Richard Reeves: The Obama transition

Milford Daily News ^ | November 11, 2008 | Richard Reeves

[michgal]

Reeves: The Obama transition -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Richard Reeves, Syndicated columnist GHS Posted Nov 12, 2008 @ 12:28 AM

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "During this most dangerous White House transition in American history, the country (has) two presidents: one powerless (the president-elect, possessing no constitutional authority), the other paralyzed."

So it was as the man from Illinois, a man with little experience wielding great power, headed for Washington and the most powerful job in the country. That man was Abraham Lincoln, who had to wait a full four months before succeeding the incompetent, almost inert, incumbent, James Buchanan.

The quote is from the introduction of a new book by a remarkable historian (and former political operative), Harold Holzer, who has written more than 30 books on Lincoln. The new one, published this month, is titled "Lincoln: President-elect." It is pure, well-researched and well-written revisionist history because the conventional historical wisdom is that Lincoln mishandled and misused those months, saying little and doing less. Holzer disputes that in more than 600 pages, arguing that Lincoln made some small mistakes, but brilliantly used what the author calls "confident silence" to build the base for his monumental presidency.

Now, of course, another man of little high-level experience is in that terrible position of powerless power. President-elect Barack Obama has to wait 10 weeks to replace an incompetent president and take on two losing wars and a crashing economy. Obama will surely try to say as little as possible, as Lincoln did, even while making more than a hundred speeches as his train moved slowly from Springfield, Ill., to Washington. Holzer's arguments about the effectiveness of Lincoln's four-month transition - presidents took office in March in those days - are based on the great man's private letters and conversations.

As Buchanan, generally considered the worst president in history, dithered indecisively in Washington, afraid for his life, seven Southern states, led by South Carolina, seceded from the Union. Southern militias were attacking American military installations, including Fort Sumter. Silent or confusing in public, Lincoln wrote friends:

"If Mister B. surrenders the forts, I think they must be retaken ... I will, if our friends in Washington concur, announce publicly at once that they are to be retaken after the inauguration ... There can be no doubt that in any event that is good ground to live and die by."

Obama's inauguration will be modeled on Lincoln's. He quoted the 16th president twice in his victory speech last week, and the inaugural committee, headed by Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, has already announced that the inaugural theme will be "A New Birth of Freedom," words taken from the Gettysburg Address. And Obama has already said he is reading Lincoln's speeches, not for the first time, to prepare his own inaugural address.

And the transition itself? A Chicago Tribune reporter, Patrick T. Reardon, asked Holzer and distinguished Civil War historian James McPherson what lessons they thought Obama should take from President-elect Lincoln's transition strategy. They agreed on eight points:

"1: Keep your cards close to your vest. 2: Avoid empty rhetoric. 3: Court the opposition media. 4: Pick Cabinet members who have skills and knowledge you lack. 5: Use your Cabinet to bring diversity into your administration. 6: Use your Cabinet appointments to unite your party behind you. 7: Get any resentment or bitterness off your chest in the first draft of your inaugural address - then cut it all out. 8: Use your inaugural address to set the tone for your presidency."

No. 7 is my favorite. Before the Democratic and Republican conventions, I wrote a paper on bipartisanship for the Center on Communication Leadership at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California, offering unsolicited advice for Obama and John McCain on what they should say if elected. It ended with this: "I intend to be president of all the people, including, most especially, the ones who voted against me."

I'm sure there was no connection, but I was pleased when Obama said this on election night in Chicago: "And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too."

On election night in Springfield 148 Novembers ago, as he headed back to his home, Lincoln was heard to say: "God help me! God help me!"

God help Barack Obama - and the rest of us, too.

[michgal]

I was invited to go hear Richard Reeves speak tonight. Wondering if anyone has any good questions to ask during the QA period. I'm not usually one to go listen to liberals and hope I can make it through without getting sick to stomach.

It is a economics club meeting so I was thinking of asking his opinion on why the stock market has dropped almost 20% since the election and how that is not related to fear of much higher taxes Obama is promising to deliver.

[The KG9 Kid]

“Will you please die soon?”

[RandyGH]

Reeves is a liberal, but not a fanatic. Perhaps you could ask him if the exagerrated expectations for Obama will likely lead to early disenchantment.

[Reagan Man]

Linking Obama to Lincoln is pure propaganda from the liberal establishment.

Nothing new about that, but it does show that leftwing demagoguery is at historic levels.

[Nevadan]

Where is the “mega-barf” alert???

[Verginius Rufus]

I figure Obama will strike a bipartisan tone in his inaugural address by quoting from Gerald Ford’s remarks on August 9, 1974: “Our long national nightmare is over.”