Exclusive: President Obama to This Week Name Elizabeth Warren to Special Advisory Role to White Hous

[Pirate Smile]

Source: ABC News

Exclusive: President Obama to This Week Name Elizabeth Warren to Special Advisory Role to White House/Treasury Dept to Form New Consumer Agency


President Obama will announce this week that Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law School professor who first proposed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will be named to a special position reporting to both him and to the Treasury Department and tasked with heading the effort to get the new federal agency standing, a knowledgeable Democrat told ABC News.

-snip-
At his press conference Friday, President Obama noted that “the idea for this agency was Elizabeth Warren’s,” a reference to an essay she wrote in 2007 in Democracy: A Journal of Ideas in which she proposed a “Financial Product Safety Commission.”
The president went on to call Warren “a dear friend of mine. She’s somebody I’ve known since I was in law school. And I have been in conversations with her. She is a tremendous advocate for this idea. It’s only been a couple of months, and this is a big task standing up this entire agency, so I'll have an announcement soon about how we’re going to move forward.”

-snip-
Naming Warren as an assistant or counselor to both the president and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.
“I’m concerned about all Senate confirmations these days” including if he were to “nominate somebody for dog catcher,” the president said Friday when asked if he was concerned about Warren’s ability to be confirmed. “I’ve got people who have been waiting for six months to get confirmed who nobody has an official objection to and who were voted out of committee unanimously, and I can’t get a vote on them.”


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/09/exclusive-president-obama-to-this-week-name-elizabeth-warren-to-special-advisory-role-to-white-house.html

[aquart]

1. That's nice. Who's going to run it?

[ClarkUSA]

16. Cart before the horse? Obama can't appoint someone to "run" an agency that isn't set up yet.

This appointment "would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.'

Why would you want to delay the setting up of the agency by the person best suited to do it?

[No Elephants]

89. Um,Obama appointed Timmeh acting head. He could have appointed Warren acting head and also nominate

her as permanent head. Then, it would not matter how long they took to confirm.

[LeftHandPath]

18. All bets are leaning towards this guy...

http://www.ustreas.gov/organization/bios/barr-e.html

Barr previously served as Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin's Special Assistant, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, as Special Advisor to President William J. Clinton,

Wall St wins again.

[ClarkUSA]

20. What are you talking about? Do you have any evidence beyond "All bets"?

:wtf:

[LeftHandPath]

23. Yes, I do...

Here you go...

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/08/02/barr-bair-tapped-as-anti-warren-forces-make-their-move/

Thanks for asking!

[truedelphi]

25. And thank you for posting that.

Seems like rather astute judgment on your part.

Obama has yet to meet anyone heavily connected to Wall Street, and not fall in love.

[ClarkUSA]

28. lol! PUMA Central = your "source"? FDL is total bullshit. They live to distort and attack Obama.

Sorry, I don't go to that piss pot.

Grover Norquist ally and Faux News teabagger "Kill The Bill" friend Jane Hamsher won't get my hit to drive up her advertiser traffic.

[No Elephants]

101. Many seem to be fond of distortion, some who "attack" Obama, no matter what, and some who defend him

no matter what. Neither is the least bit credible.

[pnwmom]

43. All bets = FDL? LOL. n/t

[pjt7]

49. Set it up & let her run it

& then have her replace Geithner.

[arcane1]

2. "Special Advisory Role"?

:shrug:

[ClarkUSA]

13. David Axelrod is a Special Advisor as well. nt

[No Elephants]

90. And your point might. be?

[Lorien]

116. Placate the Left while slipping a Wall Street cronie into the top spot

and it seems to be working-in this forum, anyway. :eyes:

[Bitwit1234]

3. Should we all send Dodd some shorts cause if

Obama appoints Warren he is surely going to mess them 100 times over. He must have a favorite crook he wants in there.

[JTFrog]

4. K&R!

[onehandle]

5. Wait... This sounds like doubletalk. Just Make Her The Head!

We're not in the minority... yet.

[ClarkUSA]

11. How so? It's quite clear that she's tasked with setting up the agency...

And this appointment"would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.'

Why would you want to delay the setting up of the agency by the person best suited to do it?

[No Elephants]

91. Not "quite clear" AT ALL.

"Geithner met with heads of agencies with consumer protection duties that will be consolidated into the new agency, which was set up under the financial regulatory overhaul signed into law by President Barack Obama on July 21.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair were among the officials who met to discuss the transition period, the Treasury said.

