Althouse: It's so easy to get rid of Obama People.

September 24, 2009

It's so easy to get rid of Obama People.

Yosi Sargent bows out.

I wonder what it would take to get Obama to resign. Probably not all that much.

105 comments:

David said...: Reassigned with extreme prejudice.; 9/24/09, 5:20 PM
phosphorious said...: That Obama. . . what a wuss.

No presidential appointees have resigned so quickly in the history of the republic.

More proof. . . as if more proof were needed. . . that Obama is in over his head.; 9/24/09, 5:22 PM
Anonymous said...: President Biden. That's comforting.; 9/24/09, 5:22 PM
Anonymous said...: Phos -- It does seem to be proof that he hired people he should not have hired.

Again, wholly unforced errors. These two people (this guy and Van Jones) had useless, make-work jobs. Especially Jones.

Unforced errors that are adding up into an uncontrollable narrative.; 9/24/09, 5:24 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I did think that "I bottom for Obama" t-shirt in glitter was ill advised.; 9/24/09, 5:26 PM
Henry said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/24/09, 5:28 PM
Henry said...: The saddest thing about the Yosi Sargent story to me isn't that he got in over his head, but that his losing his head was so quickly followed by his losing his integrity. Politics sucks.

I don't think Althouse is right about Obama. If nothing else, Obama is aware of his own symbolic importance.

Like Clinton's impeachment it would not redound to anyone's benefit if Obama resigned.; 9/24/09, 5:30 PM
former law student said...: The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round...

The leftmost candidates are named to unimportant jobs, and quickly removed when they fuck up. It is Obama's purge.

Give it an Obama is like Stalin tag.; 9/24/09, 5:32 PM
phosphorious said...: Seven Machos,

"Phos -- It does seem to be proof that he hired people he should not have hired.

Again, wholly unforced errors. These two people (this guy and Van Jones) had useless, make-work jobs. Especially Jones."

See, this I don't understand. If their jobs were not so important, then let them go. It doesn't matter, and Obama looks like he takes his criticis seriously, right?

A very cagey move.

Unless you have already decided that everything Obama does is the worst thing that's ever been done.; 9/24/09, 5:33 PM
Bender said...: I wonder what it would take to get Obama to resign.

Nah - he believes he's above all that.

So says Obama-Wan Kenobi: "You can't win, America. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."; 9/24/09, 5:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Yeah, it sure was sharp having a guy who believed 9/11 was an inside job and another guy who wanted to turn the NEA into an East German-esque propaganda on his staff.

Are you sure cagey means what you think it means?; 9/24/09, 5:35 PM
phosphorious said...: I suppose we all prefer the Bush model: never force a man out!

9/11 happens? The "slamdunk" WMD fail to materialize? Give George Tenet a Medal Of Whatever.

The Iraq invasion is poorly planned? An occupation is specifically NOT planned for? Iraq turns into a quagmire? Your own party begs you to make changes in the face of an upcomig election?

Nope. . . stay the course. Keep Rumsfeld, no matter what.

That's how it's done!; 9/24/09, 5:36 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Some cartoonist can make big bucks if he can capture the images of all the folks Obama has thrown under the bus...Ayers, Rev. Wright, Pfleger, this guy Sergant, Van Jones, his own granny, CIA agents, surgeons, post office workers, talk radio, the 24 hour news cycle, bitter clingers, General McChrystal, all of America prior to January 20, 2009.....

And he ain't done yet!; 9/24/09, 5:36 PM
The Scythian said...: Bye, Yosi. Don't let the door hit your post-ironic hipster ass on the way out.

Seriously, people, whatever our political difference may be, can we at least all agree to keep hipsters out of the government?; 9/24/09, 5:37 PM
rhhardin said...: I don't see any Obama vulnerability.

There's always more people to organize.

Just keep deciding and you're okay.; 9/24/09, 5:37 PM
LouisAntoine said...: Keep hoping away I guess, Anna of the Althouse. Maybe you and one of your Krazy Kommenter Kritters will uncover DA TROOF about a beatnik commies plotting the overthrow of the American Fatherland!

Althouse deserves an Obamapelt! Let's get cracking!; 9/24/09, 5:38 PM
phosphorious said...: AL Lynch,

Is there a prize for being the first to spout the standard conservative talking point here?

"Obama threw X under the bus!"

Classic!; 9/24/09, 5:39 PM
Dad Bones said...: I'd rather have Biden ineffectually running the country than Obama effectively screwing it up.; 9/24/09, 5:39 PM
Anonymous said...: What's that? Another Obama administration official had to resign?

Smear the Bush administration!

Truly hiarious.; 9/24/09, 5:41 PM
former law student said...: Unforced errors that are adding up into an uncontrollable narrative.

You mean, like naming a guy whose speciality was the exhibiting of Arabian horses to be head of FEMA?

