Greatest Transition Ever strikes again
posted at 4:45 pm on March 12, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The Barack Obama administration had yet another high-level appointment crash and burn today, again at Treasury, the third one in a week. After losing Annette Nazareth to potential criticism of her regulation efforts at the SEC and Caroline Atkinson to more tax problems, H. Rodgin Cohen has now departed as the designee for Deputy Treasury Secretary. George Stephanopolous reports:
Democratic sources say that H. Rodgin Cohen, a partner in the New York law firm Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and the leading candidate for Deputy Treasury Secretary, has withdrawn from consideration. …
Cohen had risen to the top after the withdrawal last week of expected deputy treasury secretary pick Annette Nazareth.
Nazareth was forced to withdraw from consideration for the deputy treasury slot because senators made it clear she would face tough questioning over her time at the Securities and Exchange Commission — tenure that overlapped with the agency’s failure to catch Bernie Madoff.
And the candidate for Undersecretary for International Affairs, Caroline Atkinson, was told she had to withdraw after a “tax problem” was revealed early in the vetting process, according to officials.
It’s actually getting worse; they’re dropping out before Obama has a chance to formalize the nominations. That brings Treasury up to the grand total of one official appointment for its 18 senior, Senate-confirmation required positions.
Stephanopolous also reports that the White House has begun swinging back at critics who point out the serial failures to properly staff senior positions, especially at Treasury, where Obama has focused his policy efforts. The administration believes they haven’t received credit for all of the directions they’ve pushed in such a short period of time. Well, boo hoo. All we heard during the campaign was that Obama would bring competence to the White House, and since November 5th have talked endlessly about how great their transition has been. The media has, at least until now, merrily run with the nonsense about the Greatest Transition In Human History, all while the evidence screams otherwise: three Cabinet appointment failures, and staffing and vetting collapses by the day.
It’s the American Idol White House, only with nothing but William Hungs as far as the eye can see.
Update: Billy Hollis at QandO has the ultimate Photoshop for this topic — but be sure to go there to see it.
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The picture in my head is of pulling back the carpet and seeing a bunch of cockroaches scurry about.
kirkill on March 12, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Maybe that’s for the good – less chance for teleprompter failure during the introduction.
Vashta.Nerada on March 12, 2009 at 4:48 PM
It’s time for the idiot messiah, and the whole of the pathetic cabinet he’s been barely able to put together so far, to resign. Another precedent for The Precedent awaits.
progressoverpeace on March 12, 2009 at 4:48 PM
March madness!!!
If president Bush was so bad, why didn’t President Bush repel people by the dozens like this wrecked freight train does?
seven on March 12, 2009 at 4:49 PM
Holy crap… this just keeps getting better and better. Does anyone know what the count is so far? Me thinks that makes 8.
ROTFLMAO!!!!
milwife88 on March 12, 2009 at 4:49 PM
“Hail to the Chief” has been changed to “She Bangs”.
BrianA on March 12, 2009 at 4:50 PM
LOL, with all the media scrutiny of the Bush appointees, how much corruption did they ever find?
No ones even really looking at these guys (and gals) and it just falls in their laps.
hawkdriver on March 12, 2009 at 4:50 PM
just to remember them all, there are so many cretins in the Democrat party…like all of ‘em:
Well according to National Enquirer, John Edwards has admitted to his wife that he fathered a love child with his mistress. Is it really a love child? Isn’t it more like a “hurry up before my wife gets home” child?
kirkill on March 12, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Haven’t there been 4? Everybody forgets Richardson.
funky chicken on March 12, 2009 at 4:51 PM
oh, that was from Jay Leno…
kirkill on March 12, 2009 at 4:51 PM
What’s the difference between Jesus and Obama?
Jesus knew how to assemble a cabinet.
mwdiver on March 12, 2009 at 4:51 PM
The WaPo is right. The One Lightworker is aging before our eyes.
Techie on March 12, 2009 at 4:51 PM
no one with a brain or a career would sign on with this team…and it’s getting worse
winston on March 12, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Jeebus. I just cannot stand the stupid chimp in chief George W. Bush. All these incompetent nominations just prove how stupid he really is.
Wait, what’s that? Oh, sorry, it appears that I’d accidentally flipped on the wayback machine.
Our Dear Leader is trying his best. The problem is that loudmouth Rush Limberger (he really stinks) who’s not giving The One a chance to do His job.
