Obama's Once-Disciplined Team Springs Leaks During Transition

Barack Obama was famously able to impose discipline and control over his presidential campaign, but it didn't take long for him to discover that running a transition is something quite different.

Top aides to the president-elect had hoped to take a methodical approach to selecting and unveiling their new team, starting with the announcements of top national security and economic players shortly after Thanksgiving. But leaks and rumors have disrupted that plan, suggesting that the "no-drama Obama" mantra famously repeated by his staff may not be as operational in Washington as it was at campaign headquarters in Chicago.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[benndissed]

thats what happens when you play politics with clintons. he should have avoided them.

[water57]

What else would the media ( especially MSNBC ) have to talk about now, if it where not for these leaks. Apprently, because of the nature of transitions in government, leaks and gossips will happened and the media knows this. Now, MSNBC political shows are doing steady drum beat trying pressure Obama into being more active when they know the Constitution of US states we have one president at time. When there is slow news cycle, the media will create their own news.

[LarBear]

What Leaks??? The MSM speculating and attempting to create a DRAMA? Who coined the term "NO Drama Obama"??? WHY? WHO does the Term serve? Speculate, create a Drama and blame it on Leaks and then make a Story about the "Leaks".... Who is trying to create a "conflict" Storyline about Hillary working with Obama... And attempting to make "Bill Clinton" into a Storyline.... Based on many of the Comment's, the Storyline works with some people...

Do WE the People still NOT get it??? Corporate Media is about creating Storylines.... They NO Longer defend the Constitution, and the Nation, for the most part... WE Elected Obama because WE could go Online and Fact Check... The MSM no longer acts as a Fact checker for our Nation... The MSM may NOT be OUR enemy, but neither are they OUR Friend anymore, IMO...

[tel8034]

Before the emergence of the Clintonites, Obama had a disciplined team who clearly understood the term CONFIDENTIALITY and it;s meaning, and a team who respected Obama, and allowed him as the leader of the team, to make the various public statements on his terms and his timing without leaks.

This leaking only started AFTER Obama brought on Hillary's and Bill's people.

You'd think with all the drama in the Clinton camp during the primary they would have learnt their lesson.

Obama needs to weed out the loose lips and get rid of them ASAP........ Is this what we are to expect for the next 4 years......................... Numerous leaks?

Everybody seems to want their 15 minutes of fame.

[benndissed]

they will be a thorn in his side the entire way.

[knerd]

The leaks come from the sinking ships such as the USS Clinton...

[SickOfTheCorruption]

Wow the media must think we are incredibly stupid. These so called "leaks" are clearly intentional. It's the media that is making a spectacle out of it as usual. They need something to talk about.

[siney]

indeed...everytime the clintons are in the picture, the media has one giant O...

[Whinger]

Figure out exactly who you can trust, then say good bye to what's left, result no more leaks!

[BarackstarObama]

Obama is putting the best people in place, the leaks will be old news soon.

[benndissed]

lol! u believe anything! lol!!!

[Agentlady007]

I think the best way to handle this is for Barack Obama to wait until he is sworn in and place a gag order on himself a while.

[iPolitics]

There is nothing they can do about it"vetting and FBI background checks require a lot of calls, and that leads to leaks.

[GlenRast]

It could easily be someone at the FBI leaking. You've got 8 years of stacking government agencies with Bush neocons to deal with. Remember where the info about Obama's aunt came from?

[Chapmanp2]

If I had to place bets right now I would place them firmly on: these leaks being orchestrated by the transition team. Transition leaks are a way of testing the waters with potential cabinet appointments to make sure there is no huge public outcry, sometimes during those leak periods embarassing facts can come forward (through previously unknown channels) that can save the administration the embarrasment of going through failed confirmation hearings & wasted time. So I'd say the stuff leaked so far has been strategic. The fact that Hillary at SOS has been such a big distraction is probably by design as well & orchestrated with the Clinton camp. Keeping people focused on one story allows the others to breathe. So far I see nothing but pure competency...

[oldleftcoastdude]

Now that is a very interesting observation......

[aubrey8]

I don't think the leaks are ruining anything. I think there are a lot of people spazzing out over it.

[Agentlady007]

Really, - and how many of us woke up on the wrong side of the bed today?

[watermelon]

Come on now. Do you really think it's Obama's team who is leaking? Methinks it is our wonderful press making speculations, therefore creating rumors. It could also be that some of Hillary's folks are leaking, and it could be Karl Rove starting rumors. Remember our friend Karl has friends running the AP after all. Look at the source of the leak before you blame it on Obama's team.

[jacqmac]

These papers print ALL the D.C. gossip. A few names get mentioned, like this: "Lawyers for the Obama transition team were seen emerging from the office of soandso-head of suchandsuch an agency today. A check with the employees there confirmed that they had been asking questions about (fill in the blank) and that's ALL it takes, if the phone call isn't made from the agency first. The PRESS is looking for stories--STORIES. That's all they are looking for. The Clinton thing wasn't leaked by Obama's people--actually NONE of the latest tangents that the press has been on for the last two weeks were leaked by the Obama people. The fact that the 'reluctantly' affirmed SOME-not ALL of the speculation means that they KNOW that the Press has already MADE the news--therefore--it ain't really 'NEWS' anymore. Do I LIKE this? No! Do I think it's 'right'? NO! Obama is STILL HIS OWN PERSON and I trust that his team has not deliberately leaked any of this information that has become so public. What I don't like is the hue and cry about 'secrecy' whenever Obama is NOT jumping up and dancing to whatever the popular tune of the minute is. There's always going to be PRIVACY around certain decisions and the process that is used to reach them--creating news for the sake of news because someone doesn't check in with you regularly just doesn't cut it.

[Sweetie4Obama]

Ok, from reading David Brooks' article today, it's obvious these stories about the "leaks" are only something the media is trying to make hay out of. I guess they miss the excitement of the election and they need to find something to keep going.

[nomobull]

you are not alone

[chronic]

Exactly.

[oldleftcoastdude]

the "reporters" are only as good as their last story, so they have to make news, as it were.

[gi]

OK! EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE SEEN HEARD AND WANT A PIECE OF THE ACTION. LEAKS! LEAK! LEAKS! OK! Now Obama is not Jesus Christ he is not a magician. The man is trying to get the best if not the top notch people to help him move this country of ours forward. EIGHT YEARS OF BUSH MESS IS NO JOKE!!!!!........................... Regardless who Obama chooses all you CRITICS will have a problem with it. Let the man do his job putting together a superb and a brilliant team together and move this country F O R W A R D>>>>>>F O R W A R D.

[StillIRise]

I agree ... and in this case, I even agree with the SHOUTING!! I only wish we could take it up another octave!

[chronic]

I posted exactly what you said on different blogg!!


These me me me critics are getting on my nerves.