Midday Morsels: Since It's A Weekend... There Will Be Brunch

... and I hate brunch. Herewith, some weekend musings on topics I couldn't get it up for all week:

• Can we just point out that Obama is no Lincoln and Hillary Clinton is not William Seward? I think that will go a long way towards seeing the events actually unfolding in front of us, and not politics through the rosy glasses of Doris...
• One more reason for Clinton to stay a Senator: it will apparently annoy Chuck Schumer, who wants a replacement who is actually junior to him, rather than someone else, you know, who garners extra media attention, the poor guy. Hey - is that a microphone?
  
• I know they're stuck with her, but really: if you want a primer on why conservatism is on its last legs, ask yourself why National Review's Corner has been harping on that Palin in front of the turkey killing video for three days. Three days. Seriously. Time to let it go, boys and girls.
• Poor Snuffalupagous... I mean Stephanopolous: apparently for ABC to have a hard-hitting journalist on Sunday is actually wishful thinking after all. Steph has been doing terrible interviews iwth the Obama transition team week after week, following his snoozy glad handing with Rahm with a pointless questioning of Axelrod this morning that got out nothing, I mean absolutely nothing. It is, I still believe entirely possible to have a background in one party's politics, and still do a journalist's job covering both. It's looking like we'll never get that from George, though, not because he's a suck up (if only), but because he can't seem to figure out a way to provocatively, or inquisitively challenge people who think pretty much the same way he does. It's hard... but it's possible. Hope he learns soon, or he's doomed.

Finally, my cocktail napkin takes on the (other, or real) current nominees:

• Tom Daschle for HHS - Obama's love for Daschle mystifies me, as does putting him central to the healthcare debate; but more importantly - and like a number of other nominees picked for one task when the job has several - I'm less concerned about the first "H" and more about the "HS" - where does Daschle come down on welfare programs and pubic assistance? Because this economy will really be all about that, and I haven't heard word one.
• Janet Napolitano for Homeland Security - Similarly, Napolitano seems to be in this spot for her frontline exposure to southern border issues and immigration. That's great... but what's she going to do about terror threats and airline security? How about disaster relief (she gets FEMA, remember)? And what about the fact that DHS s a bloated mess? Lots of questions... no answers. And then there's the way plucking her out of AZ means the state will be redder than ever. Best choice?
• Eric Holder for Justice - I don't think the conservative howling will amount to much (but Holder's role in the Marc Rich pardon is not going to just go away as a topic), but the Holder problem is larger than that - we've had a string of highly politicized appointees to Justice (which Mukasey, actually, is much more of a break from than most), and Holder, with his direct-line ties to high (Bill) Clinton-ism, does nothing to break from that. That's fine... but it probably gives conservatives something to rally around... or will.
• Tim Geithner for Treasury - Geithner seems like a smart pick, actually; he'll hit the ground running, he's in the thick of the meltdown at the New York Fed, people trust him. Never mind that he helped broker the bad Bear Stearns deal, or helped let Lehman Brothers die... no, really, never mind; the markets aren't.  Time will tell if Geithner's got actual solutions, or if he'll work better with FDIC's Sheila Bair... and all we can do is hope... and thank G-d that Obama didn't pick Larry Summers - even if he has decided to hide Summers in a White House Economic Council
• Robert Gates for Defense - Seriously? My sister points out that having a Surge Architect plan the withdrawal gives Obama cover, which I buy; but I just think we're sending a terrible message about Defense experts (or the lack thereof) in the Democratic Party. And also, that meme isn't even true.
• Bill Richardson for Commerce - Dude! I mean, seriously! After you're passed over for the first tier, taking some sorry secondary post makes you always a bridesmaid, never a bride (and adds to your journeyman also-ran list of Energy and UN Rep... not in a good way). Nothing says "I don't care about Commerce Secretary" like nominating a good crony only to have her drop out, and replacing her with any old resume on the pile.
  

Comments

[jinbaltimore]

LOVE the post on brunch, and during my waitron days it was the one shift I would simply refuse to work...cheap prices and grumpy folks added to bad tips always...plus the fact that I despise eggs

[Susie from Philly]

Tom Daschle has been Obama's rabbi all along. Putting this insurance and healthcare lobbyist in charge of universal healthcare is... well, like putting the proverbial fox in front of the henhouse. I remain skeptical until proven wrong.

[Susie from Philly]

Tom Daschle has been Obama's rabbi all along. Putting this insurance and healthcare lobbyist in charge of universal healthcare is... well, like putting the proverbial fox in front of the henhouse. I remain skeptical until proven wrong.