Obama Hires Progressive Liaison For Transition Team

Veteran Democratic official Mike Lux has been tapped by Barack Obama to serve as an adviser and progressive liaison during the transition period, the Huffington Post has learned.

Lux, who worked on the Clinton administration transition efforts in 1992, confirmed the hiring but, citing a need for clearance, declined to offer further information.

The staffing move provides the Obama team with an important outlet to the progressive community -- a constituency from which the president-elect currently enjoys great support but one that has a wide range of priorities and will be holding Obama most firmly to his campaign promises once he takes office.

After working in the Clinton White House on issues ranging from health care and the budget to school lunch policy, he founded Progressive Strategies LLC and began writing for the site OpenLeft.com in July 2007. He also helped co-found a number of progressive institutions including: Americans United for Change, Center for Progressive Leadership, Grassroots Democrats, Progressive Majority, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, and Women's Voices/Women Vote. He writes for the Huffington Post.

Related: Comprehensive coverage of Obama's transition

Comments

[ThePoliticalBrain]

Relax, everybody. Mike is one of the smartest, most thoughtful, best connected progressives (and yes, he's progressive) in Washington. He's someone who knows how and when to negotiate and how and when to fight. He's one of the politically sharpest people in Washington, and one who I'd trust in any role in the new administration. He has common sense and uncommon horse-sense. The fact that President-Elect Obama knows who he is and knows why he's such a good choice for that role speaks volumes about how he plans to govern. Mike can talk to anyone from the center to the left, knows them all, and last I looked, we want to keep a broad coalition. I suspect those to the center-left will win some and those to the left will win some in an Obama administration. If it weren't that way, there would only be one Obama term, and let's hope he can get things done and get 8 years of a progressive government and turn an electoral viictory and a repudiation of radical conservativsm into a realingment. of looking like a

[PSM42]

Naomi Klein suggested that HUGE pressure was needed to influence Obama's policies, at Stanford on 101608.

Howard Zinn and many, many other activists on Democracy Now's election special, ALL said that we have to put pressure on Obama over the issues.

Zinn's metaphor was that Obama is a pawn on a chess board, in its good sense. If you move him he can be a knight or a castle or a queen and be powerful. But you have to move him. And so we have to move Obama. As FDR implemented the New Deal after huge grass roots pressure was applied to him.

Zinn suggested that Obama is too cautious - about Iraq withdrawal and a new deal economic program. It is up to us to move him, and prove that he is willing to be moved.

[KGinSanFrancisco]

Who are those people? How can they claim to know what's inside Obama's head? He is constantly listening to the best and brightest in the business and I believe in his brilliant capacity to come up with a plan. By the way, Robert Reich, who was at the meeting on Friday is very optimistic but said expectations need to be lowered because the problems are too huge to solve overnight.

[SOLERSO68]

Oh no! its not looking good for the fictional "center right majority"

[dexxjones]

hahaha good one. that "center right" is illogical. the middle is where the country is. period. the middle has changed and people who used to be "center right" are now further right. the world doesnt use the wingnut wishlist as its goalpost.

[supervoter]

"...to serve as an adviser and progressive liaison..." It's the word "progressive" in that phrase that gets me. The word "liberal" has become so toxic that the Democrats are relabeling themselves. Of course, by calling themselves progressive, the opposite is inferred for Republicans, as in "regressive." Gotta love it.

[sandpiper1]

I love your point of view and good move if that's the intent. I do wonder if Obama will be selecting a lot of Clinton's people? I hope not. Surely there are qualified people out there, not involved with the Clintons who would do an excellent job. Anybody has any idea?

[wagonjak]

This could be good news, or it could be just a sop to us "angry hippies".

I'll wait and see on this one...how he is used, and how O responds to his progressive base on the issues.

[alieninvader]

If you don't like the decisions Obama's making, email him. He does read them and he pays attention. Remember, we have one HUGE advantage going in...our money elected him. Many of you seem to not be thinking about the fact that he needs to surround himself with a lot of people with clout and the power to get things done. It would be great if he were to surround himself with no one but great liberal thinkers, but if they don't know how to get things done, they do us absolutely no good at all.