Wake me when Obama has his "Heckuva job, Brownie" moment.; 9/24/09, 5:41 PM
phosphorious said...: Again, there is the implicit assumption here that Obama is particularly prone to dismissing his appointees. More Obama appointees have left or been fired then in any other administration. . . or else this post has no point, right?

Has anybody actually checked?; 9/24/09, 5:41 PM
former law student said...: Truly hiarious.

To earn the right to strain at gnats, you first must provide evidence you didn't swallow camels.; 9/24/09, 5:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Phos's plan for the 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections:

Run against George W. Bush.

This goes for off-year elections as well, and for local elections for mayor, dog catcher, and assistant deputy treasurer for the township.; 9/24/09, 5:44 PM
Kevin said...: I did think that "I bottom for Obama" t-shirt in glitter was ill advised.

From LA Weekly 9/08:

And [Sergant] he makes a point to wear no logos. “I’m nobody’s billboard,” he says.

Well, except for Obama's logo, of course...; 9/24/09, 5:44 PM
Dustin said...: oooo Montainge used KKK. He's really clevery! Althouse is a white supremancist!

Anyway, Bush was wiser than Obama when it came to basic leadership ability. His administration got stuff done, and Obama's is still less than half staffed, and wasting its time with useless truther or propaganda garbage.

Policy is a Congressional thing, so it's really weird that Obama basically never did anything legislative when he was a legislator, and now that he's not, he doesn't want to administrate his administration... he wants to legislate.

It's not good for the NEA that they were abused this way. If you care about art, you have to agree Obama failed to do his job.; 9/24/09, 5:44 PM
BJM said...: We may need a new metaphor given that the wheels on the Obama bus no longer touch the ground.

@Machos - Actually President Biden doesn't sound half bad about now.

@chip "snorfle" evil, but funny.

@pho - you're that desperate?

Should Obama not gain traction, he will most likely follow Carter into the memory fog which Libs enshroud their lame ducks and failures; emerging as an elder statesmen in the party pantheon.

In short he's never going to get the fuck off the national stage, ala Clinton.; 9/24/09, 5:48 PM
phosphorious said...: Again. . . no one addresses the substantive claim: Is Obama particularly bad in this respect?

I have no idea. In my experience political appointees are coming and going all the time.

Does this really mean that Obama is an incompetent administrator?

I bet not a single one of you can tell me. I certainly don't know.; 9/24/09, 5:52 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: I wonder what it would take to get Obama to resign. Probably not all that much.

Althouse must be feeling better.. is no longer tiptoeing around ;); 9/24/09, 5:54 PM
Anonymous said...: See, this I don't understand. If their jobs were not so important, then let them go. It doesn't matter, and Obama looks like he takes his criticis seriously, right?

A very cagey move.

Could be. Maybe these hacks are all Fox-fodder, and the real players are safely ensconced behind several layers of expendable dupes.; 9/24/09, 5:56 PM
LouisAntoine said...: In any case, traditionally in this country the civil services have been the spoils of war after elections. Not that that's a great thing, but here we have had a big party turnover after 8 years. Obama appointed a Republican to head the NEA, by the way. That was probably the appointment he paid attention to. Him being the president and all, maybe he delegates the hiring of low level staffers?

But this is why Obama's various attempts to reach out to Republicans and include any in the administration-- minus Bob Gates, who is a national treasure-- seem like they were for naught. I mean, freeze out all Republicans, don't work with them at all, because the result is the same in either case.

So yeah, my beef with the Obama administration is its prudence and centrism. That's why it's so hard to square all these wackjobs weeping their tears about socialism and "Oh my God! He is Chavez!"

Nutbags.; 9/24/09, 6:01 PM
sonicfrog said...: Was Yosi Obama's Browney? Or was that Czar Jones? Or is it still too soon for that?; 9/24/09, 6:01 PM
Anonymous said...: They sure are making a lot of overt actions over there at the White House (is Buffy Wicks active?) in very close proximity to a felony violation of the Hatch Act.

Ann, you're a lawyer, right?

What is the legal definition of a conspiracy to obstruct justice?

I heard somewhere that it's not the crime, it's the cover-up.

Is President Obama a crook? Or not? Don't Americans want to know this?; 9/24/09, 6:07 PM
rhhardin said...: What I'm wondering about Obama, domestically, is how long it would take to learn some economics.

Or, internationally, that thuggery wins over Western enlightenment unless defeated by force.; 9/24/09, 6:08 PM
LouisAntoine said...: Oops-- I was confused. The head of the NEH is a Republican. I'm not sure what party the NEA guy is from, not that it matters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocco_Landesman; 9/24/09, 6:09 PM
rhhardin said...: Obama landed his most serious blow to the economy when he shut out the senior auto bondholders.

Now commercial law means nothing in the US.

I don't know how you recover from that.; 9/24/09, 6:11 PM
Chennaul said...: AJ said:

Some cartoonist can make big bucks if he can capture the images of all the folks Obama has thrown under the bus...Ayers, Rev. Wright, Pfleger, this guy Sergant, Van Jones, his own granny, CIA agents, surgeons, post office workers, talk radio, the 24 hour news cycle, bitter clingers, General McChrystal, all of America prior to January 20, 2009.....