/imagined lefty rant.
rbj on March 12, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Best transition ever = FAIL!
grapeknutz on March 12, 2009 at 4:52 PM
The Office of the President Elect led us to believe that it would be ready Day 1. What were they doing all that time, partying over their victory?
obladioblada on March 12, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Just another example of the failed
policiesnominees of this administration.Vashta.Nerada on March 12, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Exactly the image I keep having too..turn on the light and they all go running for cover.
SassyDarlin on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Hope realized, Obama’s failing.
Amadeus on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 PM
not good for uhbuhma…not good at all
winston on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Forgive me, Lord…. but this is funny stuff.
MNDavenotPC on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 PM
But…but…he was the editor…you know…and he’s…you know…
ddrintn on March 12, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Correction ED: William Hungs not HONGS
carbon_footprint on March 12, 2009 at 4:55 PM
And the hits keep coming.
oakpack on March 12, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Scurrying like rats off the sinking ship U.S.S. Obama.
canditaylor68 on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Obviously the William Hung version. Ricky’s was bad enough, I’ll admit.
coldwarrior on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
I had been imagining Barry lying on a dirty mattress in a crack house in 2014, thinking “What happened?”.
Now, I’m beginning to think the timeline is shrinking.
Vashta.Nerada on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
What a trainwreck this joker is. What do you expect with his absent experience. He never even ran a hotdog stand, and he thinks he can run Washington.
It looks like things will get far worse for some time before the sheephook can jerk him off the stage.
saiga on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
In eight years, weren’t there only two botched Bush appointments; I seem to recall Harriet Myers and maybe an AG appointee (Colin Powell jokes aside)?
Laura in Maryland on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Obama never failed to lie about, slander and just generally kick President Bush around at every opportunity.
Now he’s trotting out the “this is a really tough job!” excuse?
Please. When did Obama ever ONCE give President Bush that kind of consideration.
The way Obama campaigned, his administration would be flaw free.
The way Obama is governing, his administration is “get anything at all right” – free.
NoDonkey on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
I’m submitting my dog Waylon’s name for consideration. His record is clean.
Oink on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
When you try to do too many things at once, you’ll do none of them well.
It sounds like the rats see the sinking ship and don’t even want to board it.
suburbanite on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
The hills are alive,
With the sound of ex-Obama-nominees.
AubieJon on March 12, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Everyone is losing sight of priorities. Obama is so underqualified and his cronies so incompetent we are obviously going to crash and burn as a nation.
W, please come back.
eaglesdontflock on March 12, 2009 at 4:57 PM
I’m thinking the total lack of executive experience might really matter after all…what a jOke!
jwp1964 on March 12, 2009 at 4:57 PM
From the Office of Upcoming President Elect Nethicus:
My transition will pwn Obama’s.
Sincerely,
Nethicus
Upcoming President Elect.
Nethicus on March 12, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Does Waylon have any “carpet incidents”?
rbj on March 12, 2009 at 4:58 PM
With Pelosi Reid and Obama, it’s like the blind, deaf and dumb leading the blind, deaf and dumb.
The public has no idea how screwed we really are.
saiga on March 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
So, what was all that “transition” money spent on? Obama was still trying to raise funds after his election, and his “quasi-legal” transition.gov site was instrumental in raising those funds. He said that his executive experience, when questioned about having no executive experience, was based on his campaign and how he managed that, and later how he managed his transition. All the faithful said Obama had the best transition ever.
And nobody heard the alarms go off?
coldwarrior on March 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
“It’s the American Idol White House, only with nothing but William Hongs as far as the eye can see.”
I object. At least William Hung was a flash in the pan.
Dusty on March 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Or in the immortal words of Larry the Cable Guy…
SassyDarlin on March 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
If he’s a Democrat, it’s even money he has a tax problem somewhere.
ddrintn on March 12, 2009 at 5:00 PM
For some of us, it is like the blind leading the sighted. We see the cliff, just can’t get the car door open in time.
Vashta.Nerada on March 12, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Soul Train Wreck.
fogw on March 12, 2009 at 5:01 PM
With an affirmative action filter on, this IS the bestest transition ever.
jukin on March 12, 2009 at 5:01 PM
In previous Administrations, one could blame Congress for not approving a nomination, or stalling during the hearings process. Seems they can’t even get anyone to come up to Capitol Hill and fake being a nominee, just to give them something to do.
coldwarrior on March 12, 2009 at 5:01 PM
The Democrats created the modern Welfare State in the 1930s, and every since then they’ve been the Party of Corruption: Those of you who live in the northeast and the cities of the midwest know this better than the rest of us, but the Democrat Party is little more than a structure for government to grow in power as it rewards its friends and flunkies with jobs and contracts
The Party attracts its share of True Believers who want to change the world–and more than a few nut-jobs who provide votes and volunteer work, but in essence the Dems for over seventy years have been a criminal-conspiracy-in-action.
