Obama Reaches Out for McCain’s Counsel; "I don’t think there is a precedent for this."

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Obama Reaches Out for McCain’s Counsel
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: January 18, 2009

WASHINGTON — Not long after Senator John McCain returned last month from an official trip to Iraq and Pakistan, he received a phone call from President-elect Barack Obama. As contenders for the presidency, the two had hammered each other for much of 2008 over their conflicting approaches to foreign policy, especially in Iraq. (He’d lose a war! He’d stay a hundred years!) Now, however, Mr. Obama said he wanted Mr. McCain’s advice, people in each camp briefed on the conversation said. What did he see on the trip? What did he learn?

It was just one step in a post-election courtship that historians say has few modern parallels, beginning with a private meeting in Mr. Obama’s transition office in Chicago just two weeks after the vote. On Monday night, Mr. McCain will be the guest of honor at a black-tie dinner celebrating Mr. Obama’s inauguration.

Over the last three months, Mr. Obama has quietly consulted Mr. McCain about many of the new administration’s potential nominees to top national security jobs and about other issues — in one case relaying back a contender’s answers to questions Mr. McCain had suggested. Mr. McCain, meanwhile, has told colleagues “that many of these appointments he would have made himself,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a close McCain friend.

Fred I. Greenstein, emeritus professor of politics at Princeton, said, “I don’t think there is a precedent for this. Sometimes there is bad blood, sometimes there is so-so blood, but rarely is there good blood.” Professor Greenstein said Mr. Obama’s impulse to win over even ideological opposites appeared to date at least to his friendships with conservatives on The Harvard Law Review when he was president.

For Mr. Obama, cooperation with his defeated opponent could also provide a useful ally in the Senate, where Mr. McCain has parlayed his national popularity and go-his-own-way reputation into a role as a pivotal dealmaker over the last eight years. But on the subject of Iraq, in particular, their collaboration could also raise questions among Mr. Obama’s liberal supporters, many of whom demonized Mr. McCain as a dangerous warmonger because of his staunch opposition to a pullout....

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/us/politics/19mccain.html

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. He's absolutely brilliant

He's putting the job first, above all personal issues, and doing whatever he thinks will be best to accomplish what needs to be done.

Oh, man. Washington is going to go absolutely nuts with That Won, because he's just not anyone they'll be able to slip into a box. He's already driving them nuts. They cannot figure out his next move, which is - for me - just wonderful.

But, whatever he does, you know it'll be multi-faceted, smart, and gracious. The guy has moves like nobody's business.

One of a kind, this new President of OURS.

::: sigh :::

[Bobbieo]

4. Totally agree, Tangerine!

[Libertyfirst]

7. You nailed it, Tangerine.

[relayerbob]

13. Yep.

So nice to see grown-ups running the country

[burning rain]

23. Plus, this has the FReaks breaking out in hives.

That's always a good sign.

[madokie]

29. You got it

One of a kind, this new President of OURS.

[nodramamama]

33. self-delete

Sorry, made a booboo.

[MrModerate]

2. Interesting. I don't think anyone here believes that McCain would have made . . .

anything except an incredibly shitty president (and SARAH PALIN, fer crissake!), but as a non-crazy senator, he's not a bad person to keep up a relationship with.

While I sometimes think that Obama overdoes the bipartisan, can't-we-all-get-along, mutual amity schtik, I suppose it's possible he knows what he's doing and I don't.

[Fearless]

11. By doing so he also ensures that they won't dissent or won't as much.

Which in itself is very powerful.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

17. Like going to George Wills' house

for dinner.

As one of the guests said afterwards, "It's hard to go after someone when he's listened to you and you've shared a meal with him."

Obama is doing it exactly right. I'm really pleased.

[Fearless]

18. Exactly!

:kick:

[4_TN_TITANS]

36. More of a man than me.

No way in hell would I or could I sit down to a meal with someone of Will's stripes. His Newsweek articles were guarenteed to get my blood pressure up, until we cancelled the subscription.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

40. Fortunately for all,

you most likely don't ever have to worry about getting an invitation to dinner at George Wills' house.

[Fearless]

45. Awhh, I wanted to go.

I figured I could eat some tainted peanut butter beforehand, and then puke all over him. ;)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

46. You wouldn't need the peanut butter

I suspect you, like I, would get nauseous just contemplating being in his company.