Sounds like the Road to Perdition heck I think that was even set in Chicago.; 9/24/09, 6:13 PM
rhhardin said...: If Obama does resign, will the NYT will cover it.; 9/24/09, 6:17 PM
AllenS said...: Obama is simply a man who has been a beneficiary of affirmative action. Until now, he's never had to have a thought, or policy that would work. Health care? Let's ask Michelle, she worked at a hospital and made some good money. Doing what? That's what this is all about. And nothing more. He can't govern. His days of voting present are over. He doesn't know what to say. He has no policy, or friends to rely on. His friends are as flawed as himself.; 9/24/09, 6:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Let's bet on the next to (be el)bow(ed) out. I'm voting for the "'White People' Need to be Forced to 'Step Down' 'So Someone Else Can Have Power'" spouting "diversity" chief of the FCC, Mark Lloyd.

wv: reeks - stinks to high heaven, as in, "Gee, this administration reeks."; 9/24/09, 6:18 PM
Balfegor said...: Again. . . no one addresses the substantive claim: Is Obama particularly bad in this respect?

His transition certainly was the most incompetently managed that I can remember. Clinton, you'll recall, was supposed to have had a chaotic and disorganised transition, with one high profile nomination withdrawn because of nanny issues (Zoe Baird), and a second withdrawn because of optics (Kimba Wood), rather than actual violations of the law. Obama . . . I mean, how many were there? Richardson was named, then withdrawn before he could even be nominated because of a political corruption scandal. Daschle named and withdrawn because of a tax scandal. Gregg withdrew after he was named because he realised he couldn't go along with the Democrats' agenda. Nancy Killefer was another withdrawal.

So that's at least four transition nomination screw-ups, objectively far worse than Clinton (on the merits of the reasons for withdrawal too, mind, not just the raw number). Bush I and Bush II had one transition nomination failure each (Tower and Chavez respectively). I think Reagan had none.

But of course, the utter disorganization of the Obama transition team wasn't limited to the cabinet nomination process. It extended to other posts too. Gen. Anthony Zinni, for example, was informed he was the President's pick for ambassador to Iraq (some news reports actually indicated that the President himself called him with congratulations), but shortly after, the pick was rescinded in favor of Christopher Hill. There were a handful of other instances of public screw-ups, I recall, and I'm sure there were countless others that never became public.

I have no idea. In my experience political appointees are coming and going all the time.

Does this really mean that Obama is an incompetent administrator?

If you recall, throughout November, December, and January, news reports were filled with pablum about how cool and professional and organised the Obama transition team was. In fact, they seem to have spent more time congratulating themselves about having the smoothest and most professional transition team in history than actually going about the boring business of vetting their nominees.

What we're getting here is the tail end of that transition team's screw-ups. I hope. Or there could be lots yet to come, I suppose. It wouldn't surprise me, frankly.

I bet not a single one of you can tell me. I certainly don't know.

I dunno. The evidence of the transition strongly suggests that Obama was an exceptionally poor administrator back then. But in fairness, he'd never run anything in his life at that point -- he's been making his way up the learning curve, and I'm sure he'd do a much better job now if he got a do-over. Experience is the best teacher, after all, and it's something he had absolutely none of.; 9/24/09, 6:18 PM
1775OGG said...: Just consider that if Obama resigns, then Biden becomes Prez and Pelosi then becomes the Heiress Apparent. No fair in those circumstances on betting on Biden's ability to last out the remainder of that term.; 9/24/09, 6:19 PM
PatHMV said...: I actually think FLS may be on about the right track with this. A few sop appointments to the hard left. They screw up, the President tosses them under the bus ASAP before the scandal can grow real legs. The President tells the left, hey, I put in the people you wanted, and they screwed up. Don't blame me, I tried to push your agenda, your folks couldn't handle it.

Meanwhile, he portrays himself as the victim of GOP attacks on people who really didn't do anything so terribly wrong, but hey, look, he was willing to dismiss anybody with any hint of impropriety. So when the evidence starts mounting against the real players in the administration, they've been partly inoculated against attack. The President didn't defend those other folks, because he saw there may have been some small merit to the claims, so when he defends THESE guys, he must be really convinced of their innocence.; 9/24/09, 6:20 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: You think Pelosi is bad..

Its old Sen Bird in line after her.; 9/24/09, 6:22 PM
phosphorious said...: Balfegor,

Sargent was appointed the head of the NEA. Is that a crucial position, analogous to Attorney General, which was what Zoe Baird was up for?

Van Jones was the "Green Jobs Advisor". was his leaving equivalent to say,Secretary of Defense, which is what Tower was up for?

