Who made up these rules? Carl Rove

This is just another variation of the "reffing" scheme. We'll define the middle, and then you can decide what's fair. Since most uninformed people (or those with weak personalities) like to think of themselves as average, they will gravitate to the new "middle".

the media--to create the appearance of controversy where none exists. Even Fox reports78% of the public is happy with the selections thus far. And the media knows that dems unlike repubs will worry about what the media says and find weak dems to support the manufactured controversy.

It is yet another absurdity but it's one that seems to resonate among certain Republicans who seem to think Bush's selection of Norm Mineta at transportation was some extreme example of bipartisanship, but Obama's selection of Gates is simply not enough. What do they want? Should Joe Biden resign so Dick Cheney can continue as VP?

Even Fox reports78% of the public is happy with the selections thus far. And the media knows that dems unlike repubs will worry about what the media says and find weak dems to support the manufactured controversy.

Who made up these rules? Spineless Democrats. Democrats that think it's a good idea to give subpoena power to someone that actively worked to defeat you electorally and decrease your majority. Democrats that believe they have to repudiate the left to stay in good graces with the Republicans. The Democrats that think if they just act nice and give them respect it will actually be returned. Democrats... well I think you get the picture.

The only real presidential transition rule has already been broken and stepped on: the one where the incoming POTUS lets lobbyists BE the transition team and gets into their debt by depending on their offices, people and know-how.
Because he has financed the transition independently through his campaign fundraising machine, Obama has unusual freedom in choosing his cabinet. This alone has certainly offended a part of the powers that be, including some journalists.
I don't think that nominating a few repugs will win him any brownie points with the rest of the GOP anyway, and the idea that bipartisan means "half GOP" or something is absurd.

It used to be that "working the refs" meant simply conservatives pressuring the media. Now it seems to mean conservatives and the media pressuring Obama.

"Who made up these rules?"

Idiots.

Idiots made up these rules. We call them "journalists" in the vernacular.

Now that the elections are over the chattering classes are left with a huge void to fill. Unfortunately, most of them also have a huge void between their ears. There will be more of these non-stories when Obama doesn't fulfill every one of his campaign promises, fix the economy, and end the war in Iraq within twenty minutes of being sworn in.

OK, let's count up the number of Democrats in George W. Bush's cabinet: 1, uh, uh, well, er, ah,...

Norman Mineta in the all-important position of Transportation Secretary is the only one I can recall.

And you all remember the deafening controversy about Bush, the "uniter, not divider" failing to name more Democrats to his cabinet, right?

Proof number seventy gazillion that nothing - nothing - will ever satisfy the repugs, and making even the slightest gesture in their direction is not just futile but self-destructive.

The only proper way to respond to this is to fire every republican in the federal government - including the civil-service protected ones (let 'em sue) - and tell the party to fuck off and die.

THAT they might respect.

since i never read cq, i'm curious what their take was when the repukes were the majority and used that status to marginalize democrats to the point of forcing them to use a basement room to hold a hearing.

was there this caterwauling and rending of garments about the lack of civility and comity.

fuck them. and fuck the repukes.

The idea of whining republicans trying to dictate the rules of the game is astonishing.

Wake up America!

The pundit class has lost its way! 3 of 4 Americans approve of Obama's prudence.

I for one will be a bit sore with our 1st Amendment protected media pundits if they choose to dwell upon the 25% just to get the dog bits man story on the front page. Chambliss in Georgia has just launched a salvo suggesting political obstruction to keep President-elect Obama from achieving what I think will be a very practical set of solutions to our nation's problems that affect us citizens and our future.

Therein rests the story for our media punditry to follow should they wish to do so - What stick in the mud resistance, what obstruction, what shear irrationality is being proffered by what special, vested or ideological interest, and for what reason should be the story-line for the next four (8) years as 3 out of every 4 Americans would want to know as we move forward! -Kevo

Fortunately there is no reason in the world why he would listen to those idiots.

bottom line, Obama is looking for smart people with strong opinions and new ideas to put in the administration, and there just aren't many Republicans who fit that description.

I hear Ted Stevens is looking for work. Would that do?

One Republican is too many. Leach, like most Iowa pols, is deep in the pockets of Big Ag, the largest welfare class in the country, whose policy is slash, burn, pollute and move on. Jim Hightower, who understands green ag (shouldn't be a contradiction, right?) should be Secretary of Ag. At some point Gates will have to be replaced, and we might as well make it now. Rather than more Republicans ("Please, take my razor, cut your throat") we need more progressives, or at least a few. I'm not a fan of the Romans but at least they knew that you have to throw something to the troops every once in a while. Don't make the mistake of thinking you got there by yourself.

seriously: "And you all remember the deafening controversy about Bush, the "uniter, not divider" failing to name more Democrats to his cabinet, right?"

I do. But only because that was approximately the time when I started cursing his name. Yup, early 2001 is when that started.

These new rules also include the huff over the proposed Vatican ambassador -- anti-abortion, but because he supported Obama, that makes him not anti-abortion enough.

Sorry kids, the grown ups are trying to govern here, or at least get prepared to do so. This means appointing qualified people to positions, not picking Republicans for the sake of being bipartisan.

Fuck them. Seriously is right, Mineta was the only Dem in Chimpy's Cabinet.

I'm fucking sick of the fucking whining.

Here's the cabinet they mean. (Tried to make the link a clickthrough but no joy.)

http://routt.net/Caligari/Cabinet/caligari1.jpg

Who made up these rules?

I did.

