Powerhouse appointees: President-elect Obama’s team includes people with strong, and possibly conflicting, views – posing a potential management challenge. (Charles Dharapak/AP)
Obama’s team of stars: Can he manage it?
Some inner-circle conflict can be of help to a president, but building a sense of teamwork will be key.
By Linda Feldmann | Staff writer/ December 2, 2008 edition
Reporter Linda Feldmann discusses President-elect Obama's choices for his economic and national security teams.
Washington
President-elect Barack Obama has earned accolades from Democrats and Republicans alike for the high-powered national security and economic teams he has unveiled.
As a young and relatively inexperienced chief executive, Mr. Obama has assembled a group of advisers known more for their sterling credentials than for their loyalty to him. That alone speaks to a certain confidence on Obama’s part, a self-possession that was on regular display during the long presidential campaign. The selection of this team also shows a willingness to take risks, particularly his choice for secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, his bitter rival for the Democratic nomination. And it speaks to the grave nature of the times, with the US fighting two wars and mired in what economists predict will be a long, deep recession.
In less than two months, the hard business of governing begins. The question then becomes: Can Obama manage this team of A-listers, many of whom have outsized personalities and tend to see themselves as leaders in their own right rather than followers? Inevitably, clashes will arise; differences of opinion will leak to the press. But “No Drama Obama,” as he came to be known during the campaign, may find value in a certain amount of conflict.
“You don’t want a team of timidity,” says Jack Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. “Second, with big egos you’ll have friction, but friction creates light as well as heat. That is, there’s the potential for lively and informative deliberations. But everything hinges on the president’s ability to contain the internal conflict and get everybody to agree to the final decisions that he makes.”
Ultimately, no one knows how Obama will do at the top of the Washington power pyramid. At his press conference Monday in Chicago to introduce his national-security team, Obama offered an assurance that everyone he has assembled shares a “core vision” of what is needed both at home and abroad, but that he also welcomes honest discourse.
“One of the dangers in a White House, based on my reading of history, is that you get wrapped up in groupthink and everybody agrees with everything and there’s no discussion and there are no dissenting views,” Obama said. “So I’m going to be welcoming a vigorous debate inside the White House.”
He finished his response with an assertion of authority: “Understand, I will be setting policy as president. So, as Harry Truman said, the buck will stop with me.”
During the campaign, Obama’s cool temperament set the tone for the team he had assembled beneath him. Unlike the campaigns he competed most fiercely against – Senator Clinton’s in the primary and Sen. John McCain’s in the general election – Obama never endured any staff shake-ups or embarrassing leaks about internal dissension. In an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” right after Obama won the election, his top advisers confirmed the smooth-as-silk impression the campaign created from the start.
“His motto is ‘No drama,’ ” said David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager. “That doesn’t mean that we don’t express opinions strongly, but that we’re all a unit. And once we make a decision, we stick with it. We don’t revisit it. He stays very calm, doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low, treats people well. So when the leader is setting that example, everyone follows.”
Running White House is hard
Of course, a well-run campaign does not necessarily presage smooth sailing as president. Cabinet secretaries have power centers of their own, and the vast circles of advisers who will report ultimately to Obama do not compare with the small circle of people who ran his campaign and whose sole task – to win the election – was much simpler than running the most powerful country in the world.
On the economic front, in particular, Obama’s setup almost invites conflict. He has put at Treasury the respected Timothy Geithner, head of the New York Federal Reserve, a man exactly Obama’s age who has never held such a high-level job before. Then in the White House, Obama has named Mr. Geithner’s former boss, the famously abrasive former Treasury secretary, Larry Summers, as his top in-house economic adviser. On top of that, Obama has created a new advisory body to help with “economic recovery,” headed by former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker, himself no shrinking violet.
Can security stars play as a team?
On the national security front, the early years of the Bush administration were famous for the conflicts between the abrasive Defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, on one side and Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice on the other.
Obama’s team – Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is staying on from the Bush administration, and Gen. James Jones, a friend of Senator McCain’s – are all highly regarded as individuals, but their dynamic as a group remains uncharted.
The manner in which Obama introduced his top national security advisers – together, literally as a team – was unusual, and may have been meant as a deliberate signal that teamwork is the name of the game.
“It suggests that he wants comity between the White House staff and the secretaries,” says Paul Light, a public policy professor and expert on presidential transitions at New York University. “To a certain extent, it focuses on the issue, rather than the person. Rather than just announce Hillary Clinton, he announces the whole group. And it tends to focus us on national security policy, rather than on whether Hillary Clinton will be a good secretary of State or not. And that’s a good thing for him.”
Comments
2. Heather | 12.02.08
I am curious, what makes any of these peoples stars? Because they are Democrats?
A man who stabs a knife into a table and repeatedly yells “dead, dead, dead”, is a star? Sounds more like a lunatic! Hillary Clinton, who the Democrat party just rejected several months ago, suddenly is a star?
I thought the Democrats wanted an end to Clinton era? The majority of Obama’s cabinet does not look like change to me! It looks the a Bill Clinton third term!
Where is the change?
3. SEAsian | 12.02.08
As a Chinese from SE Asia, Obama is a very much welcome change. Not only will he be able to repair & restore the USA, **** raise the bar for politicians in SE Asia & throughout the world. He’s the change we Asians have been waiting for in Washington.