Again, this is not a particularly damning episode. . . unless you have already decided that Obama is incompetent.; 9/24/09, 6:28 PM
Balfegor said...: Re: phosphorius:

You appear not to have understood my point. My point is that Van Jones et al. are a result of the same basic failure of competence that resulted in the problems with the nominations of Richardson (Secretary of Commerce) and Daschle (Secretary of Health).

Obama's team's incompetence led to big problems (which were caught early, during the transition), and to small problems, which are trickling out now. But they all point back to the same root cause, which is an amateurish incompetence.; 9/24/09, 6:33 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: There's so many of them that losing one is no big deal. Why fight when you can just hire another one?

Bush was too loyal to his subordinates. Obama maybe not enough.; 9/24/09, 6:33 PM
Chennaul said...: Lem-

Well hey! here is a quote from him:

"I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."

Senator Robert Byrd {Most Senior Democrat-The Senate}; 9/24/09, 6:34 PM
The Scythian said...: Phosphorious,

Good lord, you're astonishingly stupid. Really. Did you even read what Balfegor wrote?

Here's the Cliff's notes:

Obama already fucked up on major appointees in the first few months of his presidency(Richardson, Daschle, Gregg, Killefer, etc.). Now we're down at the bottom of the barrel.

Balfegor didn't claim that Sargent and Jones were major appointees. He just said that Obama had huge problems with his major appointees.; 9/24/09, 6:35 PM
miller said...: I'm not sure I understand what all the fuss is.

I don't think Teh One™ is in any danger of leaving office. That's a fantasy.

What's interesting is the incompetence of the Administration to control the narrative.

They've screwed up, over and over. When they found out about Van Jones' trutherism, they should have immediately responded with "we've accepted Van Jones' resignation with regret."

When the news hit the fan about the NEA and the White House, they should have said, "we accept the resignations of (fill in the list) with regret and thank them for their service to the country."

I mean, the most transparent administration should at least show a little transparency rather than pretending nothing's wrong.

I also find it odd that this happened on a Thursday. He couldn't wait one more day so it could be announced at midnight Friday?; 9/24/09, 6:36 PM
miller said...: So we'll see what the next screw-up is.; 9/24/09, 6:37 PM
Big Mike said...: I wonder what it would take to get Obama to resign. Probably not all that much.

You're ignoring Michelle. I think she kind of enjoys living in the White House and I don't think she's ready to go back to Chicago just yet.; 9/24/09, 6:38 PM
Chennaul said...: After Byrd it's Clinton and then we get "Geithnered"....; 9/24/09, 6:38 PM
Big Mike said...: Wake me when Obama has his "Heckuva job, Brownie" moment.

You know, FLS, that was the first thing that ran through my mind -- that Sargent knew his time was up when Barack Obama called him on the phone and said "You were doing a heckuva job, Yosi."; 9/24/09, 6:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Clearly, our new leftist isn't amenable to reasonable debate.

Where the hell is Beth? Where's Peter Hoh? We had a lot of fun last night.; 9/24/09, 6:47 PM
Unknown said...: I know I sound like a shithead, but I can't help it. I have an anal-cranial inversion.

And I can't help saying mean things about Althouse. I just want her to notice me.; 9/24/09, 6:51 PM
jaed said...: You're ignoring Michelle. I think she kind of enjoys living in the White House and I don't think she's ready to go back to Chicago just yet.

Traditionally, however, Michelle cannot ascend to the Senate as long as her husband is President, nor give hard-hitting political speeches, write op-eds, join a Democratic think tank, etc. She may be chomping at the bit to get away from the White House gardening photo-ops. Maybe she'd actually welcome a resignation.

(I wouldn't. "President Joseph P. Biden. Shudder.); 9/24/09, 6:52 PM
Big Mike said...: And I can't help saying mean things about Althouse. I just want her to notice me.

The risk, of course, is that Meade may notice you.

WV: sycle -- that dorky thing Honda made.; 9/24/09, 6:55 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Just consider that if Obama resigns, then Biden becomes Prez and Pelosi then becomes the Heiress Apparent. No fair in those circumstances on betting on Biden's ability to last out the remainder of that term.

For a long time, I figured that the biggest thing keeping Obama safe was having Biden as VP. Kind of like Cheney with Bush(43), only in reverse. Everyone was so petrified about Cheney in the White House, that the wackos never tried for Bush. (Or, just maybe the Secret Service has gotten so good that real threats are neutralized much earlier).

But now? I would almost love for Biden to serve out the rest of Obama's term. He keeps saying stuff that makes you think that he really isn't turned on by all the liberal wacko stuff his boss is doing. And the Bidenisms would be much more entertaining than the Bushisms ever were.

No, I don't want it to happen, but Biden looks more and more harmless, in comparison to Obama.; 9/24/09, 6:56 PM
traditionalguy said...: The amazing Mr Obama is not that interested in the American form of government except as his stepping stone to a place that is still awash in oil money. So cut him some slack. He has tried to warn us that we are old tired people with a Ponzi scheme for pension and health care benefits that will be paid in the New Currency of international trade, or in nothing.; 9/24/09, 6:57 PM
Kirby Olson said...: O's an opportunist. That's what the Big O stands for.