[haramagoti]

I respectfully must beg to differ. Hearts opened a whole lot more than wallets, when the average donation for the gentleman was i believe something like $86.00, my bet is people's hearts went into this election for more than that amount. I do agree with your remark on checking and balancing anyone in power, no matter who they are, that's a simple given.

[alieninvader]

I don't disagree. I think my legwork did more to get him elected than my measly donations, but my point is that he is far less beholden to big money lobbyists than any other recent President. He was elected thanks to the "little folks" and he's proven on more than one occasion, that he's actually listening to us.

[canucklivinginUSA]

The horror! I want diversity and what Obama is doing is right. I am tired of this left vs right crap.
I have mentioned so many time on this blog that the most virulent critics of Obama would come from the uber-Liberals. I haven't been dissapointed

[ohmercy]

yup!
the ideologues demonize anyone who isn't "pure" enough in their eyes.
He isn't in office yet and the carping starts.

I got disgusted during the primary with the demonization of all things clinton and I see it isn't going to end.
guess I will be spending less time here again. Off to find some sanity.

[Bitsko]

You know what really gets a politician's attention? A hand written letter. A letter is worth a dozen emails.

[SophieAmrain]

I would hope that Obama has some speed-reading people that can preselect thoughtful commentary, independent of the physical means of delivery:-)

[POTUS2008]

progresives helped win this ellection.

[PublicusOrator]

Among many others.

[canucklivinginUSA]

not true, it was a coalition of progressive, liberals and moderate conservatives who helped elect him

[Querent]

Some of the "moderate conservatives" may have helped, but they primarily did it by forgetting for the time being that they are any stripe of conservative. Conservatism is a dead end.

[PATina]

After reading more of these comments... what I don't get is why people seem to believe that all of America can't be governed w/ progressive policies?? If I'm not mistaken... progressive policies are designed to be ALL inclusive. They don't just work for any one particular group of people... in other words... they include EVERYONE (which is one of the reasons they are so easily equated w/ socialism).

I guess more people need to learn and understand what a progressive agenda is before they start criticizing progressives and or their agenda.

[alieninvader]

Progressive policies are designed to help society as a whole, not all groups and certainly not all individuals. When you benefit one group, even if that group is the majority of society, some will suffer. That doesn't mean we shouldn't work toward a progressive agenda, but it does mean that it will be difficult. He//...there are even progressive causes that conflict with each other.

[Abo]

Gee, he thought to install a "liason" to progressives from a Clintonista, no less.
This must be the bone thrown from a president elect who needs a liason to "progressives" while he keeps a guard dog at the door. Not good.
And the glass darkens.

[haramagoti]

What's the benefit of being a naysayer to a team, let alone this individual, who happen to be forward thinking? And the liaison status is simply phraseology, note that he is simply an adviser among many and a pretty actively decent human being who's experience needs not be besmirched for the sake of pessimism alone. Obama has a fine, rational outlook on being righteous towards policy and leadership on his own two feet, why wouldn't you agree with his carrying that element of himself towards a team he feels would best check and balance his choices? Would you rather he stood alone? Foolish. Much like your misused glass symbolism.

[Abo]

Ahh, this must be the "holding his feet to the fire" promise?
You obviously don't get the point--a liason to what is fundamentally his base is specified. What does this say about his other advisors? I'd say the glass is darkening--Rahm Emanuel and other of the very worst of the clintonistas--Rubin, Summers for starters as starters.

[Max and the Marginalized - Huffpost Blogger]

How on earth is this not good? Lux is the real deal, for one. For two, it appears you are the type who says "see what I mean" whenever your suspicions about something are confirmed, and "it's only symbolic" when they are disproven. That's no way to argue.

[Abo]

I guess we have been in the wilderness for so long that we celebrate the bone thrown? Did not Obama ride in on a progressive agenda of hope? Were doubters in the progressive blogsphere rallied by the rallying promise that "we will hold his feet to the fire" and expectations of accountability to match the soaring rhetoric?
This man may be well and good--that is NOT the point. The point is he is framed as a liason to a special interest group- "the progressives" at the same time Obama is appointing Neo-Con hawk Rahm Emanuel as his gatekeeper and other assorted players that were the ARCHITECTS of the economic mess we are now in.
This reason to hope??????Give me a break.