:toast:

[Fearless]

47. Ahh... very true.

[Political Heretic]

3. I don't care who he reaches out to. I only care what his policies ARE.

There are right and there are wrong policies for America. There are socially just and there are socially unjust directions our country can go. He can talk with, work with, unite with anyone he goddam pleases but he can't capitulate away our future in the name of "triangulation" or "compromise."

As long as he doesn't do that, he is indeed brilliant with his correlational approach to getting things done. If he does that, then he's just another in a long line of spineless political careerists who bent over for their masters.

[relayerbob]

14. And ...

in many cases what you believe is just is not agreed with by may of not most of the rest of the nation. Because you or I believe something to be true, doesn't make it neccesaily true. There are no absolute truths, no matter what anyone will tell you. If there was, the world's societies would have figured them out long ago. Therefore, without agreement among the majority of the nation, we will make no progress whatsoever.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

22. Bingo!

He's got to prioritize, and some pet causes of some people might not get the immediate attention those groups want or think they deserve. That's gonna piss off a lot of people, but it's also reality at work.

Right now, I find it hard to believe that Obama's going to turn out to be just another Chicago pol, although he certainly does have those learned gifts. I have to put my faith in his strength and his spine and believe that he is the last man who is going to bend over for anyone.

[depakid]

28. Getting McCain's support to end corporate welfare and waste in military procurement is fine by me

provided that there's not some quid pro quo involved that enables other far right policies.

[peacetalksforall]

5. I remember reading that Obama said that, in the Senate, McCain had been a

_________________ to him. I can't remember the word - mentor, guardian, advisor?????

I could take this the wrong way and say we are in trouble if Obama FOLLOWS McCain. I'm going to take it that perhaps McCain took an interest in Obama and taught him Senate ways, Senate history, Republican thought.

We can't say today - too early.

I do believe Obama soaks up opinions of many people and doesn't forget what they say, but uses it for that direction that we hope in.

[polichick]

6. I give him credit for being able to stomach some of these people...

He's a better man than I am. ;)

[katandmoon]

8. All this making nice with repugs is making me sick. When is Obama going to remember

WHO THE FUCK ELECTED HIM AND WHY?!?!

[rcrush]

9. .

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[MadMaddie]

10. Well this is true but we have to keep in mind that

a lot of Republicans came over to our side and voted for Obama.

Obama has figured out that most every American is going to have to participate in rebuilding America...not a partisan group of Americans.

Will I ever forgive the blind alegenience to * and his cabal fir crimes against the Constitution...probably not...do I want * and his cabal prosecuted absolutely....

If we stay mired in divisiveness then we will never be able to move forward.

[Somawas]

12. For far too long "bi-partisan" has meant "kissing Republican ass."

If it quits meaning that, fine. If it still means that, fuck it.

[Fearless]

19. Bipartisan ALWAYS means kissing the other person's ass...

When that other person is a rethug... then it will always appear like he is kissing their ass. It's not a bad thing. It's just life. Be prepared to see a lot of Dem ass kissing as well... You wait and see.

[relayerbob]

15. When are people like you going to remember

that this type of partisanship and chauvinism is what got us into this mess in the first place.

[alarimer]

20. No, it's Republicans like McCain that got us into this mess.

Let's put the blame squarely where it belongs- on these same people who have run this country into the ground. They have no ideas worth listening to, only braindead, morally bankrupt policies and listening to them will only make it worse.

Look, Obama is ALREADY back-pedaling on the card check union bill. He is planning on MORE tax cuts we don't need.

Bipartisan to Repukes means that DEMOCRATS give in to what they want. More tax cuts, more trickle-down bullshit, back tracking on the card check thing. I for one will be furious if that happens.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

21. "... if that happens..."

Sounds like you're already furious, and the man's not even in office yet.

Your memory is short. The Congressional cooperation with the President was long a work of art. People like LBJ and the old guys back then in the Senate and the House knew how to get along and how to work together to get what both sides wanted. We got things like Medicare, the Voting Rights Act, and a whole lot of good things out of a Congress that knew how to cross party lines.

Consider, too, that the Congress for the last eight years wasn't given anything by the White House that had any value to anyone except Fuckface's supporters. The last two years were a failure on the part of Pelosi and Reid, Democrats who didn't do their jobs nearly as well as they should have for reasons that can only be attributed to a total lack of leadership skills.

