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- In their private meeting yesterday, Barack Obama pushed hard to get president Bush to sign an automaker stimulus package, with Bush offering support in exchange for passage of the Colombian free trade agreement in the Democratic-controlled Congress. The exchange was apparently "leaked" in such a way to make Obama the dominant player in the meeting. Marc Ambinder's take: "Well, surprise. The Obama team has a communications strategy. And surprise: it's favorable to Obama and not favorable to President Bush. And surprise: the Obama economic team considers the perilous state of the auto industry to be the most pressing issue right now. And surprise: passing the trade agreement is something Bush really wants to get done before the end of his term -- he spoke about it during his radio address on Saturday."
- David Plouffe, who would seem to be a natural successor to DNC Chairman Howard Dean and his 50-state strategy, has denied interest in taking the job. Meanwhile, Obama appears inclined to keep Robert Gates on as Secretary of Defense -- at least for the first year of his administration -- much to the chagrin of antiwar activists. The Obama dilemma is this: Keeping a competent and non-ideological Republican in this powerful position reinforces the notion that Democratic administrations must turn to serious and tough Republicans on matters of national security. Regardless of Gates' talents, the opportunity to prove otherwise is one Obama shouldn't pass on.
- The Good: Obama to highly restrict the influence of lobbyists on his transition team; renews determination to track down Osama bin Laden. The Bad: U.S. intelligence policy to remain largely intact in an Obama administration: "President-elect Barack Obama is unlikely to radically overhaul controversial Bush administration intelligence policies, advisers say, an approach that is almost certain to create tension within the Democratic Party." Frankly, I'm a wee bit more concerned about the tension said policies have placed upon the Constitution and our civil liberties than inter-party squabbling.
- After meeting with president Bush, Obama held an unannounced meeting at Reagan National with a mysterious stranger for over an hour. Let the wild Cabinet-level speculation begin!
- Former Maryland Lt. Gov. and Senate candidate Michael Steele has his eye on that RNC chair. There's even a draft Steele web site! Meanwhile, Ross Douthat reminds us that 'ol "ideas man" Gingrich's May manifesto is a less than spectacular blueprint for a Republican revival. [Fox News reports Gingrich is not interested in the position.]
- Jay Cost goes into some detail in answering the question of whether 2008 was (is) a realigning election and concludes that it might be (or it might not!). Meanwhile, Good Magazine provides a helpful chart comparing the first 100 days over every presidency beginning with FDR.
- Wingnut watch: Georgia Rep. Paul Broun on Obama's "Gestapo-like" national security force: "That’s exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it’s exactly what the Soviet Union did. When he’s proposing to have a national security force that’s answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he’s showing me signs of being Marxist." Over at Powerline, John Hinderaker, who once immortalized president Bush as "a man of extraordinary vision and brilliance approaching to genius," claims that Barack Obama "needs to understand that as President, his words will be scrutinized and will have impact whether he intends it or not. In this regard, President Bush is an excellent model; Obama should take a lesson from his example. Bush never gets sloppy when he is speaking publicly. He chooses his words with care and precision, which is why his style sometimes seems halting. In the eight years he has been President, it is remarkable how few gaffes or verbal blunders he has committed."
- And finally, DC institution Ben’s Chili Bowl will start offering free meals to someone other than Bill Cosby: president-elect Obama and his family. For more on Ben's and the history of DC's sole culinary contribution -- the half-smoke -- see this informative article.
--Mori Dinauer
