Obama in the Oval

A must-read piece in the NYT for all Oval Office aficionados. The article details President Barack Obama's emerging work schedule, routine, and habits. It is a fascinating read and provides a glimpse into both the work schedule of the new president as well as his persona.

Among the highlights:

• President Obama arrives later and works later than his predecessor, George W. Bush. President Obama gets to the Oval Office around 9 a.m., after he has breakfast with his family and helps get daughters Malia and Sasha ready for school. His predecessor arrived for work about two hours earlier.

• President Obama has dinner with his family then often returns to work in the Oval, sometimes until 10 p.m. President Bush was long asleep by then.

• President Obama begins his daily physical workout in the morning, around 6:45 a.m. His predecessor would often get a workout in midday.

• President Obama likes to wander the halls of the West Wing (who wouldn't, especially in the first week?) and will go see his aides when he wants to speak with them. Mr. Bush would have them summoned.

• President Obama's meetings are not as punctual as President Bush's were. Though they usually start on time, they often go overtime as the new president likes to talk policy. Mr. Bush was very disciplined with his schedule.

• President Obama's White House is not as formal as the Bush 43 White House (though not as informal, as far as I know, as the Clinton White House). The sport coat-on-at-all-times-in-the-Oval rule from the previous administration has been eliminated. Mr. Obama, who likes to turn the thermostat up--way up--often works without a coat. Business casual attire is allowed for staff on the weekend.
  
• One thing hasn't changed much--the Oval Office decor. However, expect a few changes soon. According to the Times: "The rug is still there, as are the presidential portraits Mr. Bush selected — one of Washington, one of Lincoln — and a collection of decorative green and white plates. During a meeting last week with retired military officials, before he signed an executive order shutting down the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Mr. Obama surveyed his new environs with a critical eye. 'He looked around,' said one of his guests, retired Rear Adm. John D. Hutson, 'and said, ''I’ve got to do something about these plates. I’m not really a plates kind of guy.'"

Obama Pulling for Pittsburgh

One thing I like about this new president is he's not afraid to openly root for a sports team for fear of angering the other team's fans. One need only remember the cringe-worthy moment in Hillary Clinton's first run for the U.S Senate in 2000 when she announced that she loved the Yankees but liked the Mets too. Any real sports fan could immediately see what hogwash that was as a true Yankees or Mets fan could never love nor like nor respect the other team.

Unlike most politicos who are loathe to profess their love or hatred on any professional or college sports team, President Obama has no problem telling the world. He is an unabashed Chicago White Sox fan and proves this with his open disdain for the Cubs (which may explain his carrying Missouri and performing well in St. Louis...). In an ESPN interview last summer, Obama openly derided the Cubbies: "I’m not one of these fair weather fans. You go to Wrigley Field, you have a beer, beautiful people up there. People aren’t watching the game. It’s not serious. White Sox, that’s baseball."

So, when asked about who he was rooting for in the upcoming Superbowl, Obama did not hesitate to pick a side: "I am a longtime Steelers fan. Mr. Rooney, the owner, was just an extraordinary supporter during the course of the campaign....Other than the Bears, the Steelers are close to my heart.” So there you have it. Of course it doesn't hurt that Arizona is the land of Barry Goldwater and John McCain.

Now as a lifelong Green Bay Packer fan, I have a problem with the president rooting for the scourge known as the Bears. However, that is a post for another season...

So, When Will I See My Kids?

So, when will I see my kids? That's the question that immediately popped into my brain as I read Ohio Governor Ted Strickland's 6 point education plan which was unveiled as part of his State of the State Address today in Columbus. Besides the fact that the plan was short on specifics on how he would fix the school funding problem in Ohio, Strickland proposed that Ohio begin: "Phasing in 20 additional days to the school calendar each year over a 10-year period, bringing the state's school year up to the international average of 200 days and lengthening the school day with additional activities, such as community service, tutoring and health and wellness programs."

So let me see now, besides the fact that most schools are having a really tough time passing their levies and keep their school budgets in the black, schools should now stay open an additional month and for longer hours each day. Well, I'm no accountant but that sounds like an extra financial burden on schools that can barely keep up now. Will Ohio really have the cash to back this all up or will this be an unfunded mandate?

