Obama's cabinet and plans for 'the first 100 days'

[babbittd]

Tim Shipman in The Telegraph today (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3224481/Barack-Obamas-team-is-briefed-by-Bush-staff-on-after-warnings-about-a-terrorist-attack.html)


A senior official in the Obama camp, whose name has been submitted for FBI vetting, said: "We will be ready and we will be seen to be ready."

He said that Mr Obama is close to finalising plans for his first 100 days in power - which will include major moves on the economy, healthcare and Iraq in his first week, designed to make his priorities clear to Americans.

[..]

He is planning a series of early interventions to stamp his authority on the economic crisis. This will include legislation proposing a $300bn stimulus package which would be published before President Bush has even left the White House, so that it can be passed as soon as he takes power.

Mr Obama is also planning executive orders that do not require legislation on his first day in office, which could include plans to promote renewable energy resources and create jobs.

His transition team, which is reportedly much more extensive and active than Mr McCain's, features 10 working groups in different policy areas to convert campaign promises into concrete legislation. It is chaired by John Podesta, Bill Clinton's former White House chief of staff who runs the Centre for American Progress, a think tank long seen as a Democratic administration in exile.

Mr Podesta is working closely with Michael Signer, a former foreign policy aide to John Edwards in charge of homeland security affairs. Mr Podesta and Jason Furman, one of Mr Obama's two most influential economic advisers, have already held talks with sceptical conservative Democrats to line up the votes to pass a stimulus package.

Mr Obama has also worked to cultivate a close relationship with the Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, and personally asked him to help out during the transition, sparking speculation that he might keep Mr Paulson in post for the first year of his presidency.

[..]

FBI vetting is also under way on 100 people from both campaigns, including Susan Rice, expected to be made the second successive black woman national security adviser after Condoleezza Rice; Greg Craig, a Washington lawyer tipped to become Mr Obama's chief White House counsel and his likely White House chief of staff; and the former senator and campaign chairman Tom Daschle. If Daschle prefers to become Health Secretary, Obama's current chief of staff Pete Rouse, nicknamed the 101st Senator for his connections on Capitol Hill, would take the job.

Other key national security officials will include Denis McDonough, chief foreign affairs adviser to the campaign and Richard Danzig, a secretary of the Navy under Clinton.

John Kerry, the Democratic candidate four years ago, and his fellow senator Chris Dodd, a failed candidate this year, are vying to become Secretary of State.

Mr Kerry, an Army veteran, is also a contender to take control of the Pentagon, but many expect that post to go to a Republican, perhaps the maverick senator Chuck Hagel. Colin Powell, a former secretary of state and chairman of the joint chiefs could return to government if he endorses Obama, as many expect. The veteran Democratic Senator Sam Nunn's name is also in the frame.


Powell said today that he is not seeking a job, but leaves open the possibility.

Furman is out of Brookings (http://www.brookings.edu/experts/furmanj.aspx). Susan Rice (http://www.brookings.edu/experts/r/rices.aspx) as well. Rice has a proverbial 'hard on' for Darfur. In '06 she advocated strikes on Sudanese assets and a port blockade. I think the U.S. African Command will be active there during the next administration and maybe in Somalia too.

Sen. Kerry at the Pentagon? Please say it aint so!

I am fairly certain that this is the 'stimulus bill' (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.07110:).

[jk]

I am fairly certain that this is the 'stimulus bill' (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.07110:).
that bill's "only" $58 billion. needs to be multiplied by 5.

[babbittd]

that bill's "only" $58 billion. needs to be multiplied by 5.

Yep, I'm an idiot sometimes.


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is mulling recommendations from several economists that Congress act on an economic-recovery package that would cost taxpayers $300 billion, according to congressional aides, equivalent to about 2% of the country's gross domestic product.

