Axelrod: No "Potted Plants" In Obama's Cabinet

Appearing on ABC's This Week, senior Obama adviser David Axelrod was asked whether a potential Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have the "full backing of the president" and "a direct line to the White House."

"I think it's fair to say that all of these appointees will have the full backing of the president, that's why he's selecting them," Axelrod said. "And the one thing I can tell you from working for six years with Barack Obama -- that he is someone who invites strong opinions. He enjoys that -- he thinks it's an important element of leadership. And I think that he'll have a great working relationship with his entire Cabinet. They are not going to be potted plants. ... They are going to be partners with him in governance, and he is going to encourage that. And I'm sure that that's the message that he's given to everyone he's spoken to about potential positions in the administration."

Axelrod also sought to downplay concerns among progressives that some of Obama's cabinet choices signaled a departure from the agenda he backed during the campaign.

"The president-elect was clear throughout the campaign that when he became president, that he was going to give the secretary of Defense a new mission, and that mission was going to be to wind down our involvement," he said. "Nothing has changed. And, obviously, events are moving in that direction as we speak. But our supporters can be, and the entire nation, and the world can be assured that the commitments that he's made are the commitments he's going to keep."

Watch a clip from This Week below, and read more about Obama's Cabinet here.

Axelrod offered similar comments in Sunday's New York Times, emphasizing that Obama's cabinet will be there to carry out the president's agenda.

"He's not looking for people to give him a vision," said Mr. Axelrod, who will be a senior White House adviser. "He's going to put together an administration of people who can effectuate his vision." [...]

"Barack Obama never offered himself as an ideologue -- he's a pragmatist and a problem solver," Mr. Axelrod explained. But he added: "We are not living in a time that allows for incrementalism. His goal is to form bipartisan consensus. I don't think that goal is more important than achieving a result."

Comments

[BLinCincinnati]

The more I watch the positions fill up the more I keep thinking of the show "The West Wing". I can see Obama being like Bartlett. Hearing all sides, letting his aides argue back and forth, then taking it all in and making a decision.

Rahm Emmanuel is the inspiration for the character Josh Lyman. My favorite scene:


KATZENMOYER
I'm an incumbent Democrat. You'll go to the press and endorse a challenger?

JOSH
No sir. We're going to do it in person. See, you won with fifty-two percent, but the President took your district with fifty-nine. And I think it's high time we come back and say thanks. Do you have any idea how much noise Air Force One makes when it lands in Eau Claire, Wisconsin? We're going to have a party, Congressman. You should come, it's gonna be great. And when the watermelon's done, right in town square, right in the band gazebo... You guys got a band gazebo?

KATZENMOYER
Josh...

JOSH
Doesn't matter, we'll build one. Right in the band gazebo, that's where the President is going to drape his arm around the shoulder of some assistant DA we like. And you should have your camera with you. You should get a picture of that. 'Cause that's gonna be the moment you're finished in Democratic politics. President Bartlet's a good man. He's got a good heart. He doesn't hold a grudge.
[puts on sunglasses]

That's what he pays me for. [walks away]

[CatPower]

Man, you guys who said he was an empty suit must be very embarrassed now!

[MaximMaximus]

Soon we will have a president who enjoys analysis, brainstorming, developing ideas by rational debate, and executing plans in a pragmatic manner. After eight years of President Bush, it will be a fresh breath of air in U.S. politics.

[theVoice0fReason]

...not to mention, wordsmiths have been given back the proper pronunciation of the word NUCLEAR.

...How many days left?

[BLinCincinnati]

Far too many....

[lafrance]

We know what a mess it is to surround yourself with cronies and yes men like Bush did.
Good to know that Obama wants strong opinions and respects that and that he wants the best minds actively making theirs known.
Obama is a man who is secure enough in himself to not feel intimidated by strong opinion and the best minds since he is obvious got a brilliant one himself.

[special muppet]

You take a man with no opinions and then get a load of opinionated people to tell him what to do. That's a charitable view on the Bush administration.

Then you take an opinionated person and surround him with equally opinionated people and they have a debate. That's what Obama's presidency will be like.

What an amazing turn-around!

Still, what has been bothering me recently is the way American politics lurches all over the political spectrum every couple of years. A recent and very valid article appeared recently on HuffPo about how the introduction of a national health system will change everything. It was correct. It will.

[MIVOTE]

No more potted plants like co ndi rice. She has been so ineffective, makes women ashamed. Maybe she sprouted a couple of branches.

[gregjones]

OBAMA TALK RADIO ! Tonight ! 8pm (est) Listen/Call-In LIVE !
Nothing But The Truth with Greg Jones
Join Us ! Tonight !

Question: Should Hillary Be SoS

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLeft/The-Greg-Jones-Show/2008/11/24/NOTHING-BUT-THE-TRUTH-with-Greg-Jones

[newshawk14]

Not even a pothead?

[Invox]

He won't be that special needs President we've had for the past 8 years, that's for sure. Talk about a potted plant! Bush's highest calling was to have been a low functioning contractor.

[CBS]

Or a gofer for Joe The Not a Plumber.