He'll throw anybody inconvenient under the bus: his grandma, his pastor, his friend Ayres, his czar Van Jones, his wife, his kids...

Afghanistan, Iraq...

He'll throw anything under the bus.

He'll even throw the bus under the bus, whatever that means.; 9/24/09, 6:59 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: In addition to all the nominees or appointees who were dumped, the quality of some of those who got top jobs is debatable too:

- Secretary of the Treasury is a tax cheat, who has made his friends at his former firm wealthy.

- Attorney General gained notoriety at the end of the Clinton Administration by getting Marc Rich a pardon in trade for millions of dollars for the Clintons. More recently, he has dropped corruption charges of one type or another against political allies, while allowing inspectors generals to be canned for doing their jobs. And has put a very radicalized crew at the top at Justice, including a woman who sued our government on behalf of terrorists is now in charge of their detention at GitMo.

- I actually think that Hillary is doing ok at State - except that she has been pretty much neutered by all the Czars that Obama has appointed.

Which brings us to another example of his incompetence as a manager - the appointment of all those czars. Glenn Reynolds and others have had a field day trying to keep them straight.

But having earned an MBA years ago, and having taken the requisite management classes to get it, I can pretty much assure you that this is NOT the way to run such a big organization. For one thing, they blur the lines of power, without really changing the lines of responsibility. So, you have cabinet secretaries who are responsible for what their departments do and accomplish, and you have czars interfering with that, with no accountability. It is one thing, when there are just a couple of them in high profile positions, but now there are dozens and dozens of them, all running around with their own mandates, many of which conflict with each others, and definitely with those of the secretaries of the departments they are screwing up.

So, my prediction is that historians are going to look back and judge this Administration as one of the worst run since FDR, and Bush (43)'s one of the best run.; 9/24/09, 7:09 PM
rhhardin said...: American Prayer was actually interesting musically. Just play it in a hidden window.

The musical trick is using the tonic chord only in one place, at the beginning of the chorus, which keeps the rest of the piece airborne.

Which is why it then falls flat past the middle, with the repeating of the chorus. No more airborne.; 9/24/09, 7:10 PM
phosphorious said...: Bruce Hayden,

"Which brings us to another example of his incompetence as a manager - the appointment of all those czars. Glenn Reynolds and others have had a field day trying to keep them straight."

Really?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._executive_branch_czars#By_administration

I thought the "czar" meme had been played out.; 9/24/09, 7:19 PM
traditionalguy said...: The only problem is finding them first. They will now go under cover, until Obama tells them that the coast is clear. What ever happened in the Blago sale of the Senate seat appointment inquisition?; 9/24/09, 7:32 PM
daubiere said...: "Bye, Yosi. Don't let the door hit your post-ironic hipster ass on the way out.

Seriously, people, whatever our political difference may be, can we at least all agree to keep hipsters out of the government?"

best comment of the day!

i mean look at this fucking hipster.... this person was appointed to government position by the president of the united states. hes wearing a fucking terror scarf. how did bearded williamsburg fucking hipsters get their pumas in the door of our federal government??; 9/24/09, 7:46 PM
miller said...: That HAS to be a bad photoshop. No one could be that clueless.; 9/24/09, 7:51 PM
test said...: "So yeah, my beef with the Obama administration is its prudence and centrism."

I see the leftist practice of spouting the craziest far left ideas imaginable in order to make the merely crazy seem ordinary is alive and well.; 9/24/09, 7:59 PM
daubiere said...: " That HAS to be a bad photoshop. No one could be that clueless."

nope its him, yosi sergant ex chief glorificator of the glorious one in cheif.

whaddayawanna bet that some thrift stores in the dc area are soon going to receive a truckload of pitted out hopenchange tshirts embedded with tears and beard hair real soon??

yosi is cryin into a pabst blue ribbon tonite!

it is to laugh; 9/24/09, 8:17 PM
miller said...: Isn't it tragic how completely this house of cards and hope and change is collapsing?

Faster, please.; 9/24/09, 8:21 PM
daubiere said...: what i want to know is how many other hipsters have been embedded into the federal government by the obama administration. they could be anywhere, even in camouflage. a loose fitting suit can even hide american apparel pink underwear and star tattoos and skinny jeans with holes. hell they might even have shaved their ironic beards and mustachs. its all part of the plan, a fifth column of douchebags!!; 9/24/09, 8:22 PM
Fred4Pres said...: If one quarter of the rumors of nefarious links between Rezko, Ayers, Dorhn, and the Chicago Machine are true--any one of them could demand Obama resign and he really would have no choice.

Such as the one that Bill Ayers ghost wrote Dreams of My Father. If Ayers even did some editing on that book, think of the leverage it gives him over Obama. Very scary stuff.; 9/24/09, 8:36 PM
The Scythian said...: Thanks, Daubiere.

