Obama's Choices, Questioned During Campaign, Are Again An Issue

At the dawn of the Obama Administration we have witnessed: four high-level appointees blow up over various issues, tax and otherwise (Richardson, Daschel, and Killefer get axed; Geitner stays); the appointment of at least 12 lobbyists to positions in the Administration -- in direct contradiction of campaign promises; a pork-laden economic stimulus bill without precedent in US history; and the reversal of campaign positions concerning controversial policies like rendition.

The New Editor

The New York Times has also noticed that despite his call for "a new era of responsibility," there appear to be some exceptions:

The exceptions that went unmentioned now include a pair of cabinet nominees who did not pay all of their taxes. Then there is the lobbyist for a military contractor who is now slated to become the No. 2 official in the Pentagon. And there are the others brought into government from the influence industry even if not formally registered as lobbyists.

...The [campaign] language, however, was always more sweeping than the specifics. He spoke of refusing campaign money from lobbyists but took it from the people who hired them. The ethics plan he outlined, and eventually imposed on his administration, did not ban all lobbyists outright but set conditions for their employment and did not cover many who were lobbyists in everything but name.

Mr. Daschle, for instance, is not a registered lobbyist, but he made a handsome living advising clients seeking influence with the government, including some in the health industry. Mr. Obama also gave himself the right to grant waivers in cases he deemed exceptional, most prominently to William J. Lynn III, an ex-Raytheon lobbyist he nominated as deputy defense secretary. Others were lobbyists more than two years ago, and therefore not covered by the Obama rules.

Some who worked as lobbyists have found places in the administration, including Mark Patterson, who represented Goldman Sachs and is now chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. William V. Corr, who lobbied for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, has been selected as deputy health and human services secretary.

Obama advisers said that the exceptions were minimal given the thousands to be hired and that appointees would be barred from work on issues they lobbied on in the last two years. The exceptions, they said, were needed for particular skills and experience.

At the same time, as was pointed out in one of the comments to The New Editor post quoted above:

I mean honestly did anybody expect someone who would consider Jeremiah Wright a "spiritual advisor" and thought nothing of funneling funds for a organization directed by William Ayers to be someone to trust with questions of character.

Wright and Ayers had "particular skills and experience" that Obama found useful too.

The New York Times though is willing to cut him some slack on this, even turning this into an asset:

But the episode has already shown how, when faced with the perennial clash between campaign rhetoric and Washington reality, Mr. Obama has proved willing to compromise.

It remains to be seen whether Obama will do for the word "compromise" what John Kerry did for the term "nuance." Still, to be fair, it is only 2 weeks into his administration and allowances will have to be made for Obama's lack of experience. At the very least, it seems that there will be what to make fun of during the Obama administration after all.

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