“The agency heads each agreed to appoint liaisons from their respective staffs” to help the Treasury coordinate the transition, the department said in the statement."

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-29/geithner-acting-director-of-consumer-bureau-during-transition.html (July 29 story)



I'm not saying Warren SHOULD head this agency. Hell, she may not even want to, watered down as it is. Just trying to keep thread on the same planet as a fact.

[SharonAnn]

6. Just "Do it!". I'm tired of hearing about it. Dodd's against it. So what?

[ClarkUSA]

12. Do what? And Dodd supported Elizabeth Warren's nomination just last week.

Read my comments on this thread, please:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=441342&mesg_id=441482

This appointment "would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.'

Why would you want to delay the setting up of the agency by the person best suited to do it?

[Chan790]

36. Because who sets it up is far far far less important than who heads it.

And explicitly stating she's going to set it up, infers that he's not planning on nominating her to head it.

[pnwmom]

41. No, it doesn't imply anything except that this is the faster way

to get her in place.

"The decision does not preclude the possibility that Ms. Warren could eventually be named director, and at the least, she would play a pivotal role in deciding whom to appoint to the job, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the formal announcement. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/business/16consumer.html?_r=1&src=busln

[Chan790]

44. If you truly believe that...

there is a lovely stone-built suspension bridge in my hometown I might interest you in.



I'm not an idiot, thanks. This means he has no intention to nominate her. Past conduct and Obama-games hoist him by his own petard on this one. That sort of game only works once on non-fools; I ain't Charlie Brown and he's not Lucy with the football prank.

[No Elephants]

94. Please see Reply 89 and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4485107&mesg_id=4485783

[NorthCarolina]

50. She's popular with the left

he probably knows she won't head it, but her 'special appointment' prior to the election may help getting some peeps to the polls. After Nov. 2nd he can work on appointing the intended head. Campaign season gimmickry was my first thought on this announcement. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[No Elephants]

93. I disagree.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4485107&mesg_id=4485783

[pnwmom]

38. And he was against her yesterday. She is being appointed to set up the agency.

Who do you think is better suited? OTOH, maybe she doesn't want to give up her job at Harvard for the rest of Obama's administration. She might prefer the job of deciding whom to appoint as permanent Direcotr.

"The decision does not preclude the possibility that Ms. Warren could eventually be named director, and at the least, she would play a pivotal role in deciding whom to appoint to the job, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the formal announcement."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/business/16consumer.html?_r=1&src=busln

[No Elephants]

95. No, In July, Timmeh was appointed to set up the agency.

[No Elephants]

92. LOL

[ProSense]

7. More

HuffPo: White House To Tap Warren To Set Up Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The White House has tapped Elizabeth Warren as a special adviser to help set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, ABC News is reporting. The move allows her to act as an interim head of the CFPB and will enable her to begin setting up the agency immediately and prevent the GOP from filibustering her nomination. Warren could serve until Obama nominates a permanent director -- a nomination he's not required to make for some time. Obama could also nominate her as the permanent director in the near future, a prospect that has been discussed among top aides, according to a person familiar with the White House deliberations. Warren will also be named as a special adviser directly to Obama, ABC reported.

<...>

[IDemo]

8. " Special Advisory Role"?

"Liz, bring me another coffee, wouldja?"

[ClarkUSA]

14. Hmm, do you think David Axelrod does that? Because he's a Special Advisor, too.

This "would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.'

Why would you want to delay the setting up of the agency by the person best suited to do it?

[Chan790]

39. Asked and answered. More than once now.

I'd rather delay it and get Warren nominated and into the job...just so that nobody else is nominated instead.

[Iowa]

53. What Chan790 said.

[No Elephants]

96. Holy false equivalency, Batman!

[JTFrog]

87. Sexist much?

Bring me another coffee?

Yea, I'm sure that's all she's good for. :eyes:

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Iowa]

9. So... is this a way to keep her from actually running the agency?

...Give her some horse-shit advisory position and appoint some Wall-Street friendly turd to run the agency. If that's what this is, it would be classic Obama.

[ClarkUSA]

10. Um, no. Did you bother to read the OP in full?

This appointment "would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious" for Elizabeth Warren.

[Chan790]

40. You can keep quoting that line all you'd like.

It doesn't make the rest of us too idiotic to read tealeaves or between the lines.

[pnwmom]

42. How about this line?

"The decision does not preclude the possibility that Ms. Warren could eventually be named director, and at the least, she would play a pivotal role in deciding whom to appoint to the job, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the formal announcement. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/business/16consumer.html?_r=1&src=busln

[Chan790]

45. and like I said above.

