Obama: Giving Raspberry to Progressives With Cabinet/Staff Picks?


DailyKos and DemocraticUndergroud types are starting to get a bit miffed at their messiah. So far, no one from their ranks has been given the nod to take a spot on Obama’s staff or to fill his cabinet openings. The “progressives” are noticing, too, that far from bringing a “new” wave of politics to Washington, so far Obama is bringing back the age of Clinton. Instead of Washington becoming Obamopolis, it is a re-birthed Clintonville that is rising like a phoenix from the ashes.

It is certainly too early to claim that Barack Obama is going to be a centrist president like the far lefties fear. After all, he hasn’t even taken office yet. But, one thing that can be said, when evaluating his pick of staffers and cabinet positions thus far, he sure ain’t the candidate of “change” he claimed to be when he was a candidate. Obama has picked no one “new,” no one “different,” and no one “forward looking.” So far, every choice he’s made has either been an old Clintonite or another of those old politicos from the 90s that have been on the outside looking in since the year 2000.

The Progressive magazine, for one, is wondering just what the heck is going on?

When is Obama going to appoint someone who reflects the progressive base that brought him to the White House?

Not that I want him to do so, because I most certainly do not, but it is a good question. Was the candidate of hope-n-change just stringing the wild-eyed left along just so he could win?

The Progressive asks why Hillary Clinton is being considered for Secretary of State, as well. The question shows how far Hillary fell from the left’s grace as she angled for the middle during the four years running up to the 2008 election. They really do despise her. Not even their love for Bill Clinton is holding up well, apparently.

The funniest suggestion the Progressive made was in saying that the famous UFO spotter from Ohio, Dennis Kucinich, would have made the better choice for Secretary of State. That suggestion in and of itself really proves how one just cannot take the folks at The Progressive magazine seriously.

Still, it is amusing to see Obama wholly snub the extreme left as he gears up to start his administration.

And it isn’t just The Progressive magazine starting to get suspicious.

On DailyKos, the Kossacks are beginning to wonder if they’ve been hornswaggled? Of the latest Obama picks, a recent KosKid carped:

So that’s 2 DC lifers, 1 billionaire & 1 more Clinton vet. 50% of hires are Clintonites. Lobbyists abound…What’s changing?

Another good question.

A poster on the DemocraticUnderground was just as wary of Obama’s choices.

Obama’s cabinet is at this point filled with DLC people, very centrist, anti populist, and big business among other things. We heard “change and clean up Washington” before from the last President and we got a redux on Nixon’s and Reagan’s people. Now we are getting a redux of the 90′s Clinton people, that doesn’t spell change to me…

Even the Associated Press is starting to wonder

President-elect Barack Obama promised the voters change but has started his Cabinet selection process by naming several Washington insiders to top posts.

The L.A. Times also chimes in with a piece headlined “Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet.” So, amusingly enough, the far left’s eyebrows are being raised everywhere.

I won’t pretend to say what Obama’s picks “mean” at this point. But, for now let me revel in the fact that many on the far left are beginning to feel like they’ve been sold a bill of goods. That they’ve emptied their pocketbooks on snake oil. That they’ve been took!

To quote Captain Kirk: “I’m LAUGHING at the ‘superior intellect.’”

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3 Comments Leave a comment

The way things are going, you have to wonder:

Moe Lane (Diary) Friday, November 21st at 10:14AM EST (link)

Did Obama make a deal with Clinton, effectively making her Shadow VP in charge of Foreign Affairs, while Obama concentrates on domestic policy?

I mean, obviously his more enthusiastic supporters weren’t going to accept her – or any woman, really – as VP; so give her SecState, freeze out Biden, and load down the Cabinet with enough Clinton-era staffers to make her feel secure (we forget how much scheming takes place in situations when one party feels vulnerable). Everybody involved wins.

Well. Everybody involved who really matters.

Don't forget the radical

redalert (Diary) Friday, November 21st at 1:25PM EST (link)

I agree with both you and Warner. It seems like some sort of deal has been struck to put as many of Clinton’s people in the cabinet as possible. However,there is one person that snuck in under the radar that we can’t forget about. That’s Rep. Barbara Lee. She is the one radical who has ascended to a position of power. She is now the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Obama used to be a member of this group. I’m sure he facilitated her getting the post. Don’t forget her. This is the woman who voted against using force against Al Queda and the Taliban after the attacks of September the 11. She was the only member of Congress to vote against the use of force. Now she is in charge of what is just about the most powerful voting bloc in Congress. I bet she and Obama will be working closely together. Don’t be surprised if Obama’s Cabinet has their power usurped by others that don’t have to be confirmed by the Senate. I take the same approach with Obama that I do when watching a magician perform. When they do their trick and want me to watch their right hand,I ignore them and watch their left hand. That’s where the trick will be performed. Let’s keep our eyes on all the Barbara Lee’s that get picked. That’s where the danger lies.

B Lee

Warner Todd Huston (Diary) Saturday, November 22nd at 4:24AM EST (link)

Hmmm. I have not heard a word leaked that Obama had anything to do with the nitwit Lee getting her plum post. I wouldn’t say it would surprise me, I just haven’t seen anything about it.

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