You will better understand bipartisanship when Obama's been in office for a couple of years. He may not bring forth all the things he promised during the campaign, but that's how it goes. Your post sounds awfully angry and I hope that eases for you. This is a time to celebrate and then get to work, but if your mind is already lacquered with rage and perceived disappointment, then you're going to miss a very interesting time, I believe.

Keep in mind that politics very often is described as "the art of the possible." Obama will do what is possible, and the rest, I honestly believe he'll do the best he can. One thing of which I am certain is that he will always have the best interests of the country at the fore.

[JDPriestly]

25. What in the world are you talking about?

I remember the Johnson years, the Kennedy years, the Eisenhower years, and the last of the Truman years. Certain issues cannot be compromised -- labor rights, the progressive tax, equal education opportunities for rich and poor, equal access to health care. The list goes on and on. Republicans are on the wrong side on a lot of these issues. Obama can delay the discord, lessen the tension, but he will not be able to ignore his duty to do the right thing for the American people. No compromise on the important issues. Poor people in America, workers, the elderly, families in rural America and in the inner cities and poorer suburbs have suffered over the past eight years. They voted for Obama because they believed, they dreamed, that he would fight for them. If Obama doesn't fulfill the dreams of those people, he will not be re-elected.

Americans voted for Obama out of desperation. If he does not respond to that desperation, America will be in deep trouble. Obama can make nice with whomever he wishes, but there can be no compromise of the dreams of the Americans who have put their trust in Obama. He just cannot let them, us down.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

26. Jesus.........

the poor guy hasn't even been sworn in yet, and you're already on his case.

Nice. Real supportive.

You and I are about the same age, and all I can say is that I believe he will not let us down.

It would be nice if you could keep your powder dry until he's actually done something.

And if you think people voted for Obama "out of desperation," I think your reality connection is slipping. Maybe some did, but his support was for him, not against McCain.

When he's sworn in, he'll become our President. Until then, I do hope you don't explode from all that indignation that has, really, no place to go.

[JDPriestly]

38. It's a question of backbone.

Here is a news item that causes me to ask a lot of questions about who is really going to be running this show.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates will sit out Barack Obama's inauguration at an undisclosed location as the "designated successor" in the event of a catastrophe, the White House announced Monday.

While the eyes of the world are glued Tuesday to Obama's historic swearing-in, attended by outgoing US President George W. Bush and both outgoing and incoming senior aides, Gates will stay away, said spokeswoman Dana Perino.

"In order to ensure continuity of government, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been designated by the outgoing administration, with the concurrence of the incoming administration, to serve as the designated successor during Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20th," Perino said.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Obamas__Designated_Successor_will_have_0119.html

Here is the order of succession:

he line of succession is currently:

1. Vice President
2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate
4. Secretary of State
5. Secretary of the Treasury
6. Secretary of Defense
7. Attorney General
8. Secretary of the Interior
9. Secretary of Agriculture
10. Secretary of Commerce
11. Secretary of Labor
12. Secretary of Health and Human Services
13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
14. Secretary of Transportation
15. Secretary of Energy
16. Secretary of Education
17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs

http://www.doctorzebra.com/Prez/a_succession.htm

A bill was introduced to substitute the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after the Attorney General. I'm not sure whether that was passed.

In any event, the Secretary of Defense is way down at the bottom of the list. The Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury should have been selected to succeed the president and should have been sequestered, not the Secretary of Defense.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

39. Read your history

Historically, the person designated to sit out the inauguration ceremony is far down on the list.

Now, if our government and our Capitol are blown apart by someone during the Inauguration, is your biggest concern, really, who's going to be in charge?

In charge, I must ask you, of what?

A number of people here on DU observed yesterday and last night that some folks are working overtime trying to be buzzkills. And they're having a heck of a hard time doing it, since we are simply celebrating our victory, our new President and Vice President, and the hope that things will now somehow begin to improve.

Your post, about Gates and succession, is proof positive that you're gonna end up with a hernia if you keep doing this sort of idiotic heavy lifting, trying to find something to bitch about before the Obama-Biden team is even sworn in.

"Backbone." "... who's really running the show...."

You have problems. And they have nothing to do with our government or politics.

[acmavm]

27. And people like you are ready to throw out any gains we might have made

just for that happy happy feely good feeling you think matters in the long run. I watched that train ride. I watched the concert on the Mall. I was taken away by it all. But I'm NOT this stupid:

<snip>

He may not bring forth all the things he promised during the campaign, but that's how it goes.


