January 18, 2012

"The fact that Daley’s appointment did not work out shouldn’t, perhaps, come as a surprise."

"As a millionaire boardroom Democrat, he was out of step with an increasingly populist political climate. And as someone without much personal connection with Obama, his margin of error was likely slim from the very start. In the end, the most interesting question about Daley’s rise and fall probably pertains to President Obama’s management style—namely, why he decided to hire Daley into such a precarious position to begin with."

Paul Starobin, writing in TNR, actually blames Obama a little bit for something. That's surprising! Now, that's the last paragraph of the article, stating "the most interesting question." Who really cares about Daley? Let's get some sharp analysis of "President Obama’s management style." Or is that supposed to be an eternal enigma?

29 comments:

Ann Althouse said...

I know exactly what you're going to say. Obama has no "management style." He's an enigma because he's a nothing. There's no there there. Etc. etc.

Carry on.

Brian Brown said...

As a millionaire boardroom Democrat, he was out of step with an increasingly populist political climate

Pure Delusion.

So would that mean Nancy Pelosi, Boxer, Feinstein, and all those other rich Democrats in Congress (7 of the 10 richest Senators are Democrats) are "out of touch"?

What about multimillionaire Obama?

MayBee said...

Obama put a former lobbyist in his place, then replaced that guy with an ex-Bain, former CEO guy. Are they in step wit populists?

The problem with trying to run a populist government is you end up with people like Valerie Jarrett, who don't really know how to do anything.

damikesc said...

Yeah. I live this delusion that the richest people in Congress don't tend to be Democrats. You know what people call a rich plutocratic Democrat?

A Democrat.

edutcher said...

Actually, it's more of a liking for yes-men, I've read.

It's why Tippytoes had to go and Turbo Tax Timmy survives.

And I wouldn't describe this Administration as populist as much as neo-Leninist.

Dan in Philly said...

Ah, I get nostalgic for the days where we read gushing articles on how smart Obama was.

Brian Brown said...

As a millionaire boardroom Democrat, he was out of step with an increasingly populist political climate


Um, so, Jack Lew former chief operating officer of Citigroup Alternative Investments, is like so Populist!

madAsHell said...

Dammit!!

Squelched by the Professor!!

David said...

The Obama management style was born at Harvard, and got him selected President of the Harvard Law Review. The Review and the school were divided into ideological factions. Obama would let them beat each other up but never take much of a position personally. Then he would make everyone think that he was listening carefully to their point of view, and believe that he would take their views into account.

It was a version of what is now called his leading from behind approach.

The tactic worked great at Harvard, where the conflicts were mostly talk and not much was at stake. But there's a little more at stake in the Presidency. His passive aggressive pick up the pieces approach is the opposite of the leadership we need.

MayBee said...

Breaking News reports Obama is going to ix-nay the Keystone Pipeline today. Maybe that's why Daley left. He couldn't stand the terrible decision making.

Seeing Red said...

he was out of step with an increasingly populist political climate.

Boy is it deep over there.

Carol_Herman said...

Didn't work out?

That's like seeing a widower, and bringing him a casserole. Because you know he's missing "hot meals."

As soon as Daley left Chicago, the "ballerina" (Rahm) jumped in.

It was a fantastic LEAP. As he went in, by the way, nobody came out to shake his hand. Just him. And, his "photographer."

What did Daley "get?" Who knows. But he listened to the instructions! AND, he got out of town as Blago went down.

Remember Obama's senate seat? Remember Burris? (A black guy Blago selected to fill Obama's seat.) Harry Reid ordered the doors to the senate shut tight. And, Burris stood out there in the rain.

Today, with the Internet blackout ... I wonder if Leahy learned anything knew?

Or are they just old stinkers. Who own the Rules Book?

And, then, what's funny is that Blago's the one who goes to jail.

Brian Brown said...

As a millionaire boardroom Democrat, he was out of step with an increasingly populist political climate



Right on cue:

"I'm pleased to designate Jeff Zients to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

Guess where Jeff Zients used to work?

Zients worked at Bain & Company.

Populism = Obama Administration hiring more Wall Street veterans!
(Note: he White House emphasized Zients' "twenty years as a CEO, management consultant, and entrepreneur" when announcing his promotion)

Wince said...