The California Democrat envisions a bill that would include new spending on highways and bridges, extended benefits to unemployed workers, aid to cash-strapped states and a tax cut, congressional aides said. She has asked several House committees to examine details of a possible plan. And as part of the effort, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is expected to testify next week before the House Budget Committee on the state of the economy. Ms. Pelosi is expected to call lawmakers back to Washington in late November to take up the issue.

source: WSJ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122402768546534409.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)

[babbittd]

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois — is expected to pour federal funds into “ready to go” infrastructure projects that could be up and running within 90 days.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has compiled a list of more than 3,000 projects that states say are just waiting for funding so they can begin work.


source: CQ Politics (http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=weeklyreport-000002976595)

[we_are_toast]

This story sounds fishy to me.

Why would the FBI be vetting anyone on the campaign staff? There's plenty of time for vetting during the transition period and who in the Obama camp even has the authority to request FBI vetting.

Why would they be working with conservative Dems to line up votes? Votes for what? If they had any specific piece of legislation in mind it would have already leaked to the media and it can't even be introduced until late January. And, the Dems are going to have a big majority anyway so the effort would be to try and get a few moderate Repubs to show bipartisan support. In the last month of a campaign I doubt if anyone is working at pounding out the specifics for legislation.

Sounds more like speculation than news.

[BiscayneSunrise]

If nothing else, Obama has proven himself to be a master organizer and a consumate administrator. His campaign has operated flawlessly from day one which speaks to an ability to strategize and execute. This story rings true to me.

One minor quibble: Kerry is a Navy man not an Army vet.

[babbittd]

This story sounds fishy to me.

They are lining up votes for the Obama - Pelosi - Reid stimulus bill that is very real and was leaked to the media last week.

In the last month of a campaign I doubt if anyone is working at pounding out the specifics for legislation.

Yet that is exactly what is happening.

Why would the FBI be vetting anyone on the campaign staff? There's plenty of time for vetting during the transition period and who in the Obama camp even has the authority to request FBI vetting.

Telegraph article says it is a national security issue, terrorism concerns during the 'handover'. They do make it all sound so dramatic, but I don't have any reason to believe at this moment that the report is untrue.

[leonel80]

Obama campaign is running very organize and they seems to be sure of the big win in November. Currently we are in big economic problems and I think it is very wise to start making and planning his firs 100 day work plan now. It will require lots of work to get America forward into the next decade.

[D-Mack]

Mr Obama has also worked to cultivate a close relationship with the Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, and personally asked him to help out during the transition, sparking speculation that he might keep Mr Paulson in post for the first year of his presidency.

Why not get Rubin from Goldman? That would appear like change ala Biden & Powell against the Iraq war.

[doom&gloom]

better start planning to get assests offshore before the transition. all
these palns are gonna cost, and someone is gonna have to pay for it...

[D-Mack]

Have they also decided on the next war(s) ?



"And here's the point I want to make. Mark my words. Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy. And he's gonna have to make some really tough - I don't know what the decision's gonna be, but I promise you it will occur. As a student of history and having served with seven presidents, I guarantee you it's gonna happen. I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate. And he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you, not financially to help him, we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right. Because all these decisions, all these decisions, once they're made if they work, then they weren't viewed as a crisis. If they don't work, it's viewed as you didn't make the right decision, a little bit like how we hesitated so long dealing with Bosnia and dealing with Kosovo, and consequently 200,000 people lost their lives that maybe didn't have to lose lives. It's how we made a mistake in Iraq. We made a mistake in Somalia. So there's gonna be some tough decisions. They may emanate from the Middle East. They may emanate from the sub-continent. They may emanate from Russia's newly-emboldened position because they're floating in a sea of oil."


http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/10/joe_biden_seattle_fund_raiser.html

[babbittd]

Thanks for that addition to the thread.

Increased military activity in and around Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Darfur are all likely. NATO is patrolling for pirates. Obama is focusing on Afghanistan, Pakistan and Darfur. Susan Rice focuses on Darfur. Brookings writers waxing poetic about U.S. African Command training more and more armies.

