Probably because it wasn’t being made back then.

You do get the distinction between candidate and President-elect, right?

New sheriff in town.

I would hardly call it a sudden discovery.

a few more & I might hijack this thread back to its original ideas…

But as I said, I welcome his move towards moderation and compromises of his campaign rhetoric with reality.

J.

The horror.

Probably because it wasn’t being made back then. And probably because at that point, Obama’s absolute “no lobbyists” policy was still operative.

I have to say I do find it slightly refreshing. Between Obama’s bringing in so many recycled Clintonites, backing off on this and a bunch of other promises, and some other things, it’s like he’s suddenly discovered pragmatism and reality, and plans to govern accordingly. And that lets me hope that the next four years won’t be as bad as I feared during the campaign.

J.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008 01:05pm EST /
An end to the “revolving door”

President-elect Barack Obama imposed strict new ethics rules on the transition team yesterday, restricting what work former lobbyists can do for the team and barring registered lobbyists from donating to the transition or to inaugural events.

Transition team co-chair John Podesta characterized the policy as “the strictest ethics rules ever applied.”

Across the country, national leaders and ethics experts praised the decision.

“As a professor who has taught a class on Lobbying and Ethics for many years, I want to commend President-elect Barack Obama for his historic new ethics rules,” American University Professor James A. Thurber said. “His campaign pledge to change the way Washington works with the lobbying industry became a reality yesterday….The new ethics rules are great for our democracy.”

Fred Wertheimer, president of the non-partisan watchdog group Democracy 21, told USA Today that the rules are unique for a president-elect.

“[The rules are] unlike anything that I have seen at the transition stage in 35 years,” he said.

At a press conference, a reporter asked Podesta about complaints from lobbyists who claim they have relevant expertise and say the policy leaves them “out in the cold.”

“So be it,” Podesta said, adding that the President-elect intends to enforce this policy in his administration so that the “revolving door ceases to exist.”

Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution agreed, saying it’s a worthwhile price to pay.

“They will prevent some honorable people with rich experience from serving in the transition,” he said. “That is a real cost but it is more than balanced by the strong signal sent by the President-elect.”

You were saying, Jay?

Better yet how dare you insult the harding working politicans of Chicago? You can not blame the many for the few. There are corrupt politicans in every city. Attacking Chicago just shows how far you will go to attack Obama.

If we were talking about campaigns you could make the comparison but it is over.

Seriously Jay let it go. If you have so much issue with what Oliver says stop reading it. No one is forcing you to come here everyday and post.

Just like it’s within your rights to insist that lobbyist influence is far more significant and corrosive and corrupting within a campaign than in a presidential administration.

I kinda feel sorry for you, Oliver… you had so much hope pinned on this guy, and he’s turning out to be just another pol.

More disappointing, just another product of the astonishingly corrupt Chicago Democratic machine.

I’d feel even worse for you if so many people hadn’t warned folks about this.

J.

J.