Mind Those Who Herald The Way

(Not trying to get Biblical or anything with a post title like that, but I thought it fit…)

The New York Times tells us here that both the Obama and McBush campaigns have been working with Dubya to ensure as smooth a transition as possible between His Fraudulency and the poor sap who will be handed an epochal mess winner of the presidential campaign when the latter takes over next January (O Blessed Day – and let it please be “that one,” of course).

The McCain campaign has tapped William E. Timmons Sr., a longtime Washington lobbyist, to be part of its transition team, along with John Lehman Jr., former secretary of the Navy.

…

The Obama campaign has turned to John Podesta, a former White House chief of staff for Bill Clinton and now president of the Center for American Progress.

Christy at firedoglake has more on Timmons here, telling us that…

...Timmons is old-school power, and he brings all those connections to the McCain table -- for his own and clients' benefits, though, or for McCain's? Or both?

Timmons has been greasing the skids for a whole host of special interests for decades, and thus brings a certain "insider smarm" that the Maverocity PR purveyors will have to try to downplay. But can they?

Just take a peek at a partial list of clients for whom Timmons and Company has lobbied just since 2001 according to Implu:

Unocal (now owned by Chevron)

American Petroleum Institute

American Health Care Association

Lincare

AT&T

Freddie Mac (of course)

Centex Corporation

Cox Enterprises, Inc.

National Assoc. of Manufacturers

Asbestos Working Group

Northrup Grumman

American Financial Services Assoc.

The NRA (The National Rifle Association)

The American Council of Life Insurers

Farallon Capital Management, LLC

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Primerica Financial Services

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.

On the other hand, this tells us that John Podesta, in addition to running the Center for American Progress…

..served as Chief of Staff to President William J. Clinton from October 1998 until January 2001, where he was responsible for directing, managing, and overseeing all policy development, daily operations, Congressional relations, and staff activities of the White House. He coordinated the work of cabinet agencies with a particular emphasis on the development of federal budget and tax policy, and served in the President's Cabinet and as a Principal on the National Security Council.

…

Podesta has held a number of positions on Capitol Hill including: Counselor to Democratic Leader Senator Thomas A. Daschle (1995-1996); Chief Counsel for the Senate Agriculture Committee (1987-1988); Chief Minority Counsel for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks; Security and Terrorism; and Regulatory Reform; and Counsel on the Majority Staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee (1979-1981). In addition, in 1988, Podesta founded with his brother Tony, Podesta Associates, Inc., a Washington, D.C. government relations and public affairs firm.

So, making the way for a possible Palin-McBush administration is a well-heeled, longtime Repug insider thoroughly versed in the ways of crony capitalism going back at least 30 years. Making the way for Obama-Biden, however, is perhaps the one individual most thoroughly grounded in the law, government and public policy available for such a challenge within the D.C. beltway, having done so for the last president under whose administration this country saw actual growth and prosperity.

Not much for me to think about here – what say you?

Update 10/14/08: Freaking whoa, dude!