is doing.

[rudy23]

15. If I ever run for president, I'm hiring you to do viral PR

You would be very good at it.

[tandot]

16. totally agree with you! K & R

:hi:

[zulchzulu]

17. IBIL!

You are in BIG TROUBLE!!!!

[EraOfResponsibility]

19. I'm pleased, too! n/t

[renegade000]

20. yeah, i've felt like i was pretty uncool too.

i just can't get that worked up about these picks. there is a least good reasoning behind them. i mean, maybe they will turn out to be mistakes...i think it's too early to tell.

[Mz Pip]

21. I'm not complaining, either

My only real disappointment was with the Warren mess but I think that was more a case of sloppy vetting than any real attempt to throw anyone under the proverbial bus.

This wll all come down to how effective a President Obama is. If he can get this group to work together and come up with positive plans and outcomes then I don't much care what their history is.

Health care is a big issue but I don't see how it's really feasible to go directly from the kind of system we have now to some total government run plan.

If Obama has good leadershio skills, and I think he does, then I suspect he will be able to get things done. We have to remember that he is the President and can fire anyone who doesn't meet his expectations. I'm sure people who work in his administration would be more inclined to want to keep their jobs than "go rogue."

Mz Pip

[Undercurrent]

22. Obama doesn't have to be perfect.

Heck, I might not recognize perfect even if I could define it. Which I can't. And if I could it would only apply to me anyway. Other folks would have a different idea of perfection.

All in all, I'm happy with about 96% of Obama's appointees at this point, and am looking forward to seeing him get down to the actual work of governing.

[T Wolf]

27. As the tale of the two people running away from a lion says, to save yourself, you do not have

to be faster than the lion, only faster than the other person.

Practically anyone would be better than Bush has been. And "almost" any Dem would have been better than McInsane.

But that is not the change many wanted to see.

[Undercurrent]

32. Like I said, we all

see things differently.

Personally, so far Obama has met my expectations. I'm neither surprised nor disappointed. The change is about what I expected based on Obama's books, other writings, and speeches both during the primary and the general.

[PurityOfEssence]

23. Yeah. Rahmbo's impressive.

I'm not habitually enrapt with tough-guys. It doesn't make me feel strong and cool to have enforcers lauded as the best foot we can put forward, and I don't much care for his politics. It's also not a great message to the world to have the President's Chief of Staff be an ex-member of the Israeli Military and a dual citizen. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that's a first.

Listening to people getting all hot and bothered that we have some guy in there who knows how to knock heads together and get his way really doesn't fill me with joy. It's like watching wimpy people all enthused at a gangster movie.

[TheWraith]

30. He's not an ex-member of the Israeli military.

He was a volunteer civilian mechanic during the Gulf War.

[PurityOfEssence]

35. My mistake

You are correct. He DID volunteer as a mechanic working on military vehicles at a time of conflict, though, so it STILL looks like a serious identification with Israel.

Nonetheless, I am incorrect and I appreciate being set straight on this point.

[Hippo_Tron]

41. I will only be impressed by Rahm if he delivers

If the macho thing gets shit done then I will be happy with Obama's decision. If it doesn't get shit done, then I will be just as unhappy with it as you are.

[TygrBright]

24. You're not uncool by me

Do I LIKE all of his picks? No, there are a couple I'm not 100% thrilled with. But on balance I like the majority. And it's safe to say I like ALL of them (except Gates) more than I liked ANY of the incompetent doofusses * appointed.

In most of the cases where I don't particularly like the appointees, I can understand why that person might be the right person for the job, and a useful member of the overall team. I am assuming that Obama has made it clear to each and every one that while he values their experience, their expertise, and their views, their prime responsibility will be to get HIS agenda done.

His agenda looks a little different than mine. I'd prioritize a few things differently. I have a couple of serious reservations about those priorities, but they are, so far, reservations-- that is, I am reserving my definitive opinion on them until I see a little further along in the playbook.

Compared to the previous eight years of kleptocracy, chaos, fearmongering and incompetence, his agenda looks DAMN good, even though it's not everything I'd want.

Considering what we are all up against with regards to the economy, I'd say that the ability to solve problems, get the legislative branch on board, and implement plans and programs is probably the best criteria for any given appointment.

On that basis they look pretty good.

If we can just get through the next two weeks...

anticipatorially,
Bright

[T Wolf]

26. COMPETENCE is NOT the issue. What matters is WHAT policies they are going to implement.

Georgie and his gang have been efficient in enriching themselves. Did that make his choices good ones?

The concern among libs is that the direction Obama seems to want to take the country in is not the correct one. Center-right can be competent, but no good can come from efficiently executing a bad agenda.

[Lucky 13]

28. I am totally uncool.

I did not work hard to get the man elected only to turn on him BEFORE he serves a single day in office.

He cannot, never will be, and has never tried to be all things to all people. I voted for him because overall I trust his judgment and because he is unquestionably the smartest motherfucker in the room. He is constantly thinking ahead of the media, other politicians, and wailing and gnashing DUers by 2-3 steps.

All these a-holes clowning him before he is even inaugurated need to chill the fuck out. We had a man who is dumber than a pile of dog shit fucking up the entire world for the past 8 years... and AS WE SPEAK is encouraging Israel's continued slaughter in Gaza. In less than 2 weeks we kick that guy out and put in the guy WE WORKED TO GET ELECTED. And he ain't perfect, but by comparison... he almost is.

I am choosing to think positively and give every one of his appointments a chance. Freaking out about who he picked for Surgeon General???? THAT is what is known as COMPLETE JACKASSERY. But I guess some people aren't happy unless they have something to bitch about.

[tilsammans]

45. Agree completely!!!

Throughout his professional and political life, and up until Election Day, BHO proved himself to be THE Smartest Motherfucker in the Room.

While I might not see the wisdom in some of his picks so far, I trust his judgement, which is certainly better than my own.

It is my hope that they will ALL deliver stellar results -- and soon.

:patriot:

[RinaX]

29. Count me among the uncool

I've had no problem with any of his appointments, even the Republican ones. The actual legislation that I've heard of so far sounds promising, and as long as it is carried out I don't care who's helping push the agenda forward.

[AlinPA]

33. With Burris seated, we will have 56+1 for several months (we can't count on Lieberman).

The MN election lawsuit will go on for months (years?). Fifty-seven is not enough to stop the republican filibusters of cabinet confirmations. It's not about the nominees' qualifications or controversies, it's about republicans' obstruction. This is where we need strong senate leadership to bend the arms of the republicans and we don't have it.

[opihimoimoi]

34. Obama has an Orchestra/Team Loaded with Talent...It is he who must muster them into SWEET MUSIC

The ODDs look good we will endure much better than the noise of these past 8 years....

Obama Rocks so far....

[Hellataz]

36. I'm with you, I don't have many issues with his picks.

[Boomerang Diddle]

37. count me in!

[pipi_k]

38. I think it's a highly interesting mix

and I don't foresee any huge problems


:)

[snowbear]

39. Me too!! ..I just popped in for a second to see if anyone had a beef about anything..

.
.

And sure enough.. When I read the first post, I "found the beef"! ~~~

[K Gardner]

42. Me too. I don't care for Gupta, but it doesn't affect my hearty approval for our President-to-be !

[Maru Kitteh]

43. Proud to be totally uncool here too.

[mrs_p]

44. uncool one here too

do i agree with everyone he has picked - no.

do i think everyone deserves a chance to do his/her job first before i criticize - yes.