That quote tells me definitively he has zero intention to nominate her. Because I'm not an idiot and I've seen this play out of the President's playbook before.

[pnwmom]

46. What what tells you that she wants to leave her Harvard job

for more than a year or so?

[Chan790]

48. I don't know that she wants to leave her Harvard job...

in fact, she may have said as much when asked directly by the President, which would be a pretty good reason to not nominate her.

Nevertheless, it's clear to me that she won't be the nominee in light of this announcement.

It's possible for her to do both her current job and the advisory position simultaneously, not so much her current job and heading a major government agency.

[No Elephants]

98. ........

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4485107&mesg_id=4485783

[Iowa]

56. Thanks Chan790. You beat me to it.

[Iowa]

55. Yes, I read it. But I don't believe it. And neither should you.

[No Elephants]

97. LOL!

[Kweli4Real]

15. No ...

It's a way to let her run the agency without republican/conservative democrat interference and delay.

And when she does "set the department up" don't be surprised if she doesn't resolve each and every consumer related issue before sundown.

[Iowa]

52. Yeah, right... and when he ultimately appoints some Wall-Street friendly turd to run the agency...

...you'll disappear into the shadows and I won't be able to say "I told you so".

Some folks here just never seem to tire of getting conned and falling for it over, and over, and over, and over, and over. At some point I'd think they would at least display a little embarrassment, but I have yet to see it. Instead they become even more strident and vehement in their support.

[Capitalocracy]

54. With a tacit "Elizabeth Warren Seal of Approval"

I'm afraid I share your skepticism. I hope she gets appointed, but I would be foolish to let that hope become expectation.

[No Elephants]

99. Please see Replies 89, 91 and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4485107&mesg_id=4485783

[No Elephants]

102. Not necessarily. See Repy 91. We'll see.

[No Elephants]

100. Please see Replies 89, 91 and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4485107&mesg_id=4485783

[florida08]

17. well hot damn

I'll get excited then. Hell yeah..thanks for posting

[LeftHandPath]

19. Wall St wins again.

This is sad. She's the best person to run the Agency, and she has strong support from the middle class.

Instead we're gonna get another Rubinite, who will be signed, sealed, and approved by Wall St.

Look no further than Paul Volker... the adviser that has never advised.

Sheesh. She's reporting to Geithner for crists sake.

[ClarkUSA]

21. Do you have any evidence for your "prediction"? All indications point to Warren.

As the OP points out, this "would allow the president to bypass a Senate confirmation process that could prove lengthy and contentious.'

[budkin]

22. Why not just use a recess appointment?

[Pirate Smile]

26. Recess appointments have an end date.

[No Elephants]

107. Please see Replies 91 and 89.

[LeftHandPath]

24. And again...

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/08/02/barr-bair-tapped-as-anti-warren-forces-make-their-move/

"The people who don’t want Elizabeth Warren running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have consistently sought other options. One of the perennial alternatives has been Treasury Department official Michael Barr, and he gets the profile treatment at the Wall Street Journal, with an emphasis on his preference for tough rules on those who offer financial products."

[ClarkUSA]

32. FDL has no facts, just their usual PUMA garbage attacking everything Obama does.

See Reply #28:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4541800&mesg_id=4542010

[valerief]

27. I hope she has real power with this position. She's the El Kabong we need. nt

[sulphurdunn]

29. Correct me if I'm wrong,

but if Obama wanted Warren, couldn't he nominate her now and recess appoint her over the holiday congressional break if the Republicans and Quisling Democrats made a fuss? Isn't that what George Bush, with the backing of his entire party, would have done? :shrug:

[NYC Liberal]

37. A recess appointment's term ends at the end of Congress'

session. This appointment will not.

Also, "what George Bush, with the backing of his entire party, would have done" should not be our model for governing.

[sulphurdunn]

115. George Bush got things done.

So should we.

[ProSense]

30. NYT:

Consumer Advocate Now Expected to Get Head Start as Assistant to Obama

By SEWELL CHAN

WASHINGTON – Elizabeth Warren, who conceived the idea for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will oversee its establishment as an assistant to President Obama, an official briefed on the decision said Wednesday evening.

The decision, which Mr. Obama will announce this week, will allow Ms. Warren, a Harvard law professor, to effectively run the new agency without having to go through a potentially contentious confirmation battle in the Senate. The creation of the bureau is a centerpiece of the Wall Street financial overhaul that Mr. Obama signed in July.