The extra month in school and extra hours in the school day would also be a burden on many families. You see, call us strange, but my wife and I cherish the time we have with our young children. I really don't want the state mandating that they be stuck an additional month in school and for more hours in the day. Most parents keep their children busy with after school extra-curricular activities as is. Kids also need their summer break to re-energize and to...be a kid. Families often use the time in the summer to go on vacation and do things as a family. An extra month in school? Kids will be in school until after the Fourth of July? Heck, why stop there? Why not keep kids in school all year round? Having a one month summer break is about the same thing.

A state-funded, voluntary summer school, especially for those kids that are struggling, would be great. State-funded, voluntary extra-curricular activities for kids, especially for those latch-key kids that need a place to go until a parent gets home from work, would be great. But mandating any of this is a mistake in my opinion.

Obama's Right-Hand Man

A great piece in the NYT on Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. The story is part bio, part descriptor of Emanuel's first week in the toughest job in Washington save for being president. According to the Times:

"Mr. Obama had settled on his fellow Chicagoan to be his chief of staff well before he was elected. He was drawn to Mr. Emanuel’s experience in both the White House and Congress and called him 'the whole package' of political acumen, policy chops and pragmatism. He is also a skilled compromiser. 'He knows there is a time in this business to drop the switchblades and make a deal,' said Representative Adam H. Putnam, Republican of Florida. Mr. Emanuel initially resisted taking the job. He came around after Mr. Obama insisted, saying these were momentous times and that the awesome tasks he faced required Mr. Emanuel’s help. The president-elect also assured Mr. Emanuel that the position would be the functional equivalent of 'a No. 2' or 'right-hand man,' according to a person familiar with their exchanges."

Redecorating the White House Residence

I happened across this great post by Ronda Carman which takes us on a brief tour of the ritual transformation of the White House living space. With every new president comes new splashes of paint, new china, new draperies, etc.

Carman provides a bevy of information in her guide, such as, most First Families hire outside design firms to redecorate. I had no idea--I thought it was merely an inside job headed by the White House Curator's Office. She provides a number of great historical photographs as well.

Set Your DVRs: National Geographic's Air Force One & Marine One Documentaries Airing This Week

Okay, so I missed the original airing tonight of both original National Geographic documentaries about Air Force One and Marine One. Do not despair, however, as encore presentations are set to broadcast on January 28.

Air Force One is a topic that continually fascinates me. I just finished Ken Walsh's 2002 book on the topic and recommend it. I am glad that Marine One is getting its due as well.

Now set the DVR, pop some popcorn, kick back, and enjoy...

Upstate New York Congresswoman to Fill Clinton's Senate Seat

Kirsten Gillibrand, a 42 year old Congresswoman from upstate New York, has been tapped by Governor David Paterson to fill the seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Gillibrand represents New York's 20th District and had just begun her second term.

The pick is surprising on two counts. First, Paterson's choice of a person who received the NRA's endorsement has already enraged Representative Carolyn McCarthy who has pledged to challenge Gillibrand in the 2010 Democratic primary if she was indeed the choice. Second, what happened to Andrew Cuomo, the popular New York Attorney General and son of the beloved former governor? And of course, all this follows an ugly back-and-forth in media reports of Caroline Kennedy's withdrawal from consideration of the seat.

Regardless, Gillibrand seems like a compelling choice and story--she is only the 6th woman in Congressional history to have a baby while serving and currently is married with two small boys ages 5 and 6 months. A perceived centrist on many issues, Gillbrand appears positioned well to retain the seat in 2010 given that she is reportedly an effective fundraiser and aggressive candidate.

Obama White House Website a Bust So Far

Okay, I know its been only a few days and I'm being impatient. However, as an avid White House watcher and avid whitehouse.gov browser, I was expecting a lot more.