4. zack | 12.02.08
decision made of strong opinion and openly reveal is a solid rather than that of a follower outcomes a weak decision.
5. Mustafa Malik | 12.03.08
It’s all old wine in a new bottle. Are these retirees of old administrations going to produce the “change” that our president-epect promised on the campaign trail?
Mustafa
6. Gavin | 12.03.08
Heather
Hillary Clinton is a household name. I’m pretty sure that gives her “star” status. Joe Biden has been in the Senate for over 30 years and is the Chair of the Senate Judiciary and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The man has star status. I can’t tell you about everyone ins Obama’s cabinet elect but being from Arizona I’ve seen quite a bit of Janet Napolitano who is widely respected by Democrats and Republicans alike.
These are high profile personalities who certainly deserve star status as far as the political arena is concerned.
And as for Obama just being Clinton term 3, considering that the only time in our nations history that we have had a budget surplus instead of a deficit was during th Clinton administration so maybe that wouldn’t be so bad?
8. Alanki35 | 12.03.08
I was a Hillary supporter but en route to the finale of the Democratic primaries I found myself having more and more respect for Barak Obama. He has an almost superhuman job ahead of him and I just hope this “team of stars” remains above all a team! The country demands that of them!
9. Sheena | 12.03.08
I totally agree with Heather, why do u call these people stars?!! this certainly looks like no change to me- the most diverse cabinet in history!!!?!! but what does that prove?!
10. Seth Kastenbaum | 12.04.08
He has the intelligence to understand the complexity of issues and the confidence to surround himself with powerful leaders who are americans first and partisan second. Following vigorous debate he will offer sound and decisive judgment.
11. Jim | 12.04.08
Wow, people will find any reason, sane or otherwise, to criticize Barack Obama. “Fig-leaf gestures?” Seriously? They’re standing on stage with no podium - where would you put your hands?
Apart from my constant pleasure at seeing stupidity proved wrong, Obama has made me about as happy as I could be in this economy. Hillary is a grand slam of a pick for State, Bill Richardson and Janet Napolitano are both widely respected and excellent at their jobs, while Jones and Gates are not only brilliant military minds, but opposing viewpoints in a situation that cries out for debate and compromise. And Summers is smarter than pretty much everyone, and one of the best economists in the world. And yes, every one of these people are “stars” in their field, though reality TV may have inexplicably passed them over.
Also, Sheena: u have a right to ur opinion, but y dont u try to sound less like a 3 grader next time!!!!1
This is a snarky post, I realize. But really, we just replaced a man who has to be in the running for the worst at his job with someone for whom all the signs point to promise and potential. So I feel justified in my annoyance with those who continually naysay aspects of the transition for which even prominent Republicans have had nothing but kind words. Your guy lost, get over it. Criticism is fine, but let’s try to find valid grounds for it, shall we?
12. Steve | 12.05.08
This is an ego-heavy team of typical Washington and financial industry insiders, and all that will “change” is the flavor and the color of the Kool-aid they’ll ask us to drink.
13. Marie | 12.07.08
Woul you like to take Obamas job? “do not ask what the country can do for you,but what can you do for your country. It starts with each one of us. Help them to do a good job, rather than critizise them. They are as human as you and me.
14. Remigio Christopher Obol | 12.08.08
US is for all Americans and imigrants alike,regardless of parties, characters, self-interests, personalities…. So what President Elect is doing is a mixed grill cooking, that at the end of the day makes a wonderful dish for all.
Democracy is democratic. It brings in all who are fit and able to manage the different offices regardless of which pary he/she belongs. We look at national buiding capcities of each one.
The choice made by Obama will help other countries which centred the selection of Ministers only on members of their own parties while leaving out even the most able people who belong to other parties. Sad do!
Obama go ahead, give us more surprise. God Stands behind your choices to run the biggest businesses of governance in the world.
Change will come, Change is not made by outsiders but by the insiders with long and large experinece. It is usually the citizens with new assigments who make chnages we campaigned for.
In God WE TRust.
Fr. Remigio Obol of Uganda
15. Edekin Imoukhuede | 12.10.08
Jim,
You are spot-on in your analysis. Americans, welcome to a new era of political and economic development! Already there are signs of great things to come for your country. Some of us crave for just a tinny-whinny bit of the enormous potential you have. You have again set the pace for the rest of the world to follow. Support your new leaders and above all put your trust in God.
Edekin
Nigeria
16. Len Claytor | 12.10.08
It seems to me that we are not going to know what will happen until this team actually get into their jobs. Yeah, they are star’s in their field. Who do you want as Treasury Sec. Jay Leno?? Who is best qualified to run the Pentagon and two wars? The CEO of AIG?? (he can’t even run his own organization) Democrat/Republican, it doesn’t matter unless you haven’t been paying attention what has been going on in the world for the past 10-12 years. We are the most powerful country in the world because we (I said we) picked leaders who got the job done through good and bad and whether we agreed with all their methods. Let’s see what this group can do since they will have the biggest challenge ever faced by this nation in Economics, Defense, Healthcare, Social Programs, Foreign Policy and American Respect! If you can do bettwer, then I suggest you hit the road and get up there with you hand up ready to volunteer to put your personal ife and reputation on the line. If not, just sit back and complain and be the Ugly American!
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1. Mike | 12.02.08
Imagine that… A governance based on intelligent debate!
Somebody stop them before this becomes a democracy again!
