Joan Ganz Cooney | 03/23/2009 6:00 am
Joan Ganz Cooney: Where Are the Wisemen Behind the Man?
I’ve been ruminating about what is missing by way of advisers in the White House. Our new president is certainly surrounded with some very smart people both in the White House itself and in the Cabinet. What I miss though is the sense that there is an old wise head whom he talks to late at night after he’s heard from those who are very close to the situation, including his political advisers (e.g., David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs). I mean someone who is not involved in day-to-day problems and politics, who probably doesn’t work for the administration, who has seen a lot of presidents come and go and has been around the block a few times. Someone, in other words, who has no ax to grind and is not looking for power and is not competing for the president’s ear. We have seen such in the past: the Washington lawyer, Bob Strauss, who has privately advised many presidents; Clark Clifford who was there for Lyndon Johnson among others; Lloyd Cutler who was brought into the White House by President Clinton to calm things down.
I feel the need, on behalf of Obama, for a pragmatist who is smart, not particularly partisan, who sees the larger picture and does not get too excited about populist outcries and the like. Paul Volker is clearly such a man but is seldom called upon, probably because Obama is relying on the people who work for him, some of whom may not be too happy at the idea of a late-night impartial adviser to the president.
Years ago, a man named Eugene V. Debs Myers was press secretary to Mayor Wagner. Debs, who died long before he should have, was overweight by at least 50 pounds and drank two or three drinks at lunch every day, was funny and popular and an outspoken pragmatist. During his tenure, there was a terrible crime wave in the subways. Subway crime stories filled the newspapers day after day and a political crisis seemed imminent. All kinds of crime experts and others were called in for advice. At the peak of the crisis, Debs went out to lunch, had a few drinks, returned, and put his head in the doorway of the mayor’s office and said, "Mayor, put more cops on the subways." The next day, the mayor’s office announced there would be a cop on every subway. Overnight there was almost zero crime on the subways and the demands for Mayor Wagner’s head ceased.
I wish I saw a Debs Myers on the White House scene but I don’t.
I feel the need, on behalf of Obama, for a pragmatist who is smart, not particularly partisan, who sees the larger picture and does not get too excited about populist outcries and the like. Paul Volker is clearly such a man but is seldom called upon, probably because Obama is relying on the people who work for him, some of whom may not be too happy at the idea of a late-night impartial adviser to the president.
Years ago, a man named Eugene V. Debs Myers was press secretary to Mayor Wagner. Debs, who died long before he should have, was overweight by at least 50 pounds and drank two or three drinks at lunch every day, was funny and popular and an outspoken pragmatist. During his tenure, there was a terrible crime wave in the subways. Subway crime stories filled the newspapers day after day and a political crisis seemed imminent. All kinds of crime experts and others were called in for advice. At the peak of the crisis, Debs went out to lunch, had a few drinks, returned, and put his head in the doorway of the mayor’s office and said, "Mayor, put more cops on the subways." The next day, the mayor’s office announced there would be a cop on every subway. Overnight there was almost zero crime on the subways and the demands for Mayor Wagner’s head ceased.
I wish I saw a Debs Myers on the White House scene but I don’t.
Read more about: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Bob Strauss, Clark Clifford, David Axelrod, Debs Myers, Lloyd Cutler, Lyndon B. Johnson, Mayor Wagner, New York City, News, Obama Administration, Paul Volker, Politics
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56 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment
To me, it seems that part of the problem is the internet. Now communication is so quick that MediaMatters and MoveOn hear that the Blue Dog democrats are stalling in passing the budget so they send out email to phone banks that will then hammer the phone lines and emails to the Blue Dog Democrats insisting America wants the budget passed. Then it seems, feeling under massive public pressure, our congress people over react, as in the case of the AIG bonuses. It has become a circus and a few factions are winning the war through the internet. Once MoveOn and MediaMatters decided Obama was their candidate they made a concerted effort to discredit Hillary.
Most polls say that people want the budget trimmed and not a $3trillion deficit this year.
I am aware that MediaMatters is (supposedly) an oversight group, but many people read them and believe everything they say. When I first heard about them over a year ago I thought someone finally had a great idea and decided I would check them out. On some stories they gave a pretty good analysis but on many they were totally wrong. It was obvious they hadn’t even listened to what they were vetting. They made some statements that were out and out lies. Not just because of ideology, but accuracy. I remember they said some station did not carry the democrat rebuttal to then Pres Bush’s state of the Union and they were totally wrong, I had seen the program and MediaMatters out and out lied about the content. Seemed like they didn’t vet the source they had counted on to vet the stories. I was surprised. Point is, in their inaccuracies they influence political thought.
Oddly enough, as an independent I am polled quite a bit. I get phone calls from both sides asking me questions, and I am certainly aware that when I am asked that they are looking for a certain answer. I think because I am a social liberal and a fiscal conservative they are surprised by my answers. I remember one young man who left the conversation telling me that now he saw it a little differently. That is rare, but some of them are chatty, some are done on machines and some are just a quick couple of questions. I have been polled enough and I am not naive.
If in my haste of posting, I overstated about MediaMatters - I knew what I was doing at the time just didn’t want to fix it, but moveon does use those tactics, I have friends that get emails anytime MoveOn needed more money to support Obama during the campaign. They do have phone banks set up as well as MoveOn and others have access to the WH every morning for an 8:45am conference call regarding selling the administrations plans to the public. Seems to me that is a little manipulative and almost propagandizing. I always wonder if both sides would ever get that what really counts if having integrity while serving the public. They wouldn’t have to sell themselves to special interests to the extent that they do just to get elected. Don’t forget, it cost almost a billion dollars to the Pres Obama elected.
That is a good and thoughtful point, Joan. There needs to somebody who doesn’t have a vested interest in either party, who doesn’t have an agenda, is independent and SMART to offer input. Do you have any suggestions as to where such a person is to be found?
I agree that a non-political, not gonna run for anything him/herself, old enough to not worry about ‘resume padding’ is needed.
However, I see the narcissism of those who surround Obama as unwilling to ‘allow’ any other agenda or theories to be presented. Emmanuel runs a a tight, vindictive ship. No room on board for discourse, its Chicago politics on the Potomoac. Previously, here, I described Gibbs as ‘sophmoric.’ I retract that…his demeanor and furtitive attempts at humor put him back in the Middle School cafeteria.
Yes, deber, do I detect a bit of youthful arrogance on the part of this administration?
Your mention of Kissinger and Baker was excellent - surely there have to be a few more of those great resources around for the president to seek counsel from.
Green Tears, I believe you do!
Kissinger and Baker are as solid as a rock and they’ve seen it all in Washington. I haven’t done any research on other great mentors. I know there must be great people sitting in the wings, retired, writing their memoirs, etc. Maybe we need to ask the audience…..anyone out there have any suggestions? You can phone a friend.