Obama + a couple weeks

Well, I gotta say, Obama seems to be making some pretty big rookie mistakes.

At least I hope they are rookie mistakes.

First there was New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson who had to withdraw from an Obama post over issues of improper actions while governor. *Dick Cheney and Halliburton anyone?

Then there was Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner who ‘forgot’ to pay taxes. *The Treasury is where taxes actually go.

And just this week there were two more nominees: Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer who both withdrew their nominations for…wait for it, not paying taxes.

Now I don’t blame Obama for these transgressions on taxes. These folks are freakin adults and supposedly public servants, so paying taxes seems like a given. Obama had nothing to do with their personal financial mismanagement.

I do blame Obama for nominating them in the first place. Seems like item #3 on every ‘will this person pass the scrutiny of the nomination’ list is: Have they paid their freaking taxes?

I just hope Obama learned a lesson and has his team working double-time researching the backgrounds of future nominees.

I know what you are thinking, “But JR., this is Barack Obama, he can do no wrong, don’t you love him like we do?”

And Yes, I do believe in Obama. I am still a big fan, which is why I am so upset.

This rant about Obama’s stumble out of the gate is similar to the way a mother scolds her child who just darted-out into the middle of the street before looking both ways. I am more scared than angry.

In today’s hyper-polarized world of partisan politics and light-speed journalism one mis-step is enough to kill a career: Howard Dean, anyone? Luckily, Obama is in office, so he dodged a bullet there.

A lot of the ‘change’ that Obama campaigned on was an end to partisan politics as usual…

So what is the first thing Obama and the newly-in-the-majority Democrats do as their first matter if business? Force through a huge stimulus bill that didn’t get one Republican vote. (Disclosure: I am a registered Democrat.)

Hardly the bi-partisan kumbaya moment everyone envisioned on election night.

Now I am not saying it was all the Democrats forcing this down Republicans throats. I am sure the Republicans were playing politics as well and decided not to vote for it regardless.

Which is utterly ridiculous.

Now is not a time for partisan-ism. America needs bold action, the stimulus package was just such an action.

But between the Democrats acting like 5-year-olds who just got a Nintendo for Christmas, rushing to pass anything they could with their newfound power and the Republicans licking their wounds and relishing their sour grapes, the Average American is lost in the shuffle. (Disclosure: I am not a fan of the stimulus package as it stands.)

So what is the remedy? Shoot, I don’t know. I am a loser who works in a call center.

But even so, I can see that this system isn’t working. Obama was elected to shake things up. But so far he’s looking like the first-round draft pick who is expected to save the franchise, but still has to spend the season carrying everyone’s bags.

Obama should step-up and reign-in the Democratic leadership- ‘Fall in line with my agenda of bi-partisanship or be gone.’ Obama also needs to tell the Republicans to quit bitching and do the job they were elected to do. The Republicans had the keys to the city for 8 long years, I can understand some bitterness after losing that. But we are all adults here and much the same way we all have to pay our taxes (Tim Geithner, Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer) we all have to roll-up our sleeves once we clock-in at the office.

America is hurting. Now is not the time for plotting for the next election. Now is the time to remember that we are all on the same team. Now is the time to restore some luster to our great country.

I still think Obama is the man for the job. He just needs to find his legs and remember to look both ways before darting into the street.

The Magic 8-Ball says: Obama-Edwards '08

I said it a few months ago, but I am going to put it in print today.

Obama/Edwards in ’08.

The last full field debate was when I noticed some sidling on the part of John Edwards. At that point Hilary Clinton was still the “Candidate of Destiny” and everyone was gunning for her.

But what I saw from Edwards was a man also making mends with a former opponent, Barack Obama. Instead of pointing-out why he was better than Clinton, Edwards starting using the word “we” or “myself and Barack” when making points.

I could see the bridge being built from the Edwards side. And while there was little reciprocation from Obama at the time, I think the ticket would make sense.

Obama is an educated black man, from a Northern state, always a problem in the South. And Obama is from Illinois, the very state that brought us Abraham Lincoln, who defeated the South and abolished slavery…all points that aren’t overlooked by many Southerners.

Obama needs to balance the ticket to win the states that are currently going to Hilary.

Edwards offers that balance. He is a white southerner, who comes from a blue-collar family and offers the “picked himself-up by the boot straps to make something of himself” story that all corn-fed hard-working good-old-boys love. Edwards can play the “I am one of you” card to bring those voters into the Obama camp.

Edwards has also been to this dance before. His experience campaigning would be invaluable to Obama, a relative newcomer to the national political scene.

Edwards has also been in the Senate since 1998. Again, adding much needed DC-experience to the Obama campaign. The draw to Obama is that he isn’t a DC-Insider, but that is also one of his biggest knocks with older voters. Edwards, offers a good middle ground, having been in the Senate since the Clinton Administration. Though he now works for a PAC, would could be a tough sell to Obama’s base.

I am no James Carville, but this pairing just seems to make sense. Obama and Hilary have gone too hard at each other in the primary and America simply isn’t ready to elect a Black man & a woman into the presidency.

I think the pair would make a good team, with Obama’s ideas and Edwards experience. They could not only win the election, but may just make some changes.