"No Drama Obama" Assembling Combative Team

Whatever happened to Mr. No-Drama-Obama?

After running a campaign known for its almost military-like cool and discipline, the president-elect is now assembling a staff whose members are known for their combativeness. ...

Some kind of shift was inevitable in the transition from politics to governing, political experts say. But by surrounding himself with forceful personalities, Mr. Obama may also be preparing himself and his administration for real battles.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[trinidadgirl]

The MEDIA people are the real drama queens. They need to quit dissecting every little nuance. Tedious,tedious,tedious!
They make a story out of nothing. Think back- out of all their supposed stories in the primaries...what became the real story!. These fellahs and gals in the media are turning out to be quacks. They need workshops on how to uplift and upgrade!

[honeydiva]

they have nothing else to do and b s sells.

[pokemon]

BL's head on a plate would be good starters.

[ImWithThatOne]

CNN just reported that AZ gov Janet Napolitano is O's top candidate for Homeland Security, and Penny Pritzker is his candidate for Commerce Secretary.

[XME]

Combative IS a good thing, but so is "no drama"...

So the one big question now is, can "you know who" pass the 'no drama' test?

http://cagle.com/working/081118/matson.jpg

[Tags]

How about Tom Harkin for Secretary of Agriculture?

[ensure]

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy would welcome Michelle Obama advice (http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/11/carla-brunisarkozy-would-welcome-michelle-obama-advice.html)

[ensure]

Tom Daschle to oversee Obama's health transition team (http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/11/tom-daschle-to-oversee-obamas-health-transition-team.html)

[ishkaboodle]

Keys to great leadership: 1) Pragmatism- identify the problem, develop a plan, and fix it; 2) know what you don't know-- surround yourself with subject matter experts with diverse perspectives and backgrounds; 3) don't remain married to any singular approach or ideology- let all perspectives be heard and weighed; 4) put the well being of the organization first, your own needs second; 5) make the fr**kin hard decisions.

As a leader, Obama is already exceeding my expectations.

My only remaining concern, given his methodical decision making style, is whether or not he is able/willing to make quick, hard decisions. I assume that is why Rahm Emauel is his #2.

To borrow from corporate vernacular, we've hired an excellent guy for this major turn-around. Remember that americans really like extroverts; they have a harder time warming up to the more introverted, smart guys. He'll need 6 months for any type of ROI, and much, much more for break even. Let's fight the impulse to micro-manage, and let him do his job.

[lola85]

I agree with you--especially on the "impulse to micro-manage, and let him do his job."

[Pegi]

I agree. This main is brilliant and he will appoint nothing less than excellence. I trust his decisions!!

[hortonhearsawho]

I'll second that....

[Coinyer101]

with his picks ,so far, i see no change. still 'hoping' ,though.

[ListenPeople]

Should he be choosing complete unknowns and "outsiders" like Sarah Palin?

[ishkaboodle]

Sorry, but that "no change" smacks of regurgitated sound bites.

Let's see . . . we need to run this government . . we need some really smart people who know how to get things done . . . people who know how Washington works . . . people who have political capital . . . people (hopefully) not associated with the disastrous last 8 years . . . strong and powerful people who can make change happen as quickly as possible.

You have lots of time for on the job training in the highest offices in our country?

Gee- why is anybody with half a brain surprised that the transition team needs to reach back to the Clinton admin? Where are they supposed to find these people . . . Mars??

[NeoStar9]

He wants people with experience and any experienced people on that democratic side would have worked for the Clinton administration. Lets be serious here. Things need to get done and you need people that know their way around. Would you seriously want complete unknowns? How is that helpful?

It isn't the people who he picks to do the job. It's how he directs them that matters. They aren't and can't go off and do their own thing. Remember that. If they don't do things his way they are gone.

All this talk about how this is not change is falling for Republican spin. This is how their attacks on an Obama administration are appearing. Many of you are falling for it far to easily as well.

You don't bring in people right out of college into the White House. That's insane. Change is not a change in face. It's how things are done, what is done, and the thought process behind it. That has always been the case. Let's remember as well just because a person worked for President Clinton does not mean they are Clinton only or are secretly working for him. You've worked for different people.

[hotstuff]

Not combative, smart and forceful! Running on day one! Able to throw dozens of idea's and talk and moul them over fast! People Polosi,reid cannot mow over/ their forced to listen and work w/Obama!

[lvdragonlady]

What do you want him to do, appoint a bunch of 'no nothings'? Don't believe that he is not going to make sure everyone is on the same page, if not I am sure they will be out the door before it is opened.

[allonfla]

The only drama is the one created by the media. They cannot get over the fact that Obama does not get involved in petty nonsense so they have to create it. His team is not combative. These are people who will have his back and not put up with the crap that happens in the White House.

[Reaganwater]

Combative ? Compared to what ? More Combative than GWB : ignoring laws ,facts ,science, and the constitution . More than McCain ? whose camp even battered(not without cause) his own running mate.
Have you ever met or heard of Tom 'the hammer" Delay or Cheney or Rumsfeld or Wolfowitz ?
Does The name of Gingrich ring any bells at the NYT ?
More combative than even Hillary or Lieberman ? both of whom Obama has forgiven.

New York Times : Have you ever heard of context ? or recent comparative standards of same ?

OH ....by the way............ FIRE KRISTOL .............If facts still hold any value to you !

[RJPasadena]

That's why HRC was not the best DEM candidate for POTUS. She is a very smart capable person but there are too many media, pundits, and republicans that create drama around the Clintons. These folks vehemently despise them. The country is in no shape to be focusing on insignificant issues that the republican and their media friends would try to distract us with.

I am sick and tired of hearing of some new revelation concerning Obamas team. Let Barack be Barack. He apparently knows what he is doing. So nice to have a grownup in the White House and a grownup administration.

[byrdlegs]

I agree with Pasadena. Every one (pundits) like to take jabs at Obama, especially the GOPERS. How easily they forget they just got the asses kicked and are in such disray, they may not be able to get it together for a long long time. This election was such a squeaker with Obama winning by a mere 8 million votes, not to mention more than double the electoral votes from the opposing party. Obama didnt win the presidency by being stupid and he surley isnt going to start to be now.

[PaulLee]

First Obama was accused of being naive but he assembled a great team for the primaries. Then there was criticism/handwringing about his ability to make the transition to general election mode - I guess that turned out OK too. Now he is making adjustments for governing..............I think he has shown that he is not dumb, so just wait and see and chill everyone.

[secret38b]

Some folks have called me a political neophyte, but I actually took the title of this piece to be a good thing about the Obama admin..... I thought it meant them fighting for all things good for the people.

[Mr Grey]

I agree. The job President-elect Obama and the new Congress face is a long and hard one. It will take some very smart and hard working people to get the work done. I believe President-elect Obama is building just such a team. Good look to him and to us all, we will need it.

[canarypapers]

The only combative thing here is the title of this post. The word "combative" here is nothing but an attention-grabber. And it inaccurately suggests great conflict in the Obama campaign among these players -- despite that, at the moment, none exists except in headlines like this. The writer of this post presumes much and says little.