If I'd paid attention to Bush's almost final comment in the last debate against Al Gore I'd have seen the invasion of Iraq coming before the inaugural ball in Jan. 2000.

[babbittd]

Why not get Rubin from Goldman? That would appear like change ala Biden & Powell against the Iraq war.

Rubin on GPS with Fareed Zakaria this past Sunday made it sound as if he didn't want the job and as one of Obama's top economic advisors during the campaign he had very high praise for Paulson. Paulson sticking around for a transitional period seems likely.

[walenk]

In the first hundred days Peter Schiff will fly out of Obana's ass. It's TRADITION

[babbittd]

I read the Rubin appearance the wrong way. Obama insists on paying lip service so to speak to Paulson during the campaign, against the advice of some close advisors.

[babbittd]

At least two of authors, Furman and Rubin are close economic advisors to Obama. A partial blueprint from The Brookings Institution?

Path to Prosperity (http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2008/11_path_to_prosperity.aspx)

Economic Mobility, Global Economics, U.S. Economy, U.S. Economic Growth
Roger C. Altman, Chairman, Evercore Partners
Jason E. Bordoff, Policy Director, The Hamilton Project
Jason Furman, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies
Robert E. Rubin, Director & Senior Counselor, Citigroup Inc.

Hamilton Project Discussion Paper

November 2008 — ABSTRACT


Today, too many Americans are not fully sharing in our nation’s prosperity. Real median wages have stagnated, income inequality has increased, and changes in the economy that have brought benefits have also brought new risks and insecurities. In response to these challenges, our nation needs to act now on three fronts. First, our nation must make the right long-term investments to promote economic growth that is both strong and sustainable. Second, it is necessary to put in place economic policies that will better achieve broad-based participation in that growth. Third, for growth to be sustainable, it is necessary to restore sound fiscal policy, moving on a multiyear path to a sustainable fiscal position. This paper elaborates on the economic challenges and the recommended policy responses. It considers the commonly held view that promoting economic growth, broad-based participation in growth, and economic security may be contradictory policy objectives, but finds instead that these objectives can be mutually reinforcing. It argues that while free markets are the cornerstone of economic growth, there is a necessary role for robust government action to support and supplement market forces and to help share the gains of growth more broadly. In an effort to advance innovative ideas about how to invest in our nation’s future prosperity and to enhance families’ economic security, The Hamilton Project has released strategy papers offering a broad vision for policy in a range of areas, as well as dozens of discussion papers on a wide variety of topics. These topics include education, health care, income security, science and technology, tax policy, climate change, energy security, infrastructure, workforce training, housing and financial markets, and poverty reduction, among others. These papers have all been written by leading scholars and grounded in real-world evidence about what works, not ideology and doctrine. This paper draws on this body of work to offer a vision for how to achieve opportunity, prosperity, and strong, broad-based economic growth.

[babbittd]

Reuters: (http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE4A952S20081110)

"No Cabinet announcements this week," Stephanie Cutter, a spokeswoman for the Obama transition team, told Reuters.

a WaPo blog: (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/11/09/obama_aide_media_is_guessing_w.html?hpid=sec-politics)

"There isn't a single name on that list that you've heard from President-elect Obama," Jarrett told the Trotter Group in an hour-long interview session in Washington. "There's not a single name on that list that you've heard from me, or from John Podesta or from Pete Rouse," referring to the three co-chairs of Obama's transition.

"Or, now from Rahm Emanuel. So the five people who actually do know the names on the list, you haven't spoken to," Jarratt said. "So what I think you see in the newspaper is what everybody speculates. ... My guess is they're speculating on the people who are most commonly thought of."

[tsetsefly]

who said government cant create jobs??? http://change.gov/page/s/application

[babbittd]

who said government cant create jobs??? http://change.gov/page/s/application

yeah I saw that. There are no job listings, they are just encouraging people to apply.

[metalman]

yeah I saw that. There are no job listings, they are just encouraging people to apply.

says non-career. read as... 'non-paying'