BRASS RING WELL WITHIN REACH
The pundits are beaming. Russert gleefully assesses a Clinton hurdle rate of 58% or more to get the required pledged delegates.
Soon the Democrats will have their own teflon Presidential nominee. (Samuelson, who the f- cares? You nabob of negativism.)
THE EARLY CONTOURS OF AN OBAMA PRESIDENCY REVEALED
From the tea leaves, as they sort here at a great distance, Barack is not a detail man, despite being a trained lawyer, except when he makes the effort (neither is AS, from the way he farms out policy comparative analysis to hilzoy and other bloggers). Put another way, it is not in his heart to be one, but it is within his grasp, if he chooses.
He'd be well served to not waste time trying to find his stride, as it were, in office, somewhere along this divide. He might consider just adopting the Reagan model of finding a good chief-of-staff, one who can really work with the Hill, and letting the Senior Senators work their ways on a comprehensive legislative agenda. Barack can then ride-in at the last minute to say whether the deal meets muster or not, according to his invincible, Reagan-like teflon wisdom.
The Senate will like him for that, because they know that Hillary will likely bring them a program to get done, rather than come to them with an offering to put their name on top of "her" initiatives.
A SIGNATURE MOVE
If I had druthers for an Obama presidency, it would be that he make a signature move to expand the party by making it a priority. He could build on his outreach to youth. Only the imagination constrains the way he could do it.
I think that would be a great legacy of his first term.
Face it, there are not too many other things, apart from the Supremes.
Healthcare is going to end up just subsidies and maybe some enabling of States who can afford to go farther down the road. The ongoing, violent, nation-building exercises look like managerial morasses as much as anything, which is why Bush keeps putting "The Generals" out in front of him, no doubt. Campaign finance reform? His own party will trip him up. Infrastructure? Highly contingent on the economic situation. Green the country? Maybe. Hillary's idea of a new century initiative at the NIH has great possibilities, but I don't see that as an Obama passion, do you?
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Obama - Almost Fully Teflon Coated, Now
