Obama appointees elicit mixed reviews
Cameron Birch
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News
As President-Elect Barack Obama begins to establish his administration before Inauguration Day, featuring newcomers and other familiar advisors from previous administrations, students are at odds on his appointments to office.
According to Fox News, Obama has chosen Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) to be his chief of staff, Eric Holder to be attorney general, and most recently, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) was nominated to be secretary of Health and Human Services. If confirmed, Holder will be the first African American attorney general; he formerly served as deputy attorney general under the Clinton Administration.
Sean Miller, president of the Drexel Democrats, said Obama's election was: "Pretty surreal for all of us … it becomes more real every time he names a new advisor. … So far I like all the picks."
On the specific picks, Miller called Emanuel, "A really efficient guy … [a] fresh face to government." He also noted Daschle's longtime support of Obama and said that many thought he would be picked.
However, Mike Hess, vice-chairman of the Drexel Republicans, felt differently.
"Not much has happened since [Obama has] gotten elected," Hess said. "He has been picking members from the Clinton administration and from his Chicago political machine."
Hess added that Obama has been campaigning on change but the people he has picked have been "long time political insiders."
Latressa Copes, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering who voted for Obama, said: "I trust him enough to know that he is making the right decisions for his presidency. I think that the people under you are only going to be inspired by their leader. … Because he is bringing a fresh perspective, he can use their experience," Copes said.
Hess did say that one "optimistic viewpoint" was that his staff was going to take more of an aggressive role. He said that in the case of an inexperienced politician and experienced staff a message of change will be shaped by more practical policies.
According to Fox News, Obama has chosen Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) to be his chief of staff, Eric Holder to be attorney general, and most recently, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) was nominated to be secretary of Health and Human Services. If confirmed, Holder will be the first African American attorney general; he formerly served as deputy attorney general under the Clinton Administration.
Sean Miller, president of the Drexel Democrats, said Obama's election was: "Pretty surreal for all of us … it becomes more real every time he names a new advisor. … So far I like all the picks."
On the specific picks, Miller called Emanuel, "A really efficient guy … [a] fresh face to government." He also noted Daschle's longtime support of Obama and said that many thought he would be picked.
However, Mike Hess, vice-chairman of the Drexel Republicans, felt differently.
"Not much has happened since [Obama has] gotten elected," Hess said. "He has been picking members from the Clinton administration and from his Chicago political machine."
Hess added that Obama has been campaigning on change but the people he has picked have been "long time political insiders."
Latressa Copes, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering who voted for Obama, said: "I trust him enough to know that he is making the right decisions for his presidency. I think that the people under you are only going to be inspired by their leader. … Because he is bringing a fresh perspective, he can use their experience," Copes said.
Hess did say that one "optimistic viewpoint" was that his staff was going to take more of an aggressive role. He said that in the case of an inexperienced politician and experienced staff a message of change will be shaped by more practical policies.
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