Obama Leadership--Early Impressions

There have been a number of editorials about whether Obama should lead our country to the center, the center-left, the left, or even the center-right. I think all those arguments are directionally challenged.

If we look at what Obama is doing in terms of his selections for Cabinet positions, his involvement in the Senate deliberations on punishing rogue Senator Joe Lieberman, and his policy positions and their more detailed elaborations, I would say that Obama is trying to get the largest amount of support possible, to lead the country where he wants to go, which is FORWARD.

This may not seem a very specifc azimuth, but compared to the direction of Bushite Misrule, which could be characterized as leading us backwards, multi-directionally confused, or just plain unrealistically (into Spaceland?), it is refreshing.

In terms of specific Cabinet appointments and who's been named (albeit through news reports only), the only one I've gotten right so far is today's news that Timothy Geithner is for Treasury. I think it's a great choice: after Hillary Clinton has been confirmed as destined for State, I wanted to say (but didn't) "basta!" with the Clintonistas. I preferred Bill Richardson for State, but I can live with HRC, as long as she promises to toe the Administration line (i.e., no "going rogue"), and I know she can if she wants, and that she will, as long as Obama's leadership is popular. If that condition no longer obtains, she will split and start preparing to run in a mindless, futile challenge in '12.

Bill Richardson for Commerce (I've also heard Penny Pritzker for it--perhaps Trade Rep?) seems a bit disappointing to me (perhaps to him, too) in terms of being one of the less critical and central positions, but it is one that this expert schmoozer should handle well. We should review his history of policy statements on trade; once again, he should be expected to follow Administration policy, unclear as it may be on this particular issue.

A few other comments on the selections: I very much buy the argument that Obama should get exactly the people he wants, as long as they can survive the vetting-and-confirmation gauntlet, and we should swallow our narrow criticism. I think Janet Napolitano was a very good choice for Homeland Security, Robert Gates (in the short-run) superb for Defense--he has really impressed with his willingness to be his own man in the unitary Bushite executive, and he should have whoever he trusts most as Attorney General (so, I guess that's Eric Holder). Chris Dodd should be near-disqualified for resigning and taking a Cabinet position because there's a Republican Governor in Connecticut.

Last Bits
My position on Joe Lieberman has been consistent for years: I don't mind Lieberman being considered a Democrat, as long as I don't have to listen to his boring speeches. Chairman of Homeland Security is probably a good place for him toward that purpose.

Obama needs to put forward his policy on exactly what type of auto bailout (from what I've seen, it's one heavily oriented toward demanding commitment from the automakers that they will move to a new paradigm of autos produced, featuring plug-in hybrids). If he does, he can still get it, sooner than his new Adminsitration, and it will help rally the markets. That is, of course, unless Dubya digs in his bootheels and vetoes it, to his everlasting shame.