The Obama Administration: An End to Dynastic Politics?

Barack Obama's early moves to co-opt former adversaries Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman are, at least potentially, very smart. They also signal a different way of doing business than we've seen over the past 20 years. The Bush, Clinton, and Bush presidencies weren't just four- or eight-year stints running the government but also clannish, dynastic enterprises with aspirations for potential future presidencies, legacy maintenance, et al. They put a heavy emphasis on personal loyalty and were quick to punish even perceived slights. They had -- and still have -- countless retainers, hangers-on, enforcers, and supplicants willing to say or do or say anything for the team. Think: Lanny Davis. Or recall how Bush 41 functionary Lawrence Eagleburger's honest appraisal of Sarah Palin was immediately followed by a humiliatingly abject and unbelievable recantation.

There's no way to separate the dynasty factor from the pervasive, culture war-driven toxicity of presidential-level politics over the past generation. But it obviously played a role in the atmosphere of more or less constant pettiness and recrimination we've all been living with.

Now, of course there are Obama loyalists too, an "Obamaworld" with its own rules. But Obama has no dynastic project going. Michelle Obama is by all accounts very smart and capable, but there's been no "two for the price of one" talk. At least for now, it's just him. And he seems determined to move away from the politics of backbiting -- something that may just work, given the gravity of the problems the nation faces.

I think/hope these conditions will create a more open, flexible political operation. Neither Hillary Clinton nor Joe Lieberman will ever be an Obama loyalist in the way you have Bush loyalists and Clinton loyalists. But, assuming Clinton takes the Secretary of State job, they will both owe him. And because the obligation is a professional one, graciously offered, to turn around and start undermining him would appear particularly graceless. (Of course, if anyone is capable of that, it's Lieberman -- we'll see.)

The Obama approach also puts White House politics, with its usual emphasis on high drama and personalities, into perspective. It says: we're all grownups here. We have a lot of work to do, and we need all hands on deck. If you do well, I do well, and we all come out ahead. This sounds like management 101, something you might hear on The Office. But sometimes cliches ring true: there really is a lot of work to do, and the stakes are higher than most of us have seen in our lifetimes. Now let's see if the "grownup" approach really works.

Follow John McQuaid on Twitter: www.twitter.com/johnmcquaid

Comments

[pleasethinkcritically]

I continue to post this every evening. Obama said he was going to change the way Washington works. It's his direction that will be the change. There are those that assumed he meant that he was going to build his entire cabinet with Washington outsiders, perhaps from the private sector, who have no idea about how Capitol Hill operates. I for one, would prefer people with experience. Now, where would he find these people? Well if not from the Clinton administration Obama would have to reach back to the Carter administration. I think those folks are a little long in the tooth! I don't think it would be preferable for him to seek folks affiliated with the Bush 41 or 43 administrations. With that said, let him be the boss and pick his people. If you think you know better start a fundraising committee for your campaign in 2012 for POTUS.

[Puddin]

Right on...you took the words right out of my mouth!!!!

[QuietLightTraveler]

Well, the man said change. And I guess he meant it.

[Abo]

This is pure revisionist spin.
The campaign theme of change was NEVER about reinstituting past administrations.
This is nothing more than big time bait and switch.

[motherfather]

I dont buy it.

[Puddin]

It don't matter (if you do or don't) there are a whole lot of us who do.

[Republicrats]

interesting spin, the its not the same old thing just the same old people approach hmmm... I'll have to mull it over. It would seem to be more of a new thing if we could find some capable people out in the hinterlands so to speak to shake up dc. Perhaps this new inclusiveness will beget compromise and an actual functioning govt. Then again...

[apoyo]

Hopefully, all these people complaining about Lieberman and Clinton being invited into the tent can stop and see the bigger picture. If they wanted someone who engaged in petty politics they had other choices.

[canucklivinginUSA]

Amen apoyo and John. We are entering the 21st century where we need to grow up. Its time to move on and act like adults for a change

[Clavis]

I can certainly understand if people are concerned that Lieberman and Clinton will perpetuate aspects of the dysfunctional Washington zeitgeist.

Let's not forget that, despite all of PE Obama's calls for civility and maturity, there are still a couple hundred Republicans on Capitol Hill, and many of them were elected specifically to be childish, partisan, petty thorns in the side of anyone they deem ungodly or anti-Joe-the-Plumber. Does anybody think Michelle Bachmann is going to "grow up" just because Obama leads by example?

[Clavis]

I can certainly understand if people are concerned that Lieberman and Clinton will perpetuate aspects of the dysfunctional Washington zeitgeist.

Let's not forget that, despite all of PE Obama's calls for civility and maturity, there are still a couple hundred Republicans on Capitol Hill, and many of them were elected specifically to be childish, partisan, petty thorns in the side of anyone they deem ungodly or anti-Joe-the-Plumber. Does anybody think Michelle Bachmann is going to "grow up" just because Obama leads by example?

[TRYKER]

The Michelle Bachmanns are going to look sillier and sillier as the wiser more mature heads talk and walk like progressives that get real things done.
When we see an example of intelligent leadership, principled programs and hear a scholar speak and lead us, the sillies aren't going to attract followers...people want to be with the winner.
In spite of ourselves, we have at last exhausted our supply of "ignore it" and "they're stupid"...we just won't use the right wing talking points again EVER. There is nothing left to play .
We will be so involved in the solutions, the discourse will be changed, topics will be real...and up will be up again.
We'll call things by their real names...i.e. torture, wounded veteran, police state, credit usury, predatory lenders, greedy elite...absolutely senseless WAR.