The A-Team

Apologies to Laurence Tureaud, better known as Mr. T, but Team Obama is likely to have many monikers, the A-Team being just one of them. Oh many have coined it the modern-day Team of Rivals, an appellation referencing President-elect Obama’s fascination with Doris Kearns Goodwin’s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Kearns_Goodwin) book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. At this point, I prefer the A-Team for many reasons, not the least of which is, Mr. T survived his A-Team adventures; President Lincoln did not survive his Presidency. If you believe, as I do, the Obama Administration should be driven by outcomes, finishing alive ought to be pretty high on the list.

The past couple of weeks in the World After Obama (Post-election victory) have been fast-paced, and steeped in social, symbolic, and historical significance. Last week, the President-elect assembled and presented to the American public for inspection the members of his Economic Team. The composition of the team is litany of proverbial All-Stars. Headliners include:

Timothy Geithner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_F._Geithner), Treasury Secretary
Lawrence H. Summers, Director of the National Economic Council
Paul Volcker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Volcker), Chairman Economic Recovery Advisory Board
Christina D. Romer, Director of the council of Economic Advisors
Melody Barnes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melody_Barnes), Director of Domestic Policy Council
Austan Goolsbee, Council of Economic Advisers
Peter R. Orszag, OMB Director
Jason Furman, Senior White House Adviser

But indeed, if the Economic Team is an assembly of All-Stars, and it is, the National Security Team is a Hall of Fame-in-waiting. Led by Obama’s chief rival for the Democratic Nomination for President, members include:

Hillary Rodham Clinton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton), Secretary of State
Robert Gates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gates), Defense Secretary
General James Jones (http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1862911,00.html), National Security Adviser
Janet Napolitano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Napolitano), Homeland Security Secretary
Susan Rice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_E._Rice), Ambassador to the United Nations

In addition to the Economic and Security Teams, the President-elect has mad several other key appointments, including:

Rahm Emanuel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel), Chief of Staff
Valerie Jarrett (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Jarrett), Senior White House Advisor
Eric Holder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Holder), Attorney General
Tom Daschle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Daschle), Secretary of Health and Human Services
Ellen Moran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Moran), White House Communications Director
Desiree Rogers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desir%C3%A9e_Rogers), White House Social Secretary

Finally, according to the New York Times, Obama plans to announce New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/obama-to-announce-richardsons-appointment/), as his choice for Commerce Secretary, today. One day shy of a month since his election, it is fair to say Mr. Obama and his team of advisers has been both busy, and productive. While he has publicly channeled Lincoln as his inspiration, and some have cited Roosevelt’s Cabinet as the apt example for comparison, still others note that Kennedy’s Cabinet is a more appropriate comparison.

Any or all of these previous Commanders-in-Chief may be the ideal stepping off point for such an analysis. I will wind this down with a couple of observations about Ms. Goodwin’s thesis. An LA Times articles described it as an “inconvenient truth.” “Out of the four leading vote-getters for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination whom Lincoln placed on his original team, three left during his first term -- one in disgrace, one in defiance and one in disgust," writes Matthew Pinkster in an L.A. Times piece titled Lincoln and the Myth of 'Team of Rivals'.” I might add, the fourth, was a constant thorn in Lincoln's side for much of his first term.

Further, an article in the Boston Globe, a writer “wonders if it is a wise strategy in today's world.” In that article, Douglas Brinkley, a Rice University author and historian posits, "I question the entire concept of 'Team of Rivals' being sound."

Now, to be sure, a couple of naysayers do not equal proof positive that “Rivals” is the wrong way to go. I do not argue (strongly) that it is. Rather, I merely suggest, for reasons previously stated, my preference for another metaphor. To our President-elect, I wish you much success, a lasting peace, and a very long life. I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below.

http://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0684824906

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-pinsker18-2008nov18,0,1360359.story

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/11/21/will_lincolns_team_of_rivals_play_today/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/01/obama-dales-cabinet-picks/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/01/obama-unveils-national-security-team/

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/12/01/obamas-national-security-team-of-rivals/

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/01/transition.wrap/

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/02/1695100.aspx

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/12/reaction_to_oba.html

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/environmentandenergy/archive/2008/12/01/what-obama-s-security-team-means-for-energy.aspx

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/120108dnpoltransition.3f55a31.html

http://www.demconwatchblog.com/2008/12/speaker-pelosis-statment-on-obamas.html

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20081201/UPDATES01/812010341

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/us/politics/01clinton.html?_r=1&hp

http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/24/news/economy/obama_economic_team/?postversion=2008112415