by Bill Stewart
The good news is that with every passing day, it becomes clearer that Americans made the right choice in electing Obama. Both his demeanor and his calm approach to his political appointments and the economic crisis indicate he is the right man in the right place at the right time. The problem of course is that he is not quite there and won’t be until January 20. But he is a man who exudes quiet self-confidence and relishes the contest of good, even radical ideas between people of goodwill and high purpose.
Hence there is great excitement about an Obama cabinet being a team of rivals, as the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin had in her book about Lincoln’s cabinet. There is certainly a Lincolnesque quality to Obama, and at a guess I think it is a comparison he enjoys. Historically, the four most important cabinet posts are those of State, Treasury, Justice and Defense. We know that Eric Holder, an African- American, and a distinguished and highly-regarded Justice Department official under Bill Clinton, is Obama’s nominee for Attorney General. It is clear that Robert Gates is being asked to stay on at Defense, a nod in the direction of bi-partisanship as well as an acknowledgement of excellence wherever it is to be found. We don’t know yet about Treasury. That’s three of the top four. What about State, the oldest and most prestigious cabinet post of all?
Since her visit last week to Obama’s Chicago transition offices, political excitement around the country has centered on Sen Hillary Clinton as the nominee to be Secretary of State. Hard questions are being asked as to whether she is the right choice, especially with husband Bill in mind. On balance, I don’t see why not. It is true that Obama runs the danger of a competing power center at the heart of the government. Hillary is no shrinking violet, and she will not be shy at voicing her own strong opinion as to what ought to constitute American foreign policy. But she is also an astute and shrewd politician; she will know from the beginning how much Obama will allow and how much he won’t. There can only be one president at a time, as Obama makes clear every day in the middle of the economic crisis. Hillary will voice her opinions, including any dissent, in the Oval Office and in the Cabinet. And Obama will welcome them. But that’s where it will stop. He knows it, and she knows it.
Does Bill Clinton know it? He of all people should know it, and the indications are that he will do everything he can to facilitate her nomination. Secretary of State is not a bad consolation prize for America’s leading female politician. There’s not much room in the Senate for Hillary to expand her horizons, as everything is based upon seniority, and she is still a junior senator despite her star status. There is some speculation that Senate Democrats could create something special for her, but how does that compare to being secretary of state, heir to Thomas Jefferson?
In the meantime the stock market continues to plummet, reaching its lowest levels in five years. The market is worth little more than half of what it was in the summer of 2007. That’s an extraordinary drop. The latest drop was brought on by the reluctance of the present congress to bail-out the auto industry. The chiefs of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler flew into Washington aboard their individual corporate jets to plead for billions of dollars in assistance. Congress thought they were shameless and was in no mood to say yes. The question is would a bailout actually rescue the auto industry in its present condition? The answer is almost certainly “no.” But without a bailout, would the collapse of the American auto industry push us off the cliff into a full-fledged 1930s style depression?
The answers to these questions almost certainly will be left up to Barack Obama. He seems inclined towards a bail-out, but a bailout with stringent conditions. That almost certainly would mean new management, new fuel-efficient models and a slimmed down workforce with fewer benefits. Almost no one will like what they see on the table. But that’s the point we are reaching in the American economy. There are going to be cutbacks all around. And Barack Obama’s skills at mediation will be in high demand. We live in demanding times much different from only a few years ago. They call for patience, forbearance and diplomacy. A little personal and national modesty would help as well.
Does anyone doubt we live at a timeof historic change? The rise of President-Elect Barack Obama, an African-American, signals a new era in American politics. Already, our image in the world has been radically- and positively- changed. At the same time, we are about to fall off a cliff into an economic crisis not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Has anyone checked the current sales of Valium? If they are up, no one should be surprised