Ms. Warren will be named an assistant to the president, a designation that is held by senior White House staff members, including Rahm Emanuel, the chief of staff. She will also be a special adviser to the Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, and report jointly to both men. The financial regulation law delegated the powers of the bureau to the Treasury Department until a permanent director is appointed and confirmed by the Senate to a five-year term.

The decision does not preclude the possibility that Ms. Warren could eventually be named director, and at the least, she would play a pivotal role in deciding whom to appoint to the job, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the formal announcement. Several news organizations, including ABC, reported Ms. Warren’s impending appointment on Wednesday

more

[Jim_Shorts]

31. Warren’s job would be to help establish the bureau

she would be UNDER Geithner

DAVID MICHAEL GREEN
"For Obama to turn to starboard at this point would literally require him to outflank the GOP to its right".

[No Elephants]

108. Not sure what her role is/will be. See Reply 91.

[asdjrocky]

33. What's the word?

Bamboozled.

[pgodbold]

34. OMG! Breaking! Obama has balls! nt

[NYC Liberal]

35. Great news!

This gets around the obstructionist Rethugs in the Senate without having to do a recess appointment - which would end at the end of Congress' next session.

[Capitalocracy]

47. Question - Could this create a "conflict of interest"

If she's an advisor helping decide who gets appointed, would it give rise to an argument that it would be a "conflict of interest" to appoint herself?

I'm not naysaying just trying to explore all angles. If it is what it appears to be, then that's great news.

[florida08]

51. It looks to me he's trying to protect her

Getting her in without the stalling. At least give her some credit. She knows how important this. This wasn't a wham bam thank you ma'am situation. They had a long discussion about this and what it would entail. Getting her on now will give her internal channels she needs in the future. Getting her hands wet so to speak. She's no shill.

She'll have to work with Geithner but also report to the president. She won't be shy about what's needed. Now if she holds this for even a year..the outcry of removing her will be deafening. Why would Obama risk it if he were not serious about her appointment? He knows what's at stake. Unless she is not willing to be director I see this as very good news.

[boppers]

57. She had one big weak confirmation spot:

She had never built or run an agency of such magnitude.

Checkmate.

[No Elephants]

105. She ran the bailout, an operation that also had no precedent. See also, Reply 99.

[boppers]

118. The bailout operation she was on was 5 people strong.

Her position was as part of a vary small check and balances team, a congressional oversight panel on the bailout.

I shall go read #99.

[maddezmom]

58. kick

[The Hitman]

59. Exclusive: President Obama to This Week Name Elizabeth Warren to Special Advisory Role to White Hous

Source: ABC News

President Obama will announce this week that Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law School professor who first proposed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will be named to a special position reporting to both him and to the Treasury Department and tasked with heading the effort to get the new federal agency standing, a knowledgeable Democrat told ABC News.

Warren's title will be Assistant to the President & Special Adviser to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Since nominees facing the confirmation process also enter a period of public silence, avoiding the confirmation process would also allow Warren to publicly discuss the agency and its benefits, which the president is eager for her to do.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/09/exclusive-president-obama-to-this-week-name-elizabeth-warren-to-special-advisory-role-to-white-house.html

---

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OBAMA!?

Nominating her would have reinvigorated your base!

Is it possible that she didn't want it?

[peacebird]

60. crap. I was really hoping he would nominate Warren. Guess we get a corporatist stooge instead.

crap.

[Cant trust em]

61. I think its possible that she didn't want it.

Sitting on an oversight panel is one thing. Being the head of an agency where you have to manage staff, develop a budget, conduct organizational development, etc. is much different. By accepting the position, she pretty much has to run an agency for two years minimum. This way she can put her stamp on it and then do something else.

That being said, I wanted her in the job.

[No Elephants]

110. Maybe she doesn't want to head an agency under watered down legislation?

[Cant trust em]

112. Most analysis I read said that the legislation was only a guideline for the implementation.

Implementation rules that she would be in charge of setting up. My guess is that if she saw the position as being ultimately flawed, then she wouldn't have taken this job either.

[JDPriestly]

62. This is good news. Obama needs someone to

clarify and present his economic policies to the public. Frankly, I don't know what he is thinking or doing.

[Dirigo]

63. New Sheriff Elizabeth Warren Is Building the Agency From the Ground Up

He's thinking about getting the brains, the best qualified Elizabeth Warren to create the new agency and streamline it then he can worry about naming her head of the established agency! Kapish?