By the end of the Bush 43 presidency, I was impressed by the White House website. I loved how you could click on the "News" link and find everything that happened for a particular day--from photos of an event, to the text of the president's remarks, to any documents issued or signed by the president that day. I also liked the fact that the press secretary briefings were posted on the site in both video and text format, as well as official statements and event data from other officials such as the vice president. The Bush 43 website provided a rich, evolving, historical record, almost in a daily diary format. I hope the site in its entirety will be available to the general public and scholars soon because it provides a treasure trove of information of the first 21st century presidency.

I am seeing none of that so far on the Obama site. No photos yet (and when the photos come, please don't give me "slide show" format--I want thumbnails I can choose from). No news of the day. No video or text from the first press briefing. No remarks from President Obama (other than the Inaugural Address), video or text, even though he's had a number of formal events at which he's spoken (rule of thumb to follow--if his remarks will show up in the "Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents" they need to be on the website ASAP, at a minimum).

I know, I know, it's early...

The First BlackBerry President

As I predicted a couple weeks ago, President Barack Obama gets to keep his BlackBerry. To quote me: "My guess is that Obama wins this battle--he's going to be the president after all."

According to CNET: "White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that, thanks to a 'compromise,' his boss will be able to keep a security-enhanced BlackBerry and use it for e-mail....Gibbs didn't offer details, but the contours of the compromise seem to be: official, work-related e-mail messages will be subject to the Presidential Records Act and the possibility of eventual disclosure. But strictly personal communications--with family, for instance--will be exempt. This makes sense. As we reported last week, federal law explicitly exempts from disclosure any 'personal records' that do not relate to the president's official function.
Those include electronic records that are 'of a purely private or non-public character' and don't relate to official duties; the law lists diaries, journals, notes, and presidential campaign materials as examples. Similarly, the Freedom of Information Act prevents files from being released if the disclosure would significantly jeopardize 'personal privacy.'"

According to Gibbs, "President Obama will use the device to communicate with select staff and a few friends." One drawback, however, is that President Obama will not be able to use the voice functions for Top Secret communications since it is not secure enough.

Now we just need to confirm whether or not the President will have that Oval Office laptop ...

SAM 28000

How strange it must be to take that final flight home as a brand new member of the ex-president's club. All sorts of emotions must be flowing: relief, melancholy, sadness, appreciation. Imagine being accustomed to the whole world hanging on your every word, traffic stopping for your motorcade, whole neighborhoods shutting down by your very presence, top secret briefings occurring every morning, and in the matter of a few moments at Noon on January 20 of your final term, all of it stopping. Juxtapose the feelings of that final flight home with the excitement and euphoria that a new president, his family, and staff must feel as they board Air Force One for their very first flight.

Former President George W. Bush flew back to Texas with dozens of family, friends, and former staff following President Barack Obama's inaugural address on the Boeing 747 normally known as Air Force One. However, when the president--the current president--is not on the plane, the plane's designation changes. For the trip to Midland where former President Bush spoke to supporters, the plane was designated Special Air Mission 28000 (28000 is the plane's tail number).

Mark McKinnon, a former campaign strategist for the Bush-Cheney campaigns, has an interesting first hand account on The Daily Beast of the trip back to the Lone Star State complete with pictures he snapped. Also at the Beast, is an article recounting the rides home taken by five other new ex-presidents: Ford, Carter, Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, and Clinton.

Regardless of the president, I am always a little melancholy. Their departure signifies that an era for our country has ended and time marches on.

The Uh-Oath

Like most Americans, I knew something wasn't quite right as soon as it started. Chief Justice John Roberts and President-elect Barack Obama, both novices in this whole enterprise, did not quite mesh in the ritual dance known as the Oath of Office. President Obama jumped the gun a bit and Chief Justice Roberts completely flubbed the first line of the oath. If they get to repeat the act four years from now, I suggest that the Chief Justice read from the Constitution and not try to recite it from memory.

UPDATE: President Obama and Chief Justice Roberts redid the oath of office on January 21, just to be sure. There were no slip ups this time, except for not letting the TV networks or media photographers capture it...

The Virtual Passage of Power

Before (just before Noon today)

After (just after Noon today)


I wonder what the screen shots looked like in Harding's time...