[Bitsko]

With his father's wealth he could buy 100,000 Joe The Plumbers.

[thecanadian]

I noticed that Obama has NOT thanked his millions of Community Workers and Supporters and specifically Plouffe! If it were not for them, really believe he would have not made it to the top!

[sharonh]

I am still waiting for my dinner invitation!!! Gads, will I never learn.

[Bitsko]

I wrote him a letter thanking HIM for running and congratulating him for winning.

[QnATL]

Umm, he sent out an email to all his supporters before his speach in Grant Park, he thanked both Davids at the begining of his speach;

What would you like for him to do? Personally send out emails thanking all his supporters, all 68 million of them or maybe he can go personally shake their hands or send them flowers?

The only thanks I want is for him to continue doing the job we put him in there to do.

[fanchon1288]

There is a huge Obama/Biden "THANK YOU" on his website. You can't ask for much more thanks to everyone.

[classc 1]

He also thanked Ploufee specifically on the night he won...at Grant Park!!!

[craneman]

The only thanks we want is For President Obama to pull this nation together and eliminate the financial and moral meltdown the entire republican party is responsible for.

[krischly]

Have you heard the rumors of Raul Grijalva for Secretary of Interior--this would be an incredible coup for the national parks.

[Bitsko]

I've got my fingers crossed on that. I've met Raul on several occasions, and he would be fantastic in the position. Can't imagine a better person for the job. The mining companies must be quaking in their boots!

[abby4ever]

test

[qofdisks]

There is a more qualified candidate for Secretary of Interior.
Patricia Madrid.
She was Attorney General of the State of New Mexico for 2 terms. She was the Chair of the Conference of Western Attorneys General as well.
NM has 1.6 million acres of inventoried roadless areas. In 2005 the Bush Administration repealed the roadless rule that protects forests from road building and excessive logging of the National Forest system. Along with 2 other Western AGs She sued the Bush Administration (and won) to prevent them from dismantling this key forest protection.

[qofdisks]

Patricia Madrid protected New Mexico's water with regard to all water litigation and the issues concerning the Colorado River Compact. She was able to balance competing water needs of cities and farmers and endangered wildlife along the Rio Grande Corridor.
She understands the issues of nuclear waste disposal and weapons research inside and out dealing with WIPP and our national labs at Los Alamos and Sandia Labs.
She would collect unpaid and underpaid royalties for the oil and gas production on Federal lands from companies. Previous Administrations have failed to do this. she has prosecuted claims against major oil companies that failed to pay royalties for CO2 production in NM and brought more than 40 million into NM coffers as a result of Powell v. BP Amoco. She is prepared to pursue such revenues nation wide.
New Mexico is a state with 22 Native tribes and she had extensive dealings with them.
As NM AG she had stewardship of the state's land, water, natural resources, forests, wildlife and endangered species.
She prosecuted environmental crimes and was one of 14 attorneys general who obtained a decision from the Supreme court on the regulation of greenhouse gases. The Court ruled that the EPA had authority to regulate emissions under the Clean Air Act and directed the EPA to do so.

[randyjet]

As a forcibly retired airline captain, I hope that Obama does NOT appoint Duane Woerth as head of the FAA. He is better refered to as Woerthless by most pilots for a number of good reasons. He is a selfish political hack and a poor union man to boot. He allowed the Canadian pilots in ALPA to fly to age 65 while at the SAME time testifying before Congress that raising the age limit to 65 in the US was UNSAFE! He also allowed the airlines to get rid of all their pension obligations without any regards for those who were coming up on the age limit. By kicking pilots out at age 60, the PBGC regarded them as having taken early retirement and slashed their insured part of their pensions in HALF despite the fact that they had NO choice in the matter.

The other mentioned candidate is Col. Robert Herbert who is an aide to Sen. Reid and an outstanding person who actually listens and is non partisan and fair and has integrity and ability. Things that Woerthless does NOT have.

[Bitsko]

Thanks for the info. Still don't know how Liz Dole got away with her abysmal tenure as Secretary of Transportation.

[Marysdude]

You forget her equally abysmal tenure as head of the Red Cross...did she ever actually accomplish anything other than be Mrs. Bob?

[walktothelight]

What in the heck is Obama looking at her Shoes? @#$$%@!

[KillBillV2]

What?

[Galileo2100]

She is simply saying "I will be an asset, and my (potential) asset is this useful."

[spunky5408]

New thread on home page.

[TrishyTrue]

Obama is smart. I see in him the description given by David Axelrod. I doubt Obama ever does anything without thinking. He his hand picking his people for a reason. It is indicative of his very potent leadership skills. These are the most challenging times and he knows what he must do and part of that is to ensure he takes no unwarranted risks. To be sure, there will be risks in almost everything he does to heal the economy at this time, that is not his fault. He will take the critical path.

Whether I like this choices or not, I believe he is making sound decisions for the right reasons.

[spunky5408]

Well put.

[liseworks]

Yep - yep !

[BWonka]

Agreed - there are reasons for the choices he has made, and seeing how well his choices to run his campaign did, I'm fine with letting him do the job the way he - and his choices - see fit.