David said...
"It was a version of what is now called his leading from behind approach."

It's not a matter of cracking the whip, it's a matter of sticking around, doing it, so they know you're in there, leading from the front and not from behind.

Keith Richards, "Life"

The Drill SGT said...

And as someone without much personal connection with Obama, his margin of error was likely slim from the very start.

A bunch of WH COS's have succeeded without a close personal relationship to the Boss.

Scott M said...

Keith Richards, "Life"

Which, let's be fair, should have been entitled, "Undeath".

traditionalguy said...

Obama is a wizard working behind a screen of The Presidency as we know it. For that he needs Biden,
Daley, Huntsman, Michelle Obama, and even An Afghan surge, all to appear like a normal if quirky American President guy.

Meantime, behind the screen he is using Green Myths and EPA powers to destroy the USA's energy resources that are our last trump card to survive our decline as a jobless market economy.

And he gets away with doing that while we analyze his "new style" of governing.

The day the Middle east explodes and the Euro collapses, and the QE induced inflation passes 100% is the day we will get to see the new governing style.

That style will include new arrest powers, new internet controls , and new internment camps used to stabilize North American civil unrest until the sudden energy embargo caused food shortage can be solved in a way that is fair to all of the world's starving people.

Browndog said...

I know exactly what you're going to say. Obama has no "management style." He's an enigma because he's a nothing. There's no there there. Etc. etc.

Yep.

Too bad there is nothing left to say that hasn't already been said.

That said, I left a comment anyway-saying nothing about nothing to say-

traffic...

Michael said...

I am up in Canada at the moment where the news is filled with the US decision to kill the pipeline. These nice Canadians are not thrilled with this but will build their own job creating pipeline to ship oil to China from BC ports. Oh, well. This will mean that our excellent Chief Executive will execute the demise of cheap North American oil and many jobs in favor of buying oil from the ME and Chavez. This is what as known as decisive executive action which will be announced by the State Dept i believe.

Daley would, of course, think the pipeline and jobs and cheap oil a good thing but then Chicago could care less about Gaia.

Our president is a fool. The Canadians are appalled.

edutcher said...

MayBee's right. CNBC confirms our little Zero will, in fact, reject the Keystone pipeline.

So much for business outreach.

Browndog said...

I trust Althouse will post something on the pipeline when it becomes official..

On that, there is much to say

ricpic said...

Chicago Way Obama out Chicagos the Chicagoan!

Seeing Red said...

$4 gas or higher, and Nigerian unions are about to put the squeeze on for more $$$, slowing down their processing.

KCFleming said...

Obama is populist just like George Lucas is a 99%er.

Joe Schmoe said...

I won't say no management style, but I will say it's definitely one that shows he's trying to learn on the job.

And blaming anything on Daley as an out-of-touch millionaire Democrat is just wrong. That describes the majority of Obama's staff and cabinet.

I posit that Daley shot himself in the foot by promoting cuts over taxation. A quote from the piece about entitlement programs: "...we are the ones who built and championed these programs, and now we are the ones to help lead the reform of them, in a responsible way."

Joe Schmoe said...

GE is famous for their in-house management training programs. Maybe Barry should spend a few weeks there.

Browndog said...

Joe Schmoe said...

GE is famous for their in-house management training programs. Maybe Barry should spend a few weeks there.


Agreed.

He needs to quit sending Little Timmy-

Maybe when the Volt start production over there...

Zach said...

I know exactly what you're going to say. Obama has no "management style." He's an enigma because he's a nothing. There's no there there. Etc. etc.

Carry on.



All true, of course, but not the entire story. The missing link is that pragmatic centrism was last year's conventional wisdom (on the left, I mean), and confrontational populism is this year's conventional wisdom.

I thought hiring Daley made a lot of sense at the time. But hiring a pragmatic centrist doesn't make sense if your heart isn't in it. Instead you get a bunch of mishmash like negotiating a grand bargain on the debt crisis, then scuttling it because you insist on more taxes at the last minute.

Kirk Parker said...

Re the GE management training program : how about if Obama spends the next *four years* there?