Will Obama regret Hillary?

To say that the Obama campaign was well disciplined, defined and organized is an understatement. The people working for Obama to help him become the first black president and give the White House back to the Democrats after being left out for so long was certainly a motivating factor. But there was more coming from this talented group. They believed in Obama. They believed in his judgement and vision and trusted him with the presidency and as the leader of the free world.

Now, however, some of these very same people are questioning their boss' decision.

“He’s making a mistake.” As one of the participants told a friend later that night: “She’ll do a good job but she’ll do it for herself, not for Barack. I can’t bear the drama again.”She, of course, is Hillary Clinton, former First Lady, figurehead of Democratic women, presidential candidate with 18 million votes and now would-be Secretary of State.

They also draw into question the lack of trust and suspicion both camps share with another. And what exactly is the purpose of having Senator Clinton in his cabinet. What sort of baggage will she bring to the administration and is she even willing or able to be subordinate to the junior Senator who beat her and Bill? Some are seeing this as a recipe for disaster and are outright questioning Obama’s position on the selection.

The Obama aides who went for coffee on Wednesday discussed how the initial tentative talks between Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were leaked by the Clinton camp, then how every twist and turn of the financial vetting found its way into the media.

Those in Mrs Clinton’s camp who wanted her to take the job wanted the financial issue off the table believing Mr Obama would find any excuse not to give her the job.

“They can’t help themselves,” the Obama aide told his friend, a fellow Democrat strategist. “Every event is a potential ladder up or a bullet to be dodged. They’re positioning and spinning all the time. They lost. Now we seem to be handing them the farm.”

Most shocking to Mr Obama’s team is the loss of discipline and control that they have experienced since coming to Washington.The President-elect’s campaign was tightly controlled, with very few uncoordinated leaks. The candidate was known as “No Drama Obama.” David Corn, Washington Bureau Chief of the left of centre magazine Mother Jones, summed up the problem: “The presidential transition of no-drama Obama became infected by the never-ending soap opera of the Clintons. And it really is time to turn that programme off.”

Photo from Fist Friday