Obama’s troubles
Barack Obama has more troubles.
First of all three more nominees withdrew on a single day. He now has the most shambolic appointments record of any President.
The problem is so bad, that the Treasury Secretary doesn’t have any of his 17 Deputy Secretaries confirmed.
That has led to the AP story:
For five weeks, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has battled the worst economic crisis in generations with no key deputies in place. That’s made for a rocky debut for the man President Barack Obama put in charge of addressing the financial crisis.
With an awkward first television appearance, a bank rescue plan that lacked promised specifics and two restructured bailouts that raised taxpayer risk, Geithner has failed to calm financial markets desperate for answers.
Critics say part of the problem is that Geithner is flying solo: Not one of his top 17 deputies has been named, let alone confirmed. And without senior leadership, lower-level Treasury employees can’t make decisions or represent the government in crucial conversations with banks and others.
There is growing criticism that Obama’s massive budget (did you know Obama will borrow more money as President than the other 43 US Presidents combined!) was all about spending wishlists, but little on fixing the banking industry crisis, which is causing all the othe rproblems.
And people are also noticing that Obama is unable to give a speech without a teleprompter. Now I don’t mean major set piece speeches, where of course you use a teleprompter. But he is using it for everything – five minute speeches announcing an appointment, and a short tribute to Abraham Lincoln speech.
Now to be fair to Obama, the financial crisis would test any President. Bush did not inspire confidence, and while McCain would have been a good President in other areas – I doubt he would be doing much better with this crisis.
The one who might be handling the job the best is the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. I always had far more confidence in her abilities than Obama’s.