<snip>

There are some things he promised that CANNOT, WILL NOT be comprimised upon. Tax breaks and investigations of the bush** are two that if he backtracks, he will be a one-termer.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

41. Yeah, right.

Your crystal ball needs polishing, and you need a good long time spent reading our country's political history so that you can begin to understand how government works.

"CANNOT, WILL NOT be (sic) comprimised {it's "compromised"] upon."

My goodness, but you are operating with a set of absolutes that I am fairly certain might cause your head to explode. I'll bet you were pissed when you found out about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, too......................

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. Grow up

He's going to be everyone's President and he has to get along with as many of the opposition as possible so as to get his programs passed.

It's immature and naive to continue to think like you do. Expand your consciousness, shake the Bush Mentality (your post sounds like it could have come from one of Fuckface's supporters), and learn about how the government is really supposed to work.

Stop believing that divisiveness is the name of the game. It's not. The process was simply corrupted to an unbelievable degree by Fuckface. Now, we have an incoming President who is going to do it right, and show small-minded people exactly how it's done.

[Seldona]

30. (your post sounds like it could have come from one of Fuckface's supporters)

Holy fucking irony batman!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

42. How eloquent

Stuck for a response, are you?

Yeah, that was obvious.

[stevenleser]

32. Wrong attitude. Don't forget the old Corleone family saying. Keep your friends close...

but your enemies closer.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

43. Which is why we have Clinton

as Secretary of State-designate today.

LBJ also put it nicely, and he was a real person, unlike Don Corleone, who probably was a lot smarter. LBJ said that it was better to have your enemies inside the tent pissing out than to have them outside the tent pissing in.

[katandmoon]

48. Sounds good. Not how it works though. Enemies don't PISS out of the tent. They piss all inside it.

They're IMMUNE to their own and each other's piss.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

49. Don't confuse me........

When I'm confused, I tend to pee all over myself.............

[Historic NY]

24. Even Lincoln kept his rivals close he put them in the cabinet...I

think this keeps the right off balance. He is giving them the opportunity if they fail to take it then they look like morons. Obama has put McCain is a damn if you do damn if you don't position. Brilliant stroke.

[HamdenRice]

31. McCain is symbolic head of his party and returns to the Senate -- something that hasn't happened

in recent history. The only thing close to this situation was Bush's defeat of Kerry with Kerry returning to the Senate, but Bush is not representative of anything because he was such an idiot.

When Clinton defeated Bob Dole, Dole had already resigned from the Senate, and when he defeated Bush, Bush retired from Washington politics.

When Bush defeated Tsongas, Tsongas was a Massachusetts governor, not in Congress.

When Reagan defeated Mondale, Mondale had been VP and left DC for private law practice.

You would basically have to go back to Nixon's defeats of McGovern for an elected president to have his defeated rival still in Congress.

When Nixon defeated McGovern, I believe McGovern had left the Senate only to return in 1974 (I could be wrong), but at any rate was so hated that he was not an important figure in the Democratic Party.

Humphrey was Vice President, and was also not in Congress.

Johnson beat Goldwater who I believe remained in the Senate, but I don't know what their relationship was like.

When Kennedy beat Nixon, Nixon left Washington for California, iirc.

When Eisenhower defeated Stevenson, Stevenson went back to the Senate I believe.

So there hasn't really been a defeated candidate returning to the Senate as a relatively powerful figure in a long time.

[DemBones DemBones]

34. Good point. McCain has been in the Senate a long time and

has many friends in Washington, including military friends. Making him an ally on issues they can agree on is a smart move by Obama. I don't like some of his Cabinet picks and things he's said that go against campaign promises but I hope his presidency will be a success. If it's not, we'll be in really deep shit.

[nodramamama]

35. But isn't McCain out of touch?

That's what was being said during the campaign (and I agreed).
Does it make sense to seek advice with an out-of-touch politician?

[olegramps]

37. He has de-fanged the hot-head!

Just as Clinton took care of marginalizing the Republicans during his tenure.

I can only shudder to think if McCain and his brain dead Evangelical idiot sidekick had been elected. The Maya's prediction of end-times 2012 could have been a reality.

[Fire1]

44. I hope he's laying the ground work for some pretty heavy

legislation, because that's what it's gonna take to get this place back on track.

[eridani]

50. As long as it's on anything but economics! n/t