Who Wasn't On Stage With Obama and Should Have Been?

I'm not satisfied with the roster of economic personalities and thinkers we see Barack Obama mixing with.

I realize that there are a lot of players behind the scenes and those who walked out on stage (list below) are symbolic of clusters of other people and thinkers -- though every time I see Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers in the same group, it reminds me of the UK and France on the P-5 at the UN Security Council. Do we really need two European members in the same permanent body? Do we really need both Rubin and Summers at every meeting with press availability?

Below I have provided the roster of names who stood on stage with President-elect Obama yesterday at his first post election press conference.

But some who were missing who Obama should build in -- some are not now advisers and some are.

First of all, Jason Fuhrman and Austan Goolsbee are clearly going to be important parts of Obama's economic team. Goolsbee is rumored to be the likely shoe-in for Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. He really should be on stage too given that possibility and his influence in Obama's economic thinking. Fuhrman as well.

But beyond the obvious, I would like to see George Soros, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates on stage.

Soros not only predicted the global financial meltdown but wrote an entire book about it - and gave early warnings about needing to create new mechanisms to deal with credit default swaps -- which he called a "Damocles sword" hanging over the head of the entire global financial system -- earlier this year. Soros should be playing a bigger role in economic policy sculpting, and he shouldn't be in the background.

We know that Buffet is talking with Obama. But I'd include Bill Gates who understands the importance of investing in high multiplier economic infrastructure as opposed to investments that yield few long term positive recurring results.

I'd like to see Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, Jeffrey Sachs, James Galbraith, Leo Hindery, Clyde Prestowitz, Charlene Barshefsky, C. Fred Bergsten, Adam Posen, Robert Kuttner, Robert Samuelson, Alan Murray, William Bonvillian, Doug & Heidi Rediker, Bernard Schwartz, Tom Gallagher, Sheila Bair, Sherle Schwenninger, and Kevin Phillips added to a discussion group on the economy. It would be far more diverse, less predictable, genuinely interesting and produce greater policy option possibilities than the quite "regal" group on stage.

Here is who made Obama's cut yesterday. . .

William Daley - Chairman of the Midwest, JP Morgan Chase; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Commerce, 1997-2000

Robert Reich - University of California, Berkeley; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Labor, 1993-1997

Penny Pritzker - CEO, Classic Residence by Hyatt

Roger Ferguson - President and CEO, TIAA-CREF and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve

Lawrence Summers - Harvard University; Managing Director, D.E. Shaw; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Treasury, 1999-2001

Anne Mulcahy - Chairman and CEO, Xerox

Richard Parsons - Chairman of the Board, Time Warner

Paul Volcker - Former Chairman, U.S. Federal Reserve 1979-1987

Rahm Emanuel - United States Representative (IL-05)

President Elect Obama

Vice President Elect Biden

Jennifer Granholm - Governor, State of Michigan

Robert Rubin - Director and Senior Counselor, Citigroup; Former Secretary, U.S. Dept of Treasury, 1995-1999

David Bonior - Member House of Representatives (Michigan) 1977-2003

Laura Tyson - (Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley; Former Chairman, National Economic Council, 1995-1996; Former Chairman, President's Council of Economic Advisors, 1993-1995)

Antonio Villaraigosa - Mayor, City of Los Angeles

William Donaldson - Former Chairman of the SEC, 2003-2005

Eric Schmidt - Chairman and CEO, Google

Roel Campos - Former Commissioner of the SEC

We should be able to spice up this distinguished crowd with some more original thinkers.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Update: Warren Buffett was involved in the meeting but on conference call.

Comments

[anelder]

A little more research and you would know that Buffett was involved. Technology today let's them do it by phone and video. Me, I guess I'm gonna let the 'man' do his own thinking and choosing. Time to second guess him when and if it doesn't work. Also, with all that are surrounding him I would guess he gets a lot of what your giving out. Advice.

[billw8017]

This was a gathering of old Clinton hands and major contributors, a practical or offhand political show of intent. That's Ok. I would hope that as President Obama's administration firms up, out spoken experts like the Nobel laureates Krugman and Stiglitz will be recognized.

[CarmenCameron]

AMEN! Krugman's the MAN!!! I keep hoping he's one of the top people in Obama's administration...

[joeneri]

I'd like to see Linus Van Pelt, who can quote the Book of Isaiah at length.

[Astro-Pol]

I've been waiting to hear someone mention Sheila Bair, Paul Krugman, and Robert Kuttner. Where's Tim Geithner? Not sure I think he's the One, but any of the first three are on my short list.

[gevan]

Anybody ever heard of David Cay Johnston? Or does he only write books about economic issues?