And, no shit! Seriously. Look at this fucking hipster!

I honestly don't care that he may have violated the Hatch Act. What bothers me is that a walking fucktard cliche like Sargent got within whispering distance of the most powerful man in the world. It makes me weep for my country, it does.

What I want to know is why didn't the Secret Service beat the piss out of him on general principle? How could any rational human being stand within arm's length of that dude and resist the urge to punch him repeatedly in the face?

Seriously, unless this great nation of ours sees a pressing need for the expertise of a "PBR czar", we're all going to have to remain vigilant to keep hipster douchebags from the levers of power.; 9/24/09, 8:38 PM
Anonymous said...: Daub: Look at the bright side. Think of all the marginal and obscure indie rock bands that must be selling out the 9:30 Club these days.; 9/24/09, 8:41 PM
The Scythian said...: Daubiere,

Oh, wow! I hadn't seen that picture of him in the red pants with the pink sunglasses and the 'HOPE' shirt.

My God!

I completely agree, though. The federal government could be crawling with hipsters and we'd never know it.

What we need is a Tailgunner Joe for our age who's willing to address this menace head on. We need hearings.

"Do you now own or have you ever owned an Iron & Wine EP?"; 9/24/09, 8:48 PM
Anonymous said...: Our best hope is that there is some Whittaker Chambers out there who was in the LCD Soundsystem/Interpol nexus and provide real evidence.; 9/24/09, 9:03 PM
The Scythian said...: Actually, Machos, I think there's an easier way.

1.) Build a containment facility in DC.

2.) Announce a free Spank Rock show at said containment facility with free PBR with a showing of selected works by Shepard Fairey and Banksy.

3.) Once you have all your rotten eggs in one basket... blow up the basket.; 9/24/09, 9:23 PM
former law student said...: Beware of the hipster hat wearers:

http://www.soleredemption.com/pics/2008/04/nomadic-clot-military-cap-2.jpg

PBR was owned by the reclusive Paul Kalmanovitz. Eventually his company became a holding company for two dozen brands but no actual breweries.; 9/24/09, 9:31 PM
Synova said...: What Bruce said about confusing lines of authority and responsibility are pretty basic things. But honestly, isn't that a common touchy-feelie way to function these days? I can't express how many times I've had a responsibility/authority discussion on one subject or another, usually schooling or parenting, to explain that the two things MUST go together.

But there are a whole lot of ways we try, in our culture, to take away authority and maintain responsibility. It doesn't ever work... and it's not just within businesses and the work-world that this is true.

Taking what doesn't work from modern social orthodoxy and applying it to the management of a huge business is where the supposedly unnecessary "executive experience" comes in.

And for Phos I'd like to say... the answer to your question is "Yes."

"I suppose we all prefer the Bush model: never force a man out!

9/11 happens? The "slamdunk" WMD fail to materialize? Give George Tenet a Medal Of Whatever.

The Iraq invasion is poorly planned? An occupation is specifically NOT planned for? Iraq turns into a quagmire? Your own party begs you to make changes in the face of an upcomig election?

Nope. . . stay the course. Keep Rumsfeld, no matter what.

That's how it's done!"

Bush *may* have kept people longer than he should have but even that is not a given. This is a pretty simple leadership principle... loyalty top-down.

It might blow your mind, but Bush's loyalty toward Rumsfeild *worked* for him with the military. Everyone knew that they had the man at the very top watching their backs.

The same dynamic is true of any employee. Secure employees are more effective than ones who are afraid that one wrong move will get them fired.

I suppose a person fully committed to the idea that Obama can do no wrong will find a way to spin his complete lack of top-down loyalty as responsiveness to criticism. But it's really easy to be responsive of criticism of someone other than himself and he just looks like the complete naif that he is when it comes to hiring, management structures, and leadership principles.

No one in the administration, no public employee, no military person, has any reason whatsoever to trust that their boss has their back. And as those things tend to go... it can only be reciprocated.; 9/24/09, 9:38 PM
Anonymous said...: I read an article about Pabst Blue Ribbon in the Wall Street Journal awhile back. Basically, it was some bigwig saying that he was happy that hipster douchebags had mysteriously come to love the product but he recognized the need to remain underexposed, lest the hipster douchebags leave his product in the same droves in which they came for some other shitty beer.; 9/24/09, 9:41 PM
garage mahal said...: It makes me weep for my country, it does.

Weep away you fucking pussy! better yet, weep actual tea drops [instead of tear drops] onto an American flag, and complete that perfect Norris/Palin wingnut feedback loop.; 9/24/09, 9:48 PM
former law student said...: Althouse's tag Obama People reminded me naturally of Po-Jama People. But I was only able to find this crappy cover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEC_QT__-e0; 9/24/09, 10:04 PM
The Scythian said...: garage mahal sputtered:

"Weep away you fucking pussy! better yet, weep actual tea drops [instead of tear drops] onto an American flag, and complete that perfect Norris/Palin wingnut feedback loop."

