Bill Clinton Mark 11

The New York Times: Interesting article that looks at the tensions in Obama Administration between those that want a Obama Administration and not a Administration that is full of Clinton people. This does recall the Bush Administration in 2001, the Vice - President was Cheney, Chief of Staff to Gerald R. Ford, the Defense Secretary was Donald Rumsfeld, also a Chief of Staff for Ford and his Defense Secretary. Lets be honest the two people that have caused more political trouble for Bush 43 than Bush himself. Obama needs a clean slate, if the Obama Administration is full of Clinton people, one has to ask who will they be talking to in those Georgetown Parties. Lets recall LBJ kept the Kennedy people and thought their loyalty was to the Kennedy's. Thus Obama needs people with experience but he also needs people who own their loyalty to him.

The Pollsters and 08 Race

Texas on the Potomac: List of those pollster that got the result right. Read for future reference, remember 2012 only four years away. At the top for accuracy was Pew and Rasmussen. Read these four years down the line. Read of the Day.

They all need a Halderman !

BBC News: Reports that President - Elect Obama has asked Rahm Emanuel, a friend from Chicago, a Democratic Congressman and a former Aide of President Clinton to be his Chief of Staff. Emanuel is seen as tough character, a Democrat to his toes, the Republicans cant stand him, any change message of Obama would be undermined by the appointment of Emanuel from the view of Republicans. The President - Elect is making the right choice, the White House needs a tough Chief of Staff, not as tough as President's Nixon's Chief of Staff , H.R. Halderman, Watergate anybody, but a tough Manager who will make sure the Agenda of the President is served. If Mr Emanuel is appointed he will recall the mess made by the Clinton team of their transition in 1992. This is a good move by Obama, it should be noted that President Obama will have around eighteen months to get his Domestic Agenda through, as LBJ noted after that period the Congress will be up for re-election, if Obama is high in the polls they will support his Agenda, if the Presidents approval rating is in the toilet, George W. Bush, they will run as opposing the White House, a lot of Blue Dog Democrats in the House, in other words a Conservative Democrats. Thus the need for a tough Chief of Staff if not quite a Halderman.

Update: Mr Emanuel has accepted the post of Chief of Staff to President Obama. Obama has his tough Chief of Staff, but will the change message only come in to effect if you agree with Obama. It can be postulated that Mr Emanuel is the Gene Hunt to Obama's Sam Tyler. The question is will the Sheriff know that he is the Deputy. Also a tough Chief of Staff can cause more problems that he solves, it really depends, is Mr Emanuel good at Inter - Personnel skills, the job of Chief is to say No a lot, its better if those on the Hill don’t end up hating your Chief of Staff. Lets recall that Speaker O' Neill could not stand the Chief of Staff to President Jimmy Carter; he had a better relationship with the Reagan Staff.