[KoKo]

64. I wondered myself if she didn't want a reduced role as head of the Agency..

She's Smart and would know that Congress could minimalize her role and Dodd threatened that the Agency could be Defunded.

Maybe she's a good Negotiator...or maybe they Marginalized her.

At this point there's no way of know which it is for her. Sadly...

[RhodaA]

65. Warren Announcement

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/9/15/899445/-Elizabeth-Warren-Named-Special-Advisor

[snot]

66. Says she's UNDER Timmeh.

[still_one]

67. ABC News: Obama Will Nominate Elizabeth Warren To Temporary Position

Source: ABC News via Huffington Post

Exclusive: President Obama to This Week Name Elizabeth Warren to Special Advisory Role to White House/Treasury Dept to Form New Consumer Agency

President Obama will announce this week that Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law School professor who first proposed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will be named to a special position reporting to both him and to the Treasury Department and tasked with heading the effort to get the new federal agency standing, a knowledgeable Democrat told ABC News.



Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/09/exclusive-president-obama-to-this-week-name-elizabeth-warren-to-special-advisory-role-to-white-house.html

[FiveGoodMen]

68. Sure is taking forever to make this decision.

[elleng]

77. The decision's been made; method of announcing taking time, for practical/political reasons.

imo

[No Elephants]

104. Decision, July, 2010: Timmeh, Bernanke, et al; will set up the agency.

[LiberalLoner]

69. YES!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!! :woohoo: Darn my woo hoo didn't work...? n/t

[DJ13]

70. That sounds different from actually running it

[tyne]

71. It has to be built first

[No Elephants]

109. In July, Obama appointed Timmeh acting head. See Reply 91.

[still_one]

73. The problem is there are so-called Democrats such as dodd who he has to work around /nt

[chunga85]

74. You're right..

I'm not so crazy about Dodd but I love Ms. Warren!

[SusanaMontana41]

81. Exactly.

+2

[No Elephants]

106. Yep. In July, Timmeh was appointed acting agency head.

[mucifer]

72. K and R but it still sounds like a rumor. nt

[Ruby the Liberal]

83. They announced it.

I don't think its a rumor.

[mikelgb]

75. Hey it's a temp job, but at least its a job right?

better than many right now

[elleng]

78. Not a temp job, a temp announcement!

[onehandle]

76. .

.

[Bitwit1234]

79. The reason they say it is temporary is this

if she is nominated, there will be a fight in congress and goodness knows how long before it would be up and running. This way he can appoint her without a fuss, get it started and while she is in the position nominate her and let congress debate it. I think it was a smart move don't you all. That way he could get around aholes like Dodd who must have a wall street crook in mind.

[No Elephants]

103. Please see Replies 89 and 91.

[Zorra]

80. Good choice, hope she is given full control over who she can appoint/hire...

Because it's a total for sure that the Dark Side is already prepping the moles that they plan to plant in the agency in order to undermine any efforts to effectively regulate their bad lttle selves.

[No Elephants]

111. Hire for what?

[Ruby the Liberal]

82. Perfect. She may not want to run it - but it SHOULD be her's to build.

[MannyGoldstein]

84. Holy $%&#. My predictions are starting to scare me:

I wrote last night:

"Warren will get some sort of nice title.

But they need to wait until the currently-appointed interim head finishes staffing the thing."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9134401&mesg_id=9134437

[The Hitman]

85. TPM has a much more negative take on this

"We're seeking more clarification now, but it sounds like the White House has decided that instead of nominating Warren to head up the new consumer financial protection bureau, or alternatively avoiding the confirmation process and appointing her as interim director, the President will take a third way and make her a special adviser to help set the bureau up.

I tend to agree with Matt Yglesias on this: "With Warren, Obama showing real innovation in developing odd, satisfying to nobody compromises.""

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/09/they_must_really_not_want_her.php?ref=fpblg

I tend to agree.

[Jefferson23]

86. Interesting, "President will take a third way....." n/t

[Jim Sagle]

88. So will she be answering phones or just making coffee?

:puke:

[LeFleur1]

113. Advisor

She'll be an advisor. The advice she gives Geithner ? may be taken or it may be ignored.

[No Elephants]

114. I don't think any of us knows yet what this means. We do know this agency is under Treasury and

the Fed, not "independent," as this article claims. And Timmeh, not Warren, is acting head, at least nominally.

Warren's exact role remains to be seen. Take a breath and don't jump to conclusions, one way or the other.

[yurbud]

117. why make her subordinate to Geithner? Isn't that new agency part of the Federal Reserve?