I also decree that unless Obama continues Bush's policies on Iraq, climate change, the economy, and everything else Obama will return Washington to gridlock and will be unnecessarily partisan.

I hope that clears things up.

This is what worries me about Obama's strategy of bipartisanship. I hope he can make it work without giving away the store.

I nominate Larry Craig for Minister of Airport Toilet Security.

"Who made up these rules?

Losers, that's who.

Sorry kids, the grown ups are trying to govern here, or at least get prepared to do so. This means appointing qualified people to positions, not picking Republicans for the sake of being bipartisan.
Posted by: dk on December 4, 2008 at 9:31 AM | PERMALINK

I just want to repeat this for the dumb ass chimps out there in print journalism.
Chimps.

Our government has three branches: Executive, Legislative, Judicial. There are sufficient numbers of Republican ideologues in the Legislative and Judicial branches to assure their (rare and pointless)"thoughts" are made public.

The incoming head of the Executive Branch has no obligation to include his ideological opponents in his administration. President-elect Obama is trying to create an administration that can actually govern. Governing -- the execution of policy -- is the primary responsibility of the Executive Branch. This incoming President understands that governing is the purpose of government.

The Bushies subverted our Constitutional system by trying to make the Executive branch the only branch. It was as close to an attempt to establish a monarchy as we have ever had in this country. The contempt the Bushie had for the Legislative and Judicial branches is, I think, a violation of the Presidential oath of office and an impeachable offense.

It's not altogether clear what would satisfy critics here.

Secretary of State Sarah Palin. Secretary of Defense Sarah Palin.

Or a couple of newly-created Cabinet positions: Secretary of Religion Sarah Palin. Or perhaps Secretary of Real America Sarah Palin.

It would take Secretary of Anything Sarah Palin to satisfy the hard-right kooks.

Wait, wait, I got it...

Secretary of Maverick Sarah Palin!

Yeah, that's it...

Who made up these rules?

Monkeys with keyboards.

I'll take "Tokenism" for $500, please, Alex.

This is what worries me about Obama's strategy of bipartisanship. I hope he can make it work without giving away the store.

So far, the media's definition of "bipartisanship" and Obama's definition seem to be very different. The media's is "Democrats have to bend over backwards to make Republicans happy." Obama's seems to be, "Get on the bus or get run over."

That is, of course, keeping in mind that Obama is and always has been at the center, even center-right -- he only looks like a "leftist" because our politics have been pulled so far to the right by the Republicans. In European terms, he's not a liberal by any stretch of the imaginaton.

steve asks "Who made up these rules?"

broderists....next

In the spirit of bipartisanship that the Republicans are so concerned about, I'm totally in favor of nominating Dick Cheney to be US Ambassador to Iraq. Since we've defeated the evil forces of Islamofacism due to George's heroic insistence on the Surge, I'm sure Dick can make do with a very minimal security detail. After all, a walk in a Baghdad market is like visiting an Iowa county fair, and I'm sure Cheney would constantly be surrounded by Iraqis wanting to express their love and admiration for all the good things he's brought to their country.

Upwards of 75% of people in a recent poll believe Obama's is handling his cabinet picks quite well. This is a media manufactured story.

Anyone remember this classic from Ari Fleischer?

Those who recall that Bush came to office promising to "change the tone" of politics to bipartisan brotherhood might have been surprised to hear the White House standard for bipartisanship. Turns out the support of only one Democrat -- maverick Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia -- can make legislation "bipartisan," as it did when Miller joined with Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) a couple of weeks ago in offering a compromise to break the impasse on homeland security legislation.

Bush, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said in a morning briefing, "is now supporting a bipartisan compromise on homeland security."

Keith Koffler, White House reporter for Congress Daily, was puzzled. "How many Democrats support this bipartisan bill?" he asked. "I'm not aware of any more than one Democrat."

"Well," Fleischer replied, "that certainly does make it bipartisan."

"So that's the new definition of bipartisan?" Koffler inquired.

"I think, frankly, that's the old definition of bipartisan," Fleischer rejoined. "I'd be shocked if all of a sudden the definition of bipartisan changed."

They want highly partisan Republicans in the cabinet? Someone tell them that the inspiration for a spectrum of contrary opinion in the cabinet is called "Team of Rivals", not "Team of Incompetent Douchebags".

Gates and Jones, apparently, aren't enough. Obama could also find roles for Leach and someone like Chuck Hagel, but that apparently wouldn't be satisfactory, either, because they'd likely be deemed "borderline" Republicans. -- Steve Benen

Gates and Jones and, maybe Leach is still more than he's nominated in the way of "true progressives"...

We have a saying, in Polish: "Give a hen a perch (roost), she says: I want to sit higher". Repubs are like that hen; never satisfied.

"In the spirit of bipartisanship that the Republicans are so concerned about, I'm totally in favor of nominating Dick Cheney to be US Ambassador to Iraq."

Actually, I think US Ambassador to the Netherlands would be much more efficient. Right near the Hague.

He should oblige them and appoint Ron Paul to head the DHS.

I think you misunderstand the meaning of "bipartisanship." You think that Obama needs have one-third of his cabinet be Republicans. Josh Marshall suggested one-half. You're both wrong. To truly show that he's governing in a bipartisan manner, Obama needs to appoint a cabinet made up entirely of Republicans. Anything else would be neither fair nor balanced.

(It's so hard to be sarcastic these days, given the nonsense that passes for conventional wisdom. Perhaps I should suggest that the best way for Obama to transcend partisanship would be to name Dick Cheney as his VP and then resign?)