Let’s face it, TB. Obama IS going to get ensnared in Dubya’s mess in 2 months. Come January 21, 2009, there will be absolutely no way for him to avoid it.
So I really can’t see the point in “staying above the fray” for the next 10 weeks. Seriously. Is this about politics or about what’s best for our country? Because given how fast this thing is unravelling, it would seem prudent to dive in ASAP and get a real sense of just how deep this rabbit hole goes and getting an understanding of how bad other world leaders think this is going to get and where their heads are, rather than waiting until January.
In 10 weeks, Americans aren’t going to care WHO created this mess or how badly Obama is ensnared in it. The only thing they will want and expect is *change*, answers and solutions.
You can run, Obammy. But you can’t hide.
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I’m certain that Obama has made the economy his #1 focus. Just because he’s chosen not to attend some ridiculous conference doesn’t mean that he hasn’t already dove headfirst into some serious economic study.
Bush just wanted The Great Obama to attend the summit so it would look like TGO was backing Dumbya’s economic policies. TGO is way, way too smart for that.[/quote]
TB: do you have any idea what the Summit today is regarding? It is not some ridiculous conference. This is a meeting of the leaders of most of the developed world that is being dubbed Bretton Woods II. Nothing less than the future of the global financial landscape is on the table. Sarkozy has made it plainly clear that he intends to advocate to remove the dollar as the world’s sole reserve currency.
No one has even suggested that Bush wants Obama to appear at the summit. In fact, quite the opposite, I’m sure. Moreover, Dubya is not in the position to demand or force any economic policies on the rest of the world. To the contrary, Dubya has stalled and attempted to avoid this meeting for months because the other members of the G20 are going to TELL him what the new world order should and will look like. Dubya will just be taking notes. You get it now?
As part of Obama’s “serious economic study”, he should be attempting to glean everything he can from these world leaders, their concerns and their proposals so he can be ready to hit the ground running on January 20 with ideas that put this country on the right track FAST. These leaders will want to hear from Obama because he will own this mess in 10 weeks. They don’t want to hear from Albright, who’s opinions count for nada. And Bush, who has one foot on a plane to Crawford, is now the lamest of lame ducks and completely irrelevant for all practical purposes. A lot can and will happen before Jan 20. The financial world can change dramatically before then. And a proactive leader should want to address that.
And if Obama has indeed made the economy his #1 focus, then why wasn’t a Treasury Secretary his first appointment? He needs to get someone up to speed and focusing on this crisis full time, 24/7, ASAP. And I heard on CNBC yesterday that there is only a 50% chance that he will appoint a Treasury secretary next week.
And I hope the TGO label is in jest. If not, you are really starting to scare me 😉