Government is a tool to increase the wealth and power of officeholders and of its client groups: unions, government employees, etc–AND NOTHING MORE.
They don’t really have an ideology as such: their mantra is simply More Government. More Government means more money and power for its leaders
The trolls here and flunkies in the media and elsewhere can’t or won’t see this crucial reality, and seem to be driven by their personal problems towards attacking anyone who opposes The Party.
We shouldn’t be chatting or negotiating with these people; we should be defeating them in elections.
Janos Hunyadi on March 12, 2009 at 5:01 PM
This is without a doubt, a presidential administration that will (in the future)…become known as the “Clown Administration.”
Note: I didn’t make any racial overtones, nor make fun of anyone’s big ears. Am I PC correct?
JoeySlippers on March 12, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Shane…. Come back!!!
Illinidiva on March 12, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Update of a previous comment:
86 nominees under the bus
86 nominees
You take one down,
Pass it around,
87 nominees under the bus
BobMbx on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Obambi’s used up all his mulligans.
AubieJon on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Priceless comments
LOL
Kai on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Where’s Dandy Don Meredith when you need him? “Turn out the lights, the party’s over…”
Mason on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 PM
This is not the – what was this guy’s name again?
Ted Torgerson on March 12, 2009 at 5:03 PM
What did Mulligan get nominated for? :-)
coldwarrior on March 12, 2009 at 5:04 PM
I usually look to AllahPundit for my laughs here, but this one is good, Ed:
RightWinged on March 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM
So now he will convene his cabinet of attack dogs, and they will hold a series of meetings…can he just create a “Cabinet of Attacks”?
He finds time to convene these meeting to address, talk show hosts, Senators that don’t agree with him, the MSM who is going to finally hold him accountable, but he can’t find appointments to his cabinets.
But he is going on vacation…….he has managed to cram in 100 days of disaster in only 50 days.
right2bright on March 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM
The “Greatest Transition In Human History” ended the moment W’s helicopter lifted off the White House lawn on 1/20/09.
And how can you expect The Pretendident to put together a cabinet, etc. while attending to his weekly Wednesday night parties:
IrishEi on March 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM
A GEM in the article.
Heckuva job, Timmy.
Kai on March 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM
freak show of incompetence – I weep for this nation
Ris4victory on March 12, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Correction: William Hung, not William Hungs.
keep the change on March 12, 2009 at 5:06 PM
It’s not a concern at the moment, but you just know there is going to be some score settling the next time the Republicans are in the White House.
She (or he) will need a depth chart the size of Barry Switzer’s at Oklahoma.
Nat Hound on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
We are going to need some bigger tires on the bus!!!
grapeknutz on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
You just made me laugh my butt off at work. One of my colleagues came over to ask what was so funny. She is an Obama supporter but she thought the joke was hilarious as well.
txaggie on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Some of these folks are probably glad they have “issues” that prevent them from taking the job. Why give up a secure position as a career bureaucrat for a political appointment with a one term presidency? Besides, you’d have to party every Wednesday with the O’s and report to MO on a regular basis.
Cody1991 on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
A lot of Democrats seem to be doing pretty well in The Worst Economy Since The Depression.
ddrintn on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
I’m submitting my dog Waylon’s name for consideration. His record is clean.
Oink on March 12, 2009 at 4:56 PM
I’d give my dog more credit if I were you…I would mine
winston on March 12, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Would it be out of line to suggest they just nominate a career FDIC bank inspector? They all know the math, how to read a set of books, what to look for in wrongdoing, the effects of bad fiscal housekeeping, etc.
They would be no names with no history of holding positions, but the FDIC remains untainted as a government agency in large part due to smart and dedicated public servants who can not only spot BS a mile away, but don’t engage in it themselves.
Just a thought.
MarkT on March 12, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Funny how the Greatest Transition Evah came off the rails as soon as Bush headed back to Texas.
Leopold Stotch on March 12, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Empty Suit vs. Empty Seats
dont taze me bro on March 12, 2009 at 5:08 PM
FIFY
Dusty on March 12, 2009 at 5:08 PM
He was using it as a plural.
