TPM: Core Chicago Team Sinking Obama

[tishaLA]

It's a fascinating read whether you agree with it or not. For me, however, Clemens' B Team (at the end) to supplant the A Team doesn't look entirely promising.

Financial Times Washington Bureau Chief Edward Luce has written a granularly informed insider account about those who hold the keys to the inner most sanctum of Obama Land -- Rahm Emanuel, Robert Gibbs, Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod.

It's a vital article -- a brave one -- that includes "dozens of interviews with his closest allies and friends in Washington." <...>

In dozens of interviews with his closest allies and friends in Washington - most of them given unattributably in order to protect their access to the Oval Office - each observes that the president draws on the advice of a very tight circle. The inner core consists of just four people - Rahm Emanuel, the pugnacious chief of staff; David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, his senior advisers; and Robert Gibbs, his communications chief.

Two, Mr Emanuel and Mr Axelrod, have box-like offices within spitting distance of the Oval Office. The president, who is the first to keep a BlackBerry, rarely holds a meeting, including on national security, without some or all of them present.

With the exception of Mr Emanuel, who was a senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, all were an integral part of Mr Obama's brilliantly managed campaign. Apart from Mr Gibbs, who is from Alabama, all are Chicagoans - like the president. And barring Richard Nixon's White House, few can think of an administration that has been so dominated by such a small inner circle.

"It is a very tightly knit group," says a prominent Obama backer who has visited the White House more than 40 times in the past year. "This is a kind of 'we few' group ... that achieved the improbable in the most unlikely election victory anyone can remember and, unsurprisingly, their bond is very deep." <...>

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/07/core_chicago_team_sinking_obama_presidency/?ref=fpblg

[maxsolomon]

1. Harry Reid is part of the "Chicago Core Team"?

its the Senate, stupid.

[ProSense]

2. Read this yesterday, and the thing that struck me most was Clemons' "Team B"

Set up a Team B with diverse political and national security observers like Tom Daschle, John Podesta, Brent Scowcroft, Joshua Micah Marshall, G. John Ikenberry, Joseph Nye, Fareed Zakaria, Katrina vanden Heuvel, John Harris, Arianna Huffington, James Fallows, Chuck Hagel, Strobe Talbott, James Baker, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and others to give you a no-nonsense picture of what is going on.

Good grief. How exactly is this group supposed to be better? In fact, it sucks. There are just too many armchair quarterbacks (with too many agendas).

[asphalt.jungle]

5. it's all about replacing the team obama's comfortable with

with the washington consensus team that the writer is most comfortable with.

that whole b team shit just ruined what could have been a good point. of course you should question whether or not the president is getting good advice, but if the writer's idea of good advisors are some of those names then i'm not sure what to think about him.

[Jennicut]

6. Ridiculous.

I would get rid of Rahm but not Jarret or Axelrod. Press secretaries don't usually last more then two years, at least in recent history.

[AllentownJake]

9. Axelrod should be moved out of the West Wing

and moved into the DNC.

[AllentownJake]

8. Well at least it is only the 1st quarter

and he's being sacked and throwing interceptions.

[Arkana]

11. That list lost all credibility when it mentioned Jim Baker.

[Uzybone]

13. Arianna Huffington???

Blabbing away on cable news shows doesn't give her expertise on anything.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. This is pretty interesting stuff but James Fucking Baker?????!!!! nt

[harkadog]

7. Is there any administration Baker is not part of???

[w4rma]

4. Fire Rahm! That guy is the worst of his inner circle and I've seen *nothing* successful come out of

anything he's been a part of! He's more of a sabotour than anything.

[boppers]

10. Yeah, the Chicago group...

Only managed to get the first black President with "Hussein" in his name elected, and how could that be called a success?

:sarcasm:

[w4rma]

12. And Rahm had *zero* part in helping Obama get elected. Rahm was an obstacle if anything. (nt)