Appointments Tell Us About Obama - Headlines 1/6/09

Politics and Media Headlines 1/6/09

Quote of the Day (Political Wire)
"Obama's team are the best linguists I've ever seen. Republicans aren't in his league right now." -- Frank Luntz, author of Words that Work, in an interview with Politico.
Frank Luntz is the man who espouses the juxtaposition of phrases that don’t belong together, to make people believe that they belong together, without telling outright lies. He’s responsible, for example, for Republicans saying “Saddam Hussein” and “9/11” in the same sentence, to make Americans think Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11, when he clearly was not.—Caro

The Radical Fringe

Obama's Justice nominees signal end of Bush terror tactics (McClatchy)
WASHINGTON — In filling four senior Justice Department positions Monday, President-elect Barack Obama signaled that he intends to roll back Bush administration counterterrorism policies authorizing harsh interrogation techniques, warrantless spying and indefinite detentions of terrorism suspects.
At least we can hope.—Caro

Obama's impressive new OLC chief (by Glenn Greenwald at Unclaimed Territory, Salon)
Other than Attorney General-designate Eric Holder and Obama himself, there is probably no official who will have a more significant role (than head of the Office of Legal Counsel) in determining the extent to which the Obama administration really does reverse the lawlessness and legal radicalism of the Bush years. (Monday), … Barack Obama announced several new appointments to key DOJ posts, including Dawn Johnsen to head the OLC. Johnsen is a Professor of Law at Indiana University, a former OLC official in the Clinton administration (as well as a former ACLU counsel), and a graduate of Yale Law School. She's become a true expert on executive power and, specifically, the role and obligation of the OLC in restricting presidential decisions to their lawful scope. There are several striking pieces of evidence that suggest this appointment may be Obama's best yet, perhaps by far.
Click through for more information.—Caro

Obama's intel picks short on direct experience (AP)
President-elect Barack Obama's decision to fill the nation's top intelligence jobs with two men short on direct experience in intelligence gathering surprised the spy community and signaled the Democrat's intention for a clean break from Bush administration policies. Former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, an eight-term congressional veteran and administrative expert, is being tapped to head the CIA. Retired Adm. Dennis Blair is Obama's choice to bedirector of national intelligence… Neither Panetta nor Blair are tainted by associations with Bush administration policies, in large part because they both come from outside the intelligence world. Blair was posted at the CIA for about a year.

Inspired Choices for DNI and CIA? (by Larry Johnson at No Quarter)
If you look back at the people that Bill Clinton and George Bush put in charge of the CIA, then the choice of Panetta seems particularly inspired. Why? The ideal candidate is someone who is smart, who is not looking to feather his or her nest to reap economic benefits, and who understands that the President needs an honest broker… Panetta appears to be a decent, honest, smart man who is not bent on feathering his own nest. Given his prior experience as an intelligence consumer at the highest level in the U.S. government he at least understands what the intelligence community needs to produce in order to ensure the President has the best information. I am pleasantly surprised by the Panetta choice.
Glenn Greenwald says, “Spencer Ackerman reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein is upset with the selection of Panetta, petulantly complaining that she wasn't consulted in advance and that it would be best to have an "intelligence professional" in that position. CQ's Tim Starks reports that Sen. Jay Rockefeller is making very similar noises about this selection. Few things could reflect better on Panetta's selection than the fact that Feinstein and Rockefeller -- two of the most Bush-enabling Senators -- are unhappy with it.”

I know that Larry Johnson is persona non grata around here, but he IS an expert on intelligence and security. I believe it’s worthwhile for Correntians to know what his opinion is on the Obama intelligence picks.—Caro

Obama's Stumbles (by Steve Soto at The Left Coaster)
Simply put, I am appalled at the news that Obama has selected Leon Panetta to head the CIA. The Obama team selected Panetta without consulting any of the congressional Democrats leading the intelligence committees, perhaps wanting to avoid a leak. Yet the choice itself of a political manager who knows zip about the world of intelligence reeks of a White House that wants control of the apparatus through a master beancounter. This is far less desirable than redirecting the Agency's policies and improving its morale by appointing a capable veteran like Stephen Kappes.

Second, I am equally appalled to see the Obama team try and blame Bill Richardson for underestimating his exposure from a grand jury investigation first reported back in August, the details of which would have been unknown to him. Team Obama is now smoothly throwing Richardson under the bus for their own vetting process and willingness to nominate someone possibly tied to a public and active grand jury investigation. But then, they got what they wanted from Richardson: a Hillary supporter who turned against her, a national Latino political supporter who delivered a key state, who never got the job he really wanted (Secretary of State) and is now not getting any job at all.

Could Panetta Switch to Commerce? (Political Wire)
Political Wire has learned that early in the Obama transition former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta was actually angling to be secretary of commerce -- not CIA Director. However, now that the leaked news of Panetta's nomination has apparently ticked off Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), the incoming chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- and with the commerce seat now open again -- might Panetta be tapped for that job instead?

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Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com