Obama's Transition: What Change Will Look Like

Time:

It is one of the ironies of politics and history that when the candidate of change was pondering what he would do if he actually got elected President, he turned to the man who eight years before handed over the White House keys to George W. Bush. ...

Even in the calmest of times, the transfer of presidential power is a tricky maneuver, especially when it involves one party ceding the office to another. But not since Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in the midst of the Depression has a new President faced a set of challenges quite as formidable as those that await Obama. That's why Obama has been quicker off the blocks in setting up his government than any of his recent predecessors were, particularly Bill Clinton, who did not announce a single major appointment until mid-December. As the President-elect put it in his first radio address, "We don't have a moment to lose."

Read the whole story: Time

Comments

[kepary]

think i'll start smoking... it looks cool

[psychmaj323]

don't like this photoshopped cover.

[wrathofcon]

Hey is Obama smoking a kool or Newport?

[meleon]

What are you really attempting to say?

[Fredo777]

haha

Obie reminds me of Dwayne Wayne (from "A Different World") in that shot, because of the hat + glasses.

[psychmaj323]

lol, no he doesn't...

[JeffmChicago]

This is a difference of opinion from those who think the Time cover is good.

I don't like it.

Barack Obama being the first biracial/black man to be the President elect and all Time could do is compare him to FDR? Dismissing the essense that is Barack Obama in exchange with FDR persona is disrespectful to say the least.

[Bitsko]

Rule #1 in contemporary journalism: be as lazy and unoriginal as you possibly can.

[slowhand0728]

That is pretty funny, but I dont know if Obama will start smoking again. But very cute.

[vallon]

What a great cover! While I usually refuse to buy that rag, I'll have to make an exception in this case.

[TheBlackCat]

While this photo of Obama is obviously supposed to be him as FDR....


.......how many Americans will think that it's him as The Penguin?

[meleon]

Lol! Thanks, now I have that image in my head.

[confuseddemocrat]

The only problem is that it wasn't FDR's programs per se which lifted us out of the Depression.... It was WW-II which reignited the economy and led to innovations which created new industries and emrging new markets (Europe and Asia had to be rebuilt literally from the ground up)

Also it was a GI bill which allowed huge amounts of individuals to acquire education and new skills

In short, huge federal spending programs will not make a large dent...we need to be prudent with our spending...yes even trimming the federal government

[slowhand0728]

People dont want to hear that even though it is true. Also we are not a Manufacturing based country any more can not build our way out of this. What we need is a GI Bill for EVERYONE, re-educated and teach people new skills. Lets think real CHANGE not just saving what we have.

[1will]

I like your idea of a GI Bill for everyone but I have to ask if you believe (as I do) that those that have sacrificed and risked their lives should get a better deal. I just don't believe some spoiled kid that has never done anything but smoke weed and play Xbox should get the same deal as a Marine or soldier fighting in Iraq.
Also I have to wonder if more education is the answer. How many doctors, lawyers and accountants do we need? Yes, we are very behind in engineers but it doesn't do a lot of good to have a highly educated workforce that cannot find a job. There are simply not enough decent paying jobs in the service industry that require a college degree.

[naschkatze]

God forbid that we restore our economy by even more rearmament. This is what the first tier countries around the world did during the Great Depression. Our recovery has to be based on something else this time, maybe clean energy and the environment. BTW, FDR is my favorite president--so far--but Obama is not going to be a carbon copy.

[alienufo]

the New Deal programs helped grow the economy though, it just skyrocketed when we entered the war. The only time we lost GDP during the New Deal was when FDR raised taxes.

[1will]

You are correct. If people look at the unemployment rate during the Great Depression they will see that FDR's programs did not solve the economic problems. I'm sure many were helped by the jobs programs but as the unemployment rate went from 25% to 14% and then up to 19% (shortly before the war) it should be obvious that FDR's programs were not the solution. WW II got us out of the Depression. The Stock Market never reached the pre crash levels again until the late 1940's despite the Depression officially ending around 1942.

Many like a revisionist view of the history regarding the Great Depression because it justifies giving all power and trust to government. The FDR example teaches us that government is always the solution and many like that. It's unfortunate that so much of the history we are taught is wrong and politicaly biased.

[alienufo]

i dont know what you are talking about. When FDR came into office and started his New Deal programs the economy started recovering. Unemployment went down, GDP started going up. Yes it was a slow process and there was a hiccup in 1938 but that was because FDR cut government spending in 1937 that caused unemployment to rise and gdp to fall for one year. The war eventually gave the economy some steroids but the new deal programs started a slow recovery pretty much right away.

[Osmona]

Thank you Big Lover

[ivillage]

http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/11/barack-obama-to-pioneer-web-outreach-as-president.html - Barack Obama to pioneer Web Outreach as President

http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/11/democratic-party-has-a-15-million-debt.html - Democratic Party has a $15 million debt

[JamesInDenver]

I really like the cover photo...my hats off to the guy who thought of that.

[Archivist1000]

Time is expecting its readership to know some history; I guess they overestimated ...

The photo is to give the IDEA of the last NEW DEAL .... the cover is meant to compare Obamaa to FDR (I think) who got the USA economy again, with his programs of roads etc ...


Google NEW DEAL and you will understand the comparison.

[TheBlackCat]

SOME of the conservatives have totally lost it. I found a link on the BBC today:

http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/11/a_tragedy_of_hi.html#comments

They state that this election is one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the world. They say we are on our way to becoming Europe, which they call a "socialist hellhole" and they even refer to (I $#*% you not) England as a third world nation.

BTW they have open commenting, hehehe

[Osmona]

Someone on Morning Joe's did most definitely say "NEW NIGGERETTE". Unbelieveable. You mean to tell me NO ONE heard that? If anyone knows, please give me the information on how I can write in a complaint.

In the meantime, I am done with that bunch.

Thank you

[biglover]

If you go on MSNBC's website. Click the TV link and then click on Morning Joe. Scroll down and you will see a place to send an e-mail..

[Df7702]

what the h@ll is that ?

[moongoober]

you are joking, right?
the person on the panel said "nicorette"
it is a gum that aids in quitting smoking, which Obama has done.
bye