Obama's Prep Work Troublingly Weak

Beyond the actual issue of unpaid taxes, there are now two underlying stories to the Daschle affair, neither of which speaks well for Obama's approach to management.

If we accept that his vetting process is as thorough as repeatedly claimed, and I do, that means a basic assumption was made that these people would not experience tax issues. That it was considered incomprehensible is the only excuse for this many tax issues to have not come to light early in Obama's vetting. Apparently this important area was simply overlooked.

That suggests a naivete that fueled an unacceptable level of thoroughness, so much so that it's impossible to characterize Obama's vetting process as having been thorough at all.

And now we find that Obama has begun to consider possible replacements only now that Daschle has withdrawn.

No word yet on who will replace Daschle. The search began only this morning.

Planning for the expected is relatively easy, even if said planning may be complex. But foresight and experience drive good managers to plan for the unexpected, as well. It's called contingency planning and isn't exactly new to the management paradigm.

Chicago may have taught Obama everything he needed to know to get to the presidency. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have taught him everything he needs to know to do a good job now that he's there. Hopefully he's a quick study and will learn fast.

The need for on the job training with Obama was one of the things opponents like Hillary Clinton warned about with an Obama administration. Evidently, she was correct.

Comments

[MarkJ]

"Hopefully he's a quick study and will learn fast."

Three random observations about the above line:

1. I have a feeling a lot of people will be constantly repeating it for the next four years.

2. It may well end up being the epitaph on The One's political tombstone.

3. I imagine many of Obama's supporters will be muttering this as well...as they're staggering out of a building that's just been car-bombed by jihadis.

[mark l.]

The guy who is not producing is Rahm Emmanuel.
He is the guy who is supposed to be watching out for the president, keeping him from extending himself too far.

It is Rahm's nature and history to fight against anything that's republican, which is an admirable quality if he is in the house leadership, but if he is out there giving obama advice in the context of how to read congress and the press, exclusively from a liberal point of view, he is doing a disservice to Obama.

I tend to think that Rahm was the one pushing Daschle, and once committed, lacked the ability to 'change'. Beyond the press editorials, I have to wonder who was the person who got to obama, and told him to let Daschle fall, despite the pending 'victory' of his appointment. I'm pretty certain that it wasn't Emmanuel.

[Fred Beloit]

Meanwhile, it seems Rahm may be living illegally in a basement.

http://gawker.com/5145553/rahm-emanuels-illegal-dc-basement-rental

[Dan]

I posted that yesterday, Fred.

[seekeronos]

According to economist and commentator Dr. Takahiko Soejima, it is quite possible that Obama will be forced to resign ( he doesnt say whether by impeachment or by what) and that Hillary Clinton will assume power as POTUS.

Will be interesting to see if that comes to pass - as Dr. Soejima has been right on all his predictions save one...

... it would require Vice President Biden, Senators Nancy Pelosi and Robert Kleagle Byrd to be found ineligible for office as they are closer to Obama in the line of succession.