[canucklivinginUSA]

OMG, you and your lot are the most annoying of the bunch on here. I am seriously getting disgusted by this.

[jbeach]

Come on. Everyone who worked for the Clinton Administration is somehow automatically not progressive?

Let's chill out here. He seems like a good cat, and I'm happy that there's anyone progressive associated with a Presidential administration. The last 8 years have not been so much, to understate the obvious.

[Bitsko]

That's quite a nasty case of cynicism you got there.

[alieninvader]

Wow. After reading these posts, I say we start the impe achment proceedings right now. God forbid we have someone who's only about a 6 or 7 on the progressive scale, as opposed to, oh I don't know, the disaster we have right now?

I am about as progressive as it gets and I learned long ago that I will have to compromise. Personally, I'd like to live in a world with no cars, no factory farms, no corporate personhood, no stock market, no health insurance companies, etc. Do I ever think I will live in that world? Not unless I move to some tiny island. Instead, I'll lobby for a world with better mass transit and more fuel efficient cars, more humane factory farms, a much better regulated corporate culture and health insurance industry. Does that make me a centrist? No. It makes me a realist.

[Hawka]

Here here, say no to delusional extremism from any side. Obama manages to bring back my optimism through pragmatic reason and thats more substance for any message that I have yet to see in the last 8 years before him.

[FOXYLADY]

AMEN, FROM ANOTHER REALIST

[evi1joe]

Indeed. I'm very progressive, but I understand our transition to a more enlightened and sustainable lifestyle--where ALL people have equal rights (blacks, homosexuals, women, etc.), we don't use and waste so many non-renewable resources, and our democracy isn't threatened by our form of "capitalism"--will take time. It's unfortunate that it's taking this long, but at least--for the moment--we seem to be headed in the right direction. HOPEfully.

[ErnestineBass]

Hear! Hear!

[canucklivinginUSA]

Thank you. Whatever happened to the word consensus, obviously it is not in the vocabulary of most here.

[LoveAndProtectAnimals]

I don't think it's about being right, left, or moderate. I think that he needs to, as the President, do what is right for the majority of people. If that means he'll be looked at as moderate, fine. If it means he'll be looked at as progressive, fine. Those predefined words are not as important to me as what he does. In addition, we may see party aligments and core fundamentals change as a result of this election, so what used to be "progressive" may now be "moderate", hence my hesitation in defining what he is doing rather than analyzing if what he is doing is right or wrong for this country.

[FOXYLADY]

I totally agaree Love, but let's pray that many will realize it will take time to do it all........first things first and the experts can decide what is the most important. Let's not have many Republican nay sayers complaining 6 months in that Obama and his team are doing "nothinga".....it will be just sour grapes...........but I 'betcha" we'll hear some of that from the ignorant

[Chubbster]

What the Progressives forget is that they are a tiny minority, practically a fringe group in this country.

[greejambri]

You think so, huh?

[DeSwiss]

Ahhh yeah. Right.

And do you still believe in the Easter Bunny as well???

[Abo]

You mean like the Democratic base?

On what issues is the majority not progressive?
Healthcare?
The Environment?
Choice?
Opposing Iraq?
Privitizing social security--No, that is the position of the fringe.

[Bitsko]

Well put.

[GuyRC]

I could just as easily choose some personal definition of what a conservative is and say that they are extinct. And you know what, I just did.

[RepugsOut08]

Everything worthwhile that's ever happened in this country from it's very beginning, has been the progrssive idea of it's time. Starting with the American Revolution, through the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage and The Civil Rights Act just to name a few.
Can someone name me one thing a conservative agenda has created other than tax breaks for the wealthy? Conservative means doing nothing but blocking new ideas. That has it's place as a check against bad new ideas, but the day progressive idealists die in this country, is the day this nation dies as well.

[PATina]

I've said it before... if he has to move to the center to get elected... he'll stay in the center to make sure he'll get re-elected. Too many people thought that once he got elected he'd move back to the left. Sorry... I just don't think that's going to happen.

