Obama Chooses Ex-Clinton Official Podesta to Help Revive Agenda

[Purveyor]

President Barack Obama is enlisting John Podesta, a longtime Democratic strategist aligned with opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline, to join his inner circle to help renew his second-term agenda.

Podesta, 64, a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, enters the White House as Obama’s approval ratings have fallen to all-time lows since the fumbled rollout of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He’ll focus on energy and climate change, according to White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Podesta is the second addition in a week to a West Wing trying to regroup from the Obamacare setbacks. Phil Schiliro, Obama’s former congressional liaison and a onetime Democratic aide in the U.S. House, is returning to oversee implementation of the health-care law.

New to Obama’s White House, Podesta has been an outside adviser since before the president took office. He led Obama’s transition team after the 2008 election and has been chairman of the Center for American Progress, a policy research organization he founded that is closely tied to the White House.

He has warned of the dangers of failing to curb the use of fossil fuels. In January 2012, he co-wrote an editorial that appeared in the Wall Street Journal with billionaire investor Tom Steyer, who is campaigning against the Keystone pipeline.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-10/obama-chooses-ex-clinton-official-podesta-to-help-revive-agenda.html

[Laelth]

1. This is a positive development. k&r for exposure.

In 2008, Podesta authored his book The Power of Progress: How America's Progressives Can (Once Again) Save Our Economy, Our Climate, and Our Country. In it, he articulates a vision of progressive values based on four core lessons: 1) Progressives stand with people, not privilege; 2) Progressives believe in the Common Good and a government that offers a hand up; 3) Progressives hold that all people are equal in the eyes of God and under the law; and 4) Progressives stand for universal human rights and cooperative global security.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Podesta

-Laelth

[Purveyor]

2. Can't wait for Carville, Lanny Davis and Paul Begala to show up...

[Boomerproud]

3. I'll reserve judgement on whether it's a positive development or not.

Time will tell.

[Laelth]

4. I respect your reticence. n/t

-Laelth