Is the Obama White House already in trouble?

It's been a tough 10 days in the life of the 4-week-old Obama White House.

Tom Daschle has to withdraw as the president's pick for secretary of Health and Human Services for failing to pay more than $120,000 in taxes.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who managed to squeeze through confirmation hearings despite his own tax problems, bombs in laying out the president's new Wall Street rescue plan. The street tanks.

Sen. Judd Gregg, the independent-minded Republican senator from New Hampshire (which kind of describes the whole state), decides at the last minute that he doesn't want to be President Obama's secretary of Commerce after all.

He cites his discomfort with Obama fiscal policies -- and, as The Ticket reported earlier, political battles over the 2010 Census. All this after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Obama's first choice, had already pulled out of consideration because of an ethics probe.

Just as stunning, Obama lauds Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens for saying that if Congress passes his $789-billion stimulus package, Caterpillar will be able to rehire some of the 22,000 workers recently laid off. Then Owens says, not so fast, maybe not. And this after Obama invited him on Air Force One en route to the company's plant in East Peoria!

So where's the White House advance team? The vetting team? Critics are piling on.

Joe Scarborough said on MSNBC this morning that if his congressional staff had messed up this badly, he'd have fired them. The Wall Street Journal called Gregg's announcement "a fresh embarrassment for an administration rocked by a number of setbacks ... two days after a bank rescue plan was widely panned by financial markets and lawmakers from both parties." As Bob Schieffer put it on "The CBS Evening News":

To have these incidents happening over and over again, this does not help this administration's credibility. There's no other way you can say it.

For his part, Obama was gracious about the Gregg setback. As our friends at The Swamp noted, he joked with a crowd in Springfield, Ill., about whether Abraham Lincoln had also had trouble finding a Commerce secretary.

-- Johanna Neuman

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Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[Christopher Rose]

Wow, you quote Joe Scarborough AND the FOX WSJ as critical of Obama... say it isn't so! And YOU used to work for Laura Bush -- there's a shock!! Maybe tomorrow you'll quote Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh? I won't be waiting to see... ho hum.

[M. J.]

You ask if the Obama White house is in trouble, then to illustrate this "trouble" you quote a couple of Republicans, including the Wall Street Journal? The Republicans, across the board, have made it clear they only care about their partisan agenda and have no interest whatsoever in solving this nation's problems. So, the question to you, Mr. Malcolm, is -- is the Obama White House in trouble, or, are you and the other media vultures just hoping they are?

[Brian Minucci]

I want Obama to succeed as much as anyone that voted for him, and I voted for "the other guy." I thought reaching across the isle and selecting Gregg was a smart thing to do. But if you are going to look for an advisor from the right, you have to compromise. I think the real problem is this census non-sense. Trying to control it is devisive and Obama should be steering clear of it rather than putting his hands all over it. We have much more important things to worry about like becoming energy independent. They should spend that 789 billion on building nuclear power plants and electric cars. I am not even a tree-hugger but many of our dometsic and foreign problems would be solved if we didn't rely on the price of foreign oil.

[Air]

"Sen. Judd Gregg, the independent-minded Republican senator from New Hampshire .... cites his discomfort with Obama fiscal policies" This fellow succeeded in embarrasing himself. Did Judd Gregg just drop from moon? Did he not listen to Obama campaign? I understand he lobied hard for the nomination. Looks that Judd Gregg is inconsistent-not independent-minded to me.

[Hasani]

President Barack Hussein Obama knew what he was getting into. For a Black man to be in the white house he has to be strong or out think his opponent. He knew that his job was not going to be easy. So he entered into trouble conditions in the white house.

[ontheright]

If this cross section of responses here further represent the general populous who reads the LAT, it is no wonder at all that this and other print media outlets are Failing!

You Obamatrons are buffons and fools - and I bet not one of you have even bothered to read the porkulus bill...you probably wouldn't understand it if you did.

Welcome to the new Socialist Republic of America!

[AndyB]

I want Obama to fail. I want this stimulus bill to fail. And I want the American people to experience first hand what destruction liberalism reaps on society. Liberalism is an evil ideology. It sucks the individualism and self preservation out the human spirit. And it should be stomped out by force if necessary. Just like we stomped out communism, it's cousin, liberalism will kill and murder under soft tyranny millions. Just like Nazism did under Hitler. And just like communism did under Stalin. And yes I'm comparing you little brown shirts Nazi's. I don't think you'd murder people yet. YET!

[Mikeychan]

Obama is busting his butt right out the gate, he is really trying to do the peoples work, so what if he didnt pick the right guy, we all do it from time to time, bush and clinton did the same thing, so what.

The GOP are a bunch of old fuddy duddys anyways look at McCain how old is this man? 100? they are a bunch of old men who are stuck in the past thinking another reagan will come and fix everything when in reality reagen didnt he only made it worse by placing a band aid on the problem.

we have another new deal in the works and the GOP is scared it took them 30 years to destroy Roosevelts dream and they want to do it again what for?

[tod]

Clearly, Obama is in over his head! Anyone who had not drunk the O'coolaid knew this over a year ago! Just because someone doesn't buy into the Liberal spin ... doesn't mean that he's wrong. Look at the bright side ... Jimmy Carter's been needing someone to sit next to when history writes the Obamas story!

[Vernon]

As CBS Evening News' Bob Schieffer put it:

To have these incidents happening over and over again, this does not help this administration's credibility. There's no other way you can say it.

Bob Schieffer is no Republican folks. The criticism isn't strictly coming from the Right. Take off your pink colored glasses for a change.

[ccc]

Yes he is in trouble! This bill is nothing but pork and spending and will not create ny long term jobs. I don't think the fools who voted for him knew that the change they were getting was unemployment!

[Zuzu]

This article is grasping at straws... the examples listed as "trouble" are really pushing it. Sounds to me like the standard ups and downs of creating a new administration. Its funny to me how quickly these people forget that the Obama folks walked into a mess that took eight years to create... what's it been a month? Let the man do his damn job.

[Kiki]

This reminds me of the house of cards

[RMG]

To those complaining about Scarborough and WSJ, TOTT also quoted CBS News' Schieffer:

"To have these incidents happening over and over again, this does not help this administration's credibility. There's no other way you can say it."

I'm personally highly supportive of this president; but the collective missteps from Richardson to Daschle to Gregg creates a huge credibility problem for Obama.

[Monika Rempel]

Obama's history of accomplishments has come back to bite him. His record showed no significant accomplishments other than the fact he's