BrianA on March 12, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Join the new club: Fans of the Rangel Rule
What is ‘The Rangel Rule’?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/28/gop-congressman-intros-rangel-rule-eliminating-irs-late-fees/
Charles Rangel http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,488885,00.html
Tom Daschle http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28994296/
Timothy Geithner http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/18/AR2009011802070.html
Bill Richardson http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/09/business/insure.php
Nancy Killefer http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/02/02/daily38.html
Hilda Solis http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-solis6-2009feb06,0,2524871.story
Ron Kirk http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/02/ron-kirk-tax-problems-sur_n_171180.html
Caroline Atkinson http://blogs.abcnews.com/george/2009/03/another-top-tre.html
You too can become a fan of The Rangel Rule! Simply add your name to the list and use TurboTax!
(Ok I admit, at this point, my list might just not be updated with everyone and I might have missed a few. But isn’t it fun to see how many appointees are on this list? Good thing those Czars don’t have to be vetted!)
jusgottabeme on March 12, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Since when is willy-nilly a virtue?
hillbillyjim on March 12, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Sung by William Hung, I’m sure.
Key West Reader on March 12, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Maybe this is an inside conspiracy to get Geithner to resign due to lack of support for his position. I’d jump ship if I were him. It’s not looking good.
sherry on March 12, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Of course!
BrianA on March 12, 2009 at 5:11 PM
This one is a gem.
Dusty on March 12, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Those dastardly Republicans. Without even raising a fuss, they can still cause Barry to abandon one of his own.
MarkTheGreat on March 12, 2009 at 5:12 PM
At this rate one of Bambi’s campaign promises in 2012 will be that his next cabinet will be completely staffed.
Somebody needs to start a “Name the date when the treasury dept. cabinet positions will be staffed” pool.
rockhead on March 12, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Obama is failing
jp on March 12, 2009 at 5:13 PM
LOL. Not below the belt, but right on the buckle. LOL. That is grade A material. I love Hotair.
Theworldisnotenough on March 12, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Sister Mary Elephant would get this mess straightened out. Yep.
AubieJon on March 12, 2009 at 5:14 PM
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Theworldisnotenough on March 12, 2009 at 5:14 PM
[Kai on March 12, 2009 at 5:05 PM]
It just sparkles with irony doesn’t it.
Dusty on March 12, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Time for a Wizards game oh great one
winston on March 12, 2009 at 5:17 PM
This point severely irked me. This remind me of my students who come to class expecting to receive high marks for doing the bare minimum. When they get their grade back they say that they should have received some credit for reading, attendance, or staying awake (I actually had a student who told me that. Try keeping a straight face when you hear that argument). They are angry when I tell them that is what you are required to do and that is what gets you a C in my class. If you want me to give you a higher grade do something besides what you have to do.
Obama seems to have this same philosophy. He wants people to cut him some slack for doing less than the bare minimum, but he has had around 4 months to get his act together. Obama has not done anything other than spend money and campaign for his policies.
txaggie on March 12, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I am willing to not pay my taxes if it helps me avoid working for Geithner.
innominatus on March 12, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Intern or non-intern related?
MarkTheGreat on March 12, 2009 at 5:19 PM
My cross eyed chocolate lab is ready to assist.
anniekc on March 12, 2009 at 5:19 PM
‘Living La Vida Loca’
thomasaur on March 12, 2009 at 5:19 PM
I think you have the wrong strategy for that particular department.
Vashta.Nerada on March 12, 2009 at 5:20 PM
I understand that Hung had one successfull album (in S. Korea.) That’s more success than Barry has had.
MarkTheGreat on March 12, 2009 at 5:20 PM
He may just get a cabinet just in time for the next election.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM
“Mr. President, we need to discuss that Treasury problem”…”Just a second…we got a party tonight?”
winston on March 12, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Is he going to make it to 2012? I’m not asking in jest. How does a President not have the Treasury staffed in this economy? I realize he is not qualified. No conservative believed that but come on this is just not funny when you think about it.
Theworldisnotenough on March 12, 2009 at 5:23 PM
I’d love to see a skit where Obama introduces a series of 5 or 6 appointees and, as each one is brought to the podium, a SWAT team or a group of FBI officers swarms on them out of nowhere and takes them away in handcuffs.
Crusty on March 12, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Any moment now, getalife will post something about how this is Bush’s fault.
Or something like that.
Conservative_SAHM on March 12, 2009 at 5:24 PM
OK. I’m going out on a limb here, but
Well, I was GOING to go out on a limb. Please, do a search and see if you can re-capture any of the old “Good Times” and/or “The Jeffersons” videos on any site.
/Betcha can’t. I posted one the other day. Lo and behold. They are down the memory hole.
Key West Reader on March 12, 2009 at 5:24 PM
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