Personally, I think we need a hard left to undo the damage the Bush Admin (and to some extent the "centered" Clinton admin) has done to this country... but I seriously doubt that will be the case... particularly after listening to Rahm and James Clyburn this weekend.

[alieninvader]

I'm sure McCain will still take the job.

[PATina]

What part of "we need a hard left" would make you think that I would want Mc Cain to take the job??? You are another example of how poorly our education system works... no capability of critical thought.

[FOXYLADY]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh GOD FORBID!! I FOR ONE AM GLAD HE IS 'OUT"

[Retrofuturistic]

Here's what I want, Mike: Restore the Constitution, the checks and balances, and the separation of church and state. Get rid of the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and secret prisons. No faith-based initiatives, even with restrictions. De-politicize the Justice Department. Take tax-exempt status away from churches and put limits on how much money far-right religious predators can accumulate. Break media monopolies; we no longer have a free press, which is the only reason we have not had a revolution in the last eight years. Do something to stop lobbyists.

[sn]

Rather than talking about things that are impossible to get through congress (e.g. getting rid of patriot act when 99 senators voted for it), why don't we start with reasonable goals that everyone cares about?
Close Guantanamo (already on Obama's priority)
Ending war in Iraq (already Iraqis open to sign the 17-month withdrawal plan with Obama)
Tax cuts to the middle class (his plan within the first 100 days)
Federal funding for stem cell research (his plan within the first 100 days)
Close monitoring of the execution of the bail-out package
Green revolution (already on Obama's priority list)
Universal healthcare (hopefully before the end of his first 4 yrs)

I will be happy if these things are achieved in his first term.

[lifeinfullcolor]

I'm happy to see someone with a voice for the progressives brought into the decision making process, in order to place someone with a voice for the progressives in the coming administration. Most people are too busy just living day to day, they don't have the time to really stop and try and understand the complexity of governing. Most people though want to be able to provide the basics for their families, which I believe is a progressive agenda and one that Obama needs to find a way to express, to educate those who would vote against their better needs.

[jdmba]

Are all of Pres Elect's hires going to be from the Clinton years? This is starting to make me uncomfortable. There is so much young, new talent out there that I hope he can balance the need for experience with the need for fresh faces.

[joeinvt]

Well said.

[smoo]

Well he had to make sure that he protects himself from the old gaurd. Many of who would take cheap shots if the right people were not involved. Furthermore, he needs people with "experience" so he pulled from a pool of people who had been there and done that. Now the young new talent will certainly be on the team and have roles to play so that when the old hats get to old (next 4 - 5 years) he has a pipeline home grown newbies ready for battle.

[FairTalk]

Wonderful, for those he represents? A voice for Progressive Agenda?

People With Disabilities, PWDs, have a question for the progressives...where do we fit in?

Do the progressives support the Civil Rights Act of 1990? Public Law 101-336? The Americans With Disabilities Act? I am very concerned about this.

[publanski]

I think most progressives support people with disabilities as part of the "progressive agenda."

[FairTalk]

Hmmm? I wonder just what the progressive Agenda is and how it actually impacts PWDs and their issues?

For example, what is the progressive Agenda re individual rights vs group rights?

Do progressives believe that folks have an absolute right to terminate a pregancy based solely on the probabibility of a child being born with a disability? A La Nazi Mengele?

How about strengthing the Civil Rights of people with serious disabilities, vs weakening them by expanding the definition of disability to include half the US population? Are you kidding me?

Unemployment is growing and is being reported and became a campaign issue. How come unemployment in the disability community has been IGNORED for the past 18 years. yes, 18 years, The ADA was passed in 1990. So what exactly has has been done to close this gap?

Do the progressives intend to provide leagal assistance to PWDs, so they can finally have access to the courts? Right now assistance is limited to benifit issues like SSI and food stamps.

Please explain to me how almost 20% of Americans over the age of 5 can be subjigated like this, and with no meaningful outcry?

I live in Massachsetts, and the local progressives, ( Cambridge MA) hold their meetings in an unaccessible place, and have "issues" when a PWD accompianied by a trained service animal attempts to attend a meeting.
Hello?

Woof, woof!

Some meaningful CHANGE is needed in this area, don't you think so?