[clpurnell]

I am a big fan of Krueger and Soros. I think they are both brilliant. Bill Gates I would leave out. He is a shrewd businessman but not an economist. the majority of his wealth is derived solely from Microsoft. He has not proven himself in other ventures that I am aware of. I would like to see Steve Jobs instead as he brought his company back from the brink. However I think the CEO of google is a great tech representative. However everyone can't be included it bogs down the decision making process to me I think he has a very good formative team and he has shown both open mindedness and a commitment to what he thinks is right (evidence in how he ran the campaign). So I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

[DaveRyan]

That's an awfully long list to have no labor representation. How about Richard Trumka or others who got involved in the campaign? How about ten Richard Trumkas?

[discourse jockey]

Did you forget or omit Jon Corzine?

[TheCommissionerJ]

I second the Paul Krugman suggestion. I don't see why the Nobel Prize Winner and Bush critic wasn't at the top of Obama's list from day one.

[emelysma]

Mr. Clemmons-

How about posting your suggestions on the soon to be Obama Administration's new website:

change.gov ?

[damonb]

Interesting article. After so many years of GWB I'm just glad to see some people at the table who actually know how to think! Definitely agree with the Stiglitz nomination though and would like to also add a suggestion of Van Jones - author of The Green Collar Economy and himself an inspiring speaker and economic activist. Being from NZ though, can I also just say yet another thank you to the US for bringing us Barack Obama at this time. All the best.

[Nato Green - Huffpost Blogger]

I second Naomi Klein, Paul Krugman, and Joseph Stiglitz. Also Dean Baker. On re-regulating the financial industry, maybe Eliot Spitzer (call girls notwithstanding) and Phil Angelides. Businesspeople aren't the only ones who understand the economy. There are plenty of people who have been bigger critics of the corporate fiesta we've had who have great ideas about how to get the economy to serve the people in the bottom 95%

[Star2000dancer]

Obama would have never won the election wothout the help of the Clintons! Shame on him for not thanking them during his election speech.

[Pennsanic]

I hadn't thought of that but you're probably right.

[Beca]

I believe he did, and if he didn't he has been thanking them and praising them to death throughout the campaign! He is also hiring some people who were also members of the past Clinton administration. That is plenty of thanks!

[nanton29]

I think that there are a lot of others he would like to single out besides the Clintons. There is no doubt that Bill and Hilary played crucial roles, I expect to see both of them play very significant roles in his administration. Hilary will be a major architect in health care reform, since it was very little that seperated him and her during the primary debates on health care, and you will see him counsel with Bill regularly b/c Obama constantly admits to the nation working under Bill Clinton's tenure. In his speech at the convention, the night he accepted the nomination Obama was effusive in his praise for the Clintons. On Tuesday he spoke of the two Davids (Plouffe and Axelrod), his wife Michelle, their two daughters and his deceased grandmother, that was just fine. He did not mention Valerie Jarrett and no one is closer to him than her.

[panchovilla]

How about Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz, two Nobel-awarded economists?

[Foucek]

If President elect Obama was able to put every "economic personality and thinker" all the critics wanted, that stage would encircle the globe....give the guy some breathing space.

[emelysma]

I agree. We elected him can we give him a chance. And if we can't wait then why not post ideas and suggestions at a place where they are being solicited:

change.gov ?

The more cynical among us may claim that he is merely paying lipservice to the idea of encouraging input and involvement from the bottom up. But as we know he is a very intelligent man and can't help but be aware of how he got elected--thru the grassroots efforts of many well-organized volunteers. Why wouldn't he want to continue in that vein?

[Arakasi1]

I have wondered since the attention about Treasury Secretary started why Paul Krugman is not in this inner circle and considered for that position. As the person who most recently got the Nobel prize for economics and as the author of "The Conscience of a Liberal" which I think is the best book about overall economic issues, it would seem to me he is a pretty main figure. Anyone know why he isn't?

[DlinneaD]

It may have to do with some really vicious attacks Krugman made aginst Obama in his columns during the primary campaign. He was one of many boosters of Hillary Clinton who couldn't imagine that Obama would be competent or responsible. I was shocked and, frankly, lost the considerable respect I once held for Paul Krugman.

If the advocates of deregulation during Bill Clinton's term (Lawrence Summers and Robert Rubin) were invited, how about Arthur Leavitt, Jr.? He is the only one of the bunch who has publicly acknowledged that their role in gutting banking regulations was a foolish move that lead to the ongoing catastrophe in world financial markets.

I would also second the names of Robert Reich, George Soros, Eliott Spitzer, and Ralph Nader. I also wonder why Alice Rivlin wasn't included, or Steve Jobs.