Al Gore, Colin Powell, Caroline Kennedy in Obama's Administration?

[Chris]

Al Gore, Colin Powell, Caroline Kennedy in Obama's Administration?

Obama transition team boss John Podesta threw open the curtains of his operation today to reporters, signaling that the president-elect wants to move quickly, but not hastily, to set up his government. In a pen and pad meeting with reporters—that means no cameras—Podesta, tieless, was at ease and confident as he proposed ethics rules governing the transition, promised top cabinet picks by December, and gabbed at length about the friendly and professional relationship he has with the Bush chief of staff, Josh Bolten. He made little news at the packed briefing but pledged that news was coming as he promised to conduct the most transparent transition in history. What we know: He has a budget of $12 million, $5.2 million in federal money with the rest from donors. Some 450 aides will be picking through résumés and policies as they create the government for the 44th president.

President-elect Barack Obama will name top cabinet picks in Chicago, while key White House officials could be named at Washington press conferences.

Security at transition HQ is tight, as evidenced by the long line for reporters in the picture below. But to its credit, the able and efficient Obama press team gave fair warning, and everybody got in before Podesta arrived.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/washington-whispers/2008/11/11/al-gore-colin-powell-caroline-kennedy-in-obamas-administration.html

http://static.usnews.com/documents/whispers/transition-flowchart-08.pdf

[Chris]

Just a few to start with...

DHS
Howard "YAAAAAAAAARGHHH!!!!!" Dean

VA
Max Cleland

State Dept
John Kerry (D-Vietnam)

Treasury
Larry Summers and Robert Rubin
Jon Corzine (D-Goldman Sachs)


And Colin Powell is all over the list like a bad rash. 

[Chris]

Penny Pritzker, Obama's campaign finance manager is listed at the head of the Dept of Commerce. 

There's Penny Pritzker, the Obama campaign's national finance chairwoman. She was on the board of the holding company for subprime lender Superior Bank FSB. The Chicago-area thrift, in which her family held a 50 percent stake, was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in 2001. The thrift's owners agreed to pay the government $460 million over 15 years to help cover the FDIC's losses.

Uberfurhen Obama Economics Policy team

Superior Bank, a part of the $15 billion, 1,500-company "Pritzker Family Business Unit" as testified under oath by Glen Miller, a key manager of the "FBU," was the biggest bank failure of the early 2000s, losing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Superior Bank failed because of the same problem that is bringing down all the banks now: subprime loans. Who got the bank into those loans? Obama's own finance chair, Penny Pritzker. Sworn deposition testimony puts Penny Pritzker not only on the board of the bank and its holding company, Coast, but personally leading the meeting to persuade regulators to let the bank into the subprime market.

You have Enron-style accounting that hid the real asset values, two disgraced bank executives under her supervision whom the government forced out of the banking industry with official cease-and-desist orders, a Department of Justice Expert Report placing the blame squarely on the executives and owners, and the Pritzkers agreeing to pay $460 million over 15 years to escape government lawsuits and sanctions.

Obama campaign finance chair responsible for $460 million S&L failure

[TheSarge]

And this morning they were saying that Sam Nunn would head the Pentagon transition team and that Warren Christopher woul dhead the transition team at State?

How is this change or new politics?

[Chris_]

Just wait....algore likely wants to be Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Energy.    Idiot.

[DumbAss Tanker]

And this morning they were saying that Sam Nunn would head the Pentagon transition team and that Warren Christopher woul dhead the transition team at State?

How is this change or new politics?

Actually Sam Nunn would be the one good pick out of all those names, he is one of the few Dems who have any gut-level understanding of DOD, its role and its needs.

[Eupher]

Actually Sam Nunn would be the one good pick out of all those names, he is one of the few Dems who have any gut-level understanding of DOD, its role and its needs.

Agreed. As a southern Democrat, he's been a whole lot less left than many of his Senate colleagues.

[jendf]

I can't wait for Colin Powell to accept a position in That One's administration. Then his transformation as a sellout will be complete.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

"to set up his government. "

Maybe I'm just being an overly sensitive rabbit but...

...we already have a government.

I thought president's had administrations.

[Eupher]

"to set up his government. "

Maybe I'm just being an overly sensitive rabbit but...

...we already have a government.

I thought president's had administrations.

No, you're not being overly sensitive. Especially when one of his minions recently stated that Great Leader was ready to "rule" on Day One (a date which will live in infamy, I might add).

[NHSparky]

Agreed. As a southern Democrat, he's been a whole lot less left than many of his Senate colleagues.

Which is why he'll never get the job.

[Eupher]

Which is why he'll never get the job.

You're probably right. Being lefter than most is a prerequisite to serve the Dear Leader.

[Wineslob]

And this morning they were saying that Sam Nunn would head the Pentagon transition team and that Warren Christopher woul dhead the transition team at State?

How is this change or new politics?

Oblahma will be the new white Bill Clinton.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Penny Pritzker, Obama's campaign finance manager is listed at the head of the Dept of Commerce. 

$460 mil is nothing to the Pritzkers.

I've met her a few times at various functions, and she is pretty charming and resourceful.  In 2004, she was absolutely glowing over then U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama.  She's been trying to hitch her and her family's wagon to a political star for a while, and now she's found it.

[Chris]

Pritzker turns down Commerce

Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker, national campaign finance chairwoman for the Obama campaign, has taken herself out of the running to be secretary of Commerce, a Democratic official said.

“She fears problems with her confirmation based on past business dealings,” the official said.

Well... what do we have here?  Past business dealings?  Is that what they call being responsible for the largest S&L failure in the history of the city of Chicago?