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

[Ohg]

Obama is driving the American mini-van loaded with the children of the election - everyone is shouting, "Are we there yet?" ..........­.....

http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/11/10/obama-drives-the-american-mini-van/

[dizmo4]

To all of the "Progressives" out there, remember that Obama has said in numerous speeches that he plans to be the President of the United States of AMerica --- not the President of Blue America.

George W. Bush governed as though he was only president of red america. Pres. Obama will govern as the President of the entire country. That means that he won't have a far left agenda. His administration will be left of center for sure, but its not going to be super liberal.
.

[GeorgeP922]

I heard rumors Obama might hire the head of SEIU as labor secretary.

that would AWESOME, man, we got four good years to look forward too.

Another sign why my fellow libs should not be worried about Rahm.

[SpringDoc]

That was part of the strategy from the Richardson campaign, to put a labor person in as Sec of Labor and to put a teacher in the HEW secretarial position. Obama must think it made sense. Still, Richardson should be appointed the Sec. of State.This guys platform was brilliant and well designed. His success in everything he's been either elected to or appointed to has shown brilliant approach and success of his efforts.

[larmarch5]

Who would likely become gov of NM should Richardson assume secofstate?

[MPeter]

Obama is our Prez. This hire means that he intends to keep us all engaged in his administration. This is Good Newz.

[jdwoman]

Totally agree. He is going to be an inclusive president. Anyone who expects that only one agenda -- progressive, you listening --- will be followed will be disappointed. His supporters are not all progressives. I am a progressive, for the record.

[CaptD]

I agree, American's will ALL have a voice for the next 4 years...
and about time too...

[Jaybot]

If Obama were actually going to implement 'progressive' policy, why would he need a liaison or even an adviser? I suspect this will be the guy hired to 'manage' those pesky loud-mouth liberals.

[darthdarcy]

You got it right, he's the appeaser..­.Judas goat..so to speak...

[candyc]

It seems very weird that the progressives, like the far right, are already showing displeasure with Obama- less than a week after the election.
How about giving the guy a chance?

I hope that everyone recognizes that we aren't all always going to be thrilled by his choices, and that he will indeed be the President of EVERYONE. Bush was NOT the president for everyone.

I think all of thye signals are positive. Its a long time until Jan 20th, folks

[oldvet]

I'm what many would consider a way left progressive. I have absolutely no problem with Obama trying to govern all of us Americans and am sure that I will disagree with some of his policies.

That said, I am confident that his programs will be center left and will be the polar opposite of Bush.

[joshuahmcdonald]

And this is why Jaybot will never manage an organization larger than 10 people...a­t least not successfully.

[seedyrum]

the world still watches

funny how the republicans say the country is center right and given that Obama (as they conservatives say) is the most liberal>>>however< the country voted for Obama >>something is wrong with this picture

i don't know what is wrong with being a liberal>>c­onsidering the conservatives of bush administration were more liberal than any liberal and those conservative were incompetent>>i rather have a competent liberal than an incompetent conservative>

[Sparhawk]

Bush was not Conservative, nor did he have any conservatives (that he listened to) in his administration. He was at best a Moderate, and at worst a Liberal in relationship to policy and the ways he ran his administration.

The country did not vote for Obama, 52% of the eligible voters (approx 130M -less than half of the "country") did.

Words mean things, so we to make sure we call it like it is not like we want to see it. I'm a Conservative,a nd I have been disgusted with Bush and they way he ran things. It was disgraceful.

[Fabienne]

There has never been a President who got a large majority of the vote. 52% is pretty good, far better than Bush or Clinton did.

[MikeGuy]

You've got to be kidding. Bush a liberal? He was a conservative ideologue beholden to narrow interests, and a complete incompetent at managing government. But I will agree with you on one thing: it WAS disgraceful.

[Knowbetter]

Bush is %100 conservative.

[GeorgiaOrwell]

Progressive certainly lets out keeping Lieberman as part of the Dems. Please.

[joshuahmcdonald]

Hmmm...wor­d order actually matters in English. Means what, your comment?

[Mannock]

Too me I confused am too creel...

[MNmommy]

Good news!

[lunchlady]

Great! The word Progressive helps too. The grumpy old NeoCons will not like him- oh well.

[csaddlem]

That's a good thing in my book.