What the hell are you talking about? I've never been to a tea party, and I have no love for Palin.

I was making fun of douchebag hipsters, you fucking retard.; 9/24/09, 10:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Garage is just a douchebag, trying to score points in some cosmic political game at everyone's expense. I hope he's winning.; 9/24/09, 10:28 PM
knox said...: Next up: that Buffy girl who works in the White House.

She's out within the week. It's glorious, and it's just what they all deserve for having the hubris and idiocy to actually believe that their Politician of the Moment was going to save the world.

I actually saw a photo of that Yosi guy with an "Obama is my homeboy" tee shirt on. What a complete dildo.; 9/24/09, 10:35 PM
jaed said...: Tea drops? Norris/Palin? garage, would you like to unpack that? (Assuming it even has a meaning - my first thought is that perhaps you have been drinking heavily this evening.)

As for daubiere's fears:
"what i want to know is how many other hipsters have been embedded into the federal government by the obama administration."
Fortunately, there is a foolproof hipster-detection method which does not rely on clothing, visible body decorations, or beer. Simply ask the suspected hipster to define "irony". Hipsters use the word all the time, but never correctly.

I'm starting to think that Obama's is the first Hipster Presidency. So much fits when you think of it that way.; 9/24/09, 10:36 PM
knox said...: Oh, I see Christopher already linked to the tee shirt. Seriously. The fact that I was paying that jerk's salary makes me want to puke.

It's not just the hipster thing, it's the self-important artistic community thing. Combine the two in one individual and you have a big, giant douche. Or dildo. Whatever. Both apply.; 9/24/09, 10:38 PM
Ralph L said...: Think of all the marginal and obscure indie rock bands that must be selling out the 9:30 Club these days.
Is that place still in business? I'd have thought my brother's band would have run it into the ground 20 years ago.; 9/24/09, 10:51 PM
J. Cricket said...: Obama resigning = a lame Althouse fantasy.

Better, though, than hearing more about her urine fascination.; 9/24/09, 10:53 PM
BJM said...: @Old Grouchy - Um no, Pelosi doesn't. The Speaker only ascends to the Presidency if both the POTUS and VP die or are incapacitated.

Should VP Biden ascend to the Presidency he would nominate a VP and both houses of Congress would confirm the appointment.

Following Kennedy's assassination Congress passed and the states quickly ratified the Twenty fifth Amendment to the Constitution, Section 2 of which permits the President to nominate a Vice President should the Vice Presidency become vacant.

Ford, was appointed by Nixon under the vacancy provisions of the 25th Amendment when Agnew resigned. [Ford has been the only American who served as both POTUS and VP and was not elected to either position.] Ford then nominated Gov. Nelson Rockefeller over the objections of his party.; 9/24/09, 10:59 PM
Anonymous said...: Yeah, I think Obama is kinda ticked off that world peace hasn't broken out yet...and that freaking economy! When will people listen to him and do what they're told? What is the matter with Kansas, anyway?

We don't deserve him.; 9/24/09, 11:07 PM
Penny said...: "No one in the administration, no public employee, no military person, has any reason whatsoever to trust that their boss has their back. And as those things tend to go... it can only be reciprocated."

Bingo, Synova! Now add to that the same lack of loyalty that our leader has shown to the far left of his own party and to our allies, particularly England and Israel, and really, to his country on the international stage. So what do we have here?

No loyalty shown; no loyalty given. Where there WAS trust, at first a vacuum. Then all SORTS of things can happen. Motion, with no direction is followed by?

Chaos or growth?

Say what you will about Obama, he is surely a "change agent".; 9/24/09, 11:10 PM
1775OGG said...: BJM: Jeez, get a life. Of course, in that circumstance, Biden would nominate a VP candidate, which would need a vote by both houses of Congress. However, it wouldn't happen overnight and my inference is that Pelosi is so power hungry that she might do whatever it takes to assume the office of Prez.

OBTW: Section 2 uses the word "Shall" rather than "permits," other than that, you fail to understand anything at all. But, then it might be very late in the day for you.

wv: milis as good as a mile.

Ta ta!; 9/24/09, 11:15 PM
daubiere said...: "
I'm starting to think that Obama's is the first Hipster Presidency. "

see this is what i don't understand... hipsters live their lives as a cynical pose. everything they consume and think about is selected to fit that pose. any notion of positive emotion, of sincerity, of beauty, of earnestness has to be milled into dust on their nihilistic grindstone before theyll even think of snorting it. so how could they possibly like barack obama, a man composed entirely of the most nausea inducing platitudes ( i mean hope? huh?) and banalities...

wait. i think i get it! its obamas insincerity, his naked fakery, his disdain for america and americans barely hidden by a veneer of stage managed hopey horseshit, his mind numbing blankness that they identify with... he is the perfect hipster icon!! the greatest poser ever. I get it!

barack obama is our first ironic fake president.

pass the pbr man, im applying for a job at vice magazine! haha hope change god bless america. we get it man. im totally getting a fucking acrylic american flag sweater, 10 sizes too small... dude fuckin rocks.; 9/24/09, 11:32 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: I thought the "czar" meme had been played out.

