Power and Perception – The Clinton-Obama Whitehouse

In a recent AP article Kevin Freking noted Washington Republicans were complaining that President-Elect Obama is choosing Washington Insiders for Cabinet Positions - like some groups from the left, there is a concern that the promised change may be tempered by moderate governing. One can understand Republican angst – should Obama govern from the center, his changes of success are increased, although given the current state of the nation, one is hard pressed to find anyone who would want to fill Obama’s shoes, especially a Republican. The media, who were somewhat less than objective during the two-years running up to the general election, failed to notice something lacking on the side of the Republican machine. The biggest new regarding Republicans is that they suffered a huge loss, they were fractured, they were out-campaigned – true Obama ran a remarkable campaign, funded to the hilt, and aided by the likes of Dean, Pelosi and Reid, with a host of other top players in the Party, all intent on undoing Hillary Clinton (hold that thought), while the Republican’s ran an unusually lackluster and somewhat frenetic campaign. John McCain’s emergence as the front-runner, a man known by the base and moderate Republicans’ as most like to caucus with the Democrats, did little to inspire the base – the biggest component that went missing from this election – the 501’s in defense of McCain. There simply were none – and no one seems to wonder why? It isn’t as though there wasn’t enough material. The divide between so-call cultural and social conservatives is being talked about as though it might be a factor, although leaders on both sides have banded together in past elections in order to get out the vote – this time – they stepped away -almost appearing to ‘lose by design”. Obama won the general by a 1 point margin over the previous general election, yet, the media persists in the delusion that this is some sort of land-slide. Obama, who’s general governing experience, was limited to say the least, has the sense and ability to choose top positions wisely, and he also appears to understand that he needs seasoned experts that are also moderate in temperament will help him succeed.

That said one starts to see a pattern developing with some of the appointments to date:
Eric Holder, Attorney General (Justice Department under Clinton), Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff (former 6 year advisor to Bill Clinton), Robert Reich, Obama Transition Team ( former Secretary of Labor under Clinton), White House Counsel, Gregory B Craig (former defense attorney for President Bill Clinton), Tom Daschle, Health and Human Services(vigorously defended Clintons Health Care plans in the 1990’s) and finally, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State (pending formal rumored announcement).

The logical conclusion would be that Obama has chosen members and defenders of the Clinton administration based on their knowledge and established power in both the Party as well as in Washington. One can also wonder, Obama chose Clinton, over his mentor John Kerry (D-MA), as Secretary of State. Kerry will assume Biden’s old senate position as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This non-appointment, though prestigious enough, speaks volumes. How long has Biden held that position and to what advantage? The old adage: “throw a dog a bone” may apply to Kerry in this instance.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Absolutely, Hillary Clinton has an established presence in Washington now that has the potential to push her vision and her policies through with seamless effort. She has transcended the Presidency –a women, who for all intents and purposes should, by popular vote, been the nominee, a woman that some post-election polls suggest would have won the presidency by a greater margin had she been the nominee – now may, if she chooses, become Secretary of State in and administration where she will be surrounded by friends and allies. In the early stages of the campaign, it was rumored that the Clintons had some damaging information on the President-Elect, a rumor only, however, one has to wonder, due to choices made so far – if this information existed and if it has been put to greater use. It is good to be a woman.

McCain-Huckabee Speculation

Clinton Wins All-Important West Virginia

The Arkansas News Service is reporting on the U.S. New and World Report blog that floated a Mike Huckabee as Vice President piece earlier in the week – additional speculation from Novak, floating a “credible religious right type” informer who made the claim that Mike Huckabee would see Obama as a president that America “deserved” – a statement that was flatly denied by a very credible Mike Huckabee, finishes the article. U.S. News and World Report has a follow-up here: Responses from those on the “right” to the idea of a McCain-Huckabee ticket.

All pundits involved (with the exception of Novak, who should try a actual reporting for a change - “credible religious right type” (note: smears two entities in one stroke of the pen, Christian conservatives and Mike Huckabee – a two-fer!), are speculating based on the fact that McCain needs help in certain areas and Mike Huckabee fills that bill. They point to the south, as well as blue-collar working class individuals who, they note, Mike Huckabee identifies with. Here’s a thought, given the map of the GOP race to date, Mike Huckabee has done very well, including states that have voted since he announced an end to his candidacy. Protest votes send a clear message; unfortunately, pundits and the GOP and possibly John McCain may miss the message.

It is not true that Mike Huckabee appeals to only the “Evangelical, Southern, working class” that the media and pundits continually point to in an attempt to explain his appeal away vis a vis their elite mentality. One look at the HuckPac blog roll shows a stunning array of non-typical Huckabee supporters.

Conversation with mother-in-law, an 85 year old, sharp as a tack, Yankee, Catholic, non-nonsense, kind of lady – I don’t like that Obama, he has no experience, and change, what kind of change? I like Hillary, but it’s looking like she doesn’t have a chance, (she reads the actual newspaper, watches CNN, FOX and MSNBC), I don’t like McCain, he’s too old (seriously, this was said, but there is an explanation) – I don’t know if I’m going to vote. Except, it would depend a lot on who McCain chose as V.P., (here comes the age factor), I’m not crazy about Mitt Romney, given his record in Massachusetts, we had enough of him, but, I’d vote for McCain if he chose Mike Huckabee. – So, I had to ask, why Mike Huckabee? Because he’s honest, and he has a plan, I watched him a lot on CNN in the beginning and I know they told us that he couldn’t make it because he didn’t have enough money, but they liked him, and so did I. He’s a compassionate leader and he cares about the country and the people. (For the record, she has voted both sides of the Aisle, and considers herself to be Independent). McCain can now add Senior Citizens to the list of those who would vote for him, only if he had a younger running mate! Preferably one who was bolstered in the beginning of the primary cycle by CNN and MSNBC! (How ironic is this?)

From a geographic -demographic perspective, a McCain –Huckabee ticket makes sense in any wise, Mike did well in the south and the Midwest, and of course, West Virginia. He’s known, and although, not well liked by neo-conservative groups (that should be a bell-ringer as to why he’s electable); it’s a smart-choice on a GOP ticket.

That said all of the above is mere speculation. McCain has the choice to make, and there are many qualified candidates for the VP slot – short list, long list, top of the list, at this point, that list is subject to change. Although personally a Mike Huckabee supporter who would love to see him on the ticket, I prefer a “wait and see”, actual announcement to wild speculation.



On another note, a very positive note: Hillary Clinton took the state of West Virginia last night in what can only be seen as a stunning defeat for Barrack Obama and a huge boost to the Clinton Campaign. It was an across the board, across demographics victory that should send a clear message to those Super Delegates who have yet to commit that perhaps Obama is not the right choice at this particular moment in time. The Base, again, that all important Base, which, although as fragmented as the RNC base, has that big block of working-class voters who identify with Hillary Clinton, along with women, (it might be worth noting that this particular minority is actually a huge majority), who are critical to a win in November. Just as the RNC has relied heavily on values voters (or those who are also Christian conservatives, those who prefer less tax, those who prefer less government), in the past to push G.W. Bush in to the White House for two terms, neither party can, at this point, afford to ignore the candidates (or potential v.p.’s) that will bring these voters home.