Some of the very people who would best serve in politically sensitive posts – interest group veterans, former campaign operatives or ex-Hill staffers – earn a living through lobbying.
The policy has spurred frustration among some Democratic lobbyists, especially those who got behind Obama early in his hard-fought primary. They believe the president is depriving himself of an entire group of capable aides – at a time when Obama already is having trouble staffing up his Treasury Department and other key agencies…
“I have a lot of friends in the administration and I don’t want to appear bitter,” said one lobbyist who got behind Obama early and had his eye on a White House job. “But they put themselves in the box when they put somebody like [Deputy Defense Secretary] Bill Lynn in and now they look like hypocrites.”
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