Yes, Bush (43) and Obama did/do have comparable numbers of czars, but Bush's count is over 8 years, instead of 8 months, which brings down the count of simultaneous czars to somewhere around 1/2 to 2/3 of that of Obama.

Still not that good, esp. compared to Reagan who had exactly one of them (Drug Czar).

Interestingly, the only other President with a lot of "czars" was FDR (and, of course, they didn't call them that back then for obvious reasons). Some of his were a result of screwing up the economy so badly, but a lot of them had to do with fighting a world war.; 9/24/09, 11:41 PM
Penny said...: Just the word "czar" makes a whole host of people angry. The fact that this word is used should tell you something.

In some circles, we might call czars, "consultants".

Go ahead, start a NEW meme that will piss off a whole host of other folks.; 9/24/09, 11:53 PM
Penny said...: Moving right along here...

"Pissing people off as fast as I can!"

Um, not me, I meant Obama!

Although? Me and Althouse were called out in grade school for "poor citizenship" and "annoying others".; 9/24/09, 11:58 PM
BJM said...: @grouchy, you certainly live up to your screen name.

I have a rather nice life, thank you very much.

Permits, shall...whatever.

I've watched Nancy Pelosi successfully maneuver through Bay Area politics for the past twenty years; but her dismissive style and phony dramatics have tarnished her media star power.
IMHO, her grip on the reins of power is slipping not strengthening as she's failed to successfully whip the Blue Dogs to heel on health care.

The Dem old boys club dispatched Madam Cankles and Saturday Night Bill without a backwards glance. The question is when, not if, they will toss Pelosi under the Obama Express.; 9/25/09, 1:39 AM
Anonymous said...: The best thing that can happen for Obama is that the republicans capture congress. He can blame not passing anything on the republicans and anything good he can take the credit for. Like Clinton.

Hillary is done for. She has made a fool of herself at state by being mouth piece for Obama. She really is a stupid person, how could she have left the senate where she could have made herself in to a real power and instead allowed herself to be made trivial by Obama.

As for the Kommunist Klowns BHO has appointed or sought to nominate, it probably points out his sheer incompetence and hubris. A scarier thought is that these people are the best ones the democrats could get to accept the positions.

Awful as he is, it would worst for the country overall if he resigned in terms of race relations and dear God please don't let him be killed. That would be truly awful for the country in terms race relationships and polarization. Besides as a father it would awful to see his kids suffer that that. Although I loath his ideology I and I am sure most Americans (including those who detest his policies and political ideology) don't hate him personally and would have no problem having him as a neighbor.; 9/25/09, 2:26 AM
Unknown said...: Oh, please G-D no - don't resign.

Then slo-joe will be the president, and almost certainly Nancy (dumber than a box of joes) will become the vice.....which would not bode well for Joe's tenure. He might suffer a serious illness or disability.; 9/25/09, 8:16 AM
Chris said...: Such a shame. I was feeling nostalgic for all the old Soviet Stalin posters and hoping for our own Socialist Realism movement. Oh well, there's always "Hope".; 9/25/09, 10:33 AM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: YACK! Consider the order of succession:

Biden
Pelosi
KKK Byrd
Hillary ... barely tolerable
Goldman Geitner
SECDEF Gates ... finally someone
Eric Holder ?? OMG
Ken Salzar ... couldn't be too bad
Vilsack ... at least he ran Iowa

The lack of depth from this crew is a bit shocking.; 9/25/09, 11:00 AM
Anonymous said...: test; 9/25/09, 12:09 PM
Anonymous said...: "Hillary is done for. She has made a fool of herself at state by being mouth piece for Obama. She really is a stupid person, how could she have left the senate where she could have made herself in to a real power and instead allowed herself to be made trivial by Obama."

Not necessarily. If Obama continues his downward spiral (and nothing on the horizon would indicate otherwise), when Hillary resigns as SOS letting it leak out that it was due to O's incompetence on foreign policy, she weakens Obama and gains renewed strength for a 2012 run against Obama.; 9/25/09, 12:13 PM
Bill said...: "I wonder what it would take to get Obama to resign. Probably not all that much."

On form, it'll be at least another year before he starts looking around for his next job. When does Ban Ki-Moon's term as UN SecGen expire?; 9/25/09, 2:02 PM
cscnnv said...: Yeah, it's clear to millions he shouldn't have applied for the position he now unfortunately holds.

We can tell he likes the perks, but certainly hates the responsibilities.

His resume was too thin for this job and his socialism isn't working to help the jobless and strengthen our economy.

He would not have lasted 90 days in the private sector.

Blaming a previous administration this far out in his term is so old and juvenile.

We need a real leader and true patriot for this country.; 7/3/11, 9:56 PM