Many during this campaign (both Democrats and Republicans) have embraced the meme that Barack Obama isn't ready to be president because he's never "managed anything." But if the way Obama has managed his campaign--and more importantly, his transition team-- is any indication, it's clear he would hit the ground running.
As the 2008 campaign nears its conclusion, the presidential transition efforts of the two major candidates have become a study in contrasts: Sen. Barack Obama has organized an elaborate well-staffed network to prepare for his possible ascension to the White House, while Sen. John McCain has all but put off such work until after the election.
So let's see what we have here: The "green behind the ears" rookie already has in place an army of staffers ready to plan his presidential transition, while the guy who repeated "I know how to do X or Y" more times than I can remember last Tuesday has stopped all transition work until after Nov. 4. Now you tell me: Who will truly be ready on Day 1? More on the flip.
More from the HuffPo article:
The Democratic nominee has enlisted the assistance of dozens of individuals -- divided into working groups for particular federal agencies -- to produce policy agendas and lists of recommended appointees. As evidence of their advanced preparations, officials provided a copy of the strict ethics guidelines that individuals working on the transition effort are required to sign.
Now compare and contrast McCain's approach to Obama's:
John McCain, by contrast, has done little. Campaign spokespersons did not respond to requests for elaboration. But one official with direct knowledge, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, expressed concern with McCain's approach. The Arizona Senator has instructed his team to not spend time on the transition effort, according to the source, both out of a desire to have complete focus on winning the election as well as a superstitious belief that the campaign shouldn't put the cart before the horse.
Oh. My. God.
I hadn't even read that paragraph until after I just pasted it. It's bad enough that McCain is putting off his transition planning to focus exclusively on winning. But now we find out that he's also putting off this crucial planning because it's bad mojo? Has McCain been consulting Sarah Palin's Witch Hunter for advice on his increasingly unlikely presidential transition. If ever the phrase "WTF" was appropriate, it's right now.
Let's face it: Obama will probably win in a landslide, but it's true that in politics anything can happen. External events that play to McCain's supposed strengths could still intrude in this election. Someone could spike the nation's entire water supply with LSD and turn people insane enough to vote for McCain on Nov. 4. An alien invasion could install McCain as a puppet ruler.
My point is that, even it's increasingly unlikely, McCain could still become president. And if he does, he'll be nowhere near as ready to take over from Bush on January 20th as Obama will be. In the middle of all the crises we face (financial, economic, climatic, military, etc.) we need the next president be ready to take over on the first hour of the first day of his term. Obama is laying the groundwork. He'll be ready. McCain won't--and that's been his choice.
By running what is perhaps the most disciplined, best-managed campaign in modern presidential politics, Barack Obama has done us a great favor. He's forced John McCain to reveal himself as the egomaniac, self-centered, incompetent, impulsive and, now we find out, deeply superstitious drama queen he really is.
As Keith Olbermann said the other night, "Country First, my ***!"