I tend to discount Dick Morris' views on the Clintons, but in this case, he has a point.
The fact is that the power of the secretary of State is not statutory, nor does it flow from the prestige of the post’s occupant. Former Gen. Al Haig, once supreme commander of NATO and chief of staff to President Nixon, found that out when he was undercut as secretary by the White House troika of Mike Deaver, James Baker and Ed Meese. Bill Rogers, Eisenhower’s attorney general and Nixon’s California confidant, found himself on the outs from the moment he became secretary of State, with Henry Kissinger soaking up all the power through his direct access to Nixon as national security adviser.The power of the secretary of State flows directly from the president. But Hillary does not have the inside track with Obama. Rice and Powers, close advisers in the campaign, and Gen. Jones — whose office is in the White House — all may have superior access. Holbrooke and Mitchell will have more immediate information about the world’s trouble spots.
The number of Obama buddies with direct access and foreign policy briefs is amazingly long and includes Joe Biden, Richard Holbrooke, George Mitchell, Samantha Powers, Susan Rice and Gen. James Jones.
Morris has that raging case of Clinton-myopia. The real story here is Obama. Having so many direct foreign policy advisers serves another purpose as well--insuring that Obama remains the unchallenged star of his own administration.
This is good politics, and Barack Obama is a very skilled politician, but while a President is well-served by good political instincts, the Presidency is an executive whose responsibilities extend beyond his personal political viability. As recent events demonstrate, Barack Obama doesn't appear to have the instincts for his new environment.
A slight digression:
Mule deer thrive thoughout the Rocky Mountain region, but as you hit the beginnings of the prairie in Colorado, you see Whitetailed Deer. The species can interbreed and sometimes do, but in spite of this the dividing line between mule deer habitat and white-tailed deer habitat remains consistent. The reason is remarkable--when threatened, mule deer run uphill, white-tails run downhill. One strategy works great in the mountains for escaping mountain lions, the other is a winner elsewhere.
Instinct is strongest in crisis. George W. Bush transformed his presidency by fortunately having the right kind of instincts after 9/11. Barack Obama is a down hill kind a guy in an up hill kind of world.
Has Barack Obama’s presidency already failed? In normal times, this would be a ludicrous question. But these are not normal times. They are times of great danger. Today, the new US administration can disown responsibility for its inheritance; tomorrow, it will own it. Today, it can offer solutions; tomorrow it will have become the problem. Today, it is in control of events; tomorrow, events will take control of it. Doing too little is now far riskier than doing too much. If he fails to act decisively, the president risks being overwhelmed, like his predecessor. The costs to the US and the world of another failed presidency do not bear contemplating.What is needed? The answer is: focus and ferocity. If Mr Obama does not fix this crisis, all he hopes from his presidency will be lost. If he does, he can reshape the agenda. Hoping for the best is foolish. He should expect the worst and act accordingly.
There is simply nothing in Barack Obama's history to suggest that he knows how to do anything except act in a way consistent with the political culture he comes from.
'Hope' is going to have an entirely different meaning when its all said and done.
Comments (1)
we've been whipsawing between rightist and leftist control of the White House and Congress now since FDR. In that time, the politics of personal demonization have been refined over and over again. It's easy to forget that the head of the Democratic National Committee swore he would have America hating George W. Bush just after Al Gore failed to sue the election away from Bush in 2001.
And another failed presidency is exactly what we in the United States will deserve for falling for the Democrats' cheap tactics of demonization, which have made the right's equally cheap tactics of demonization possible and no more morally repugnant.
We didn't so much get played as allowed ourselves to be played.
Posted by loupgarous | November 11, 2009 9:01 AM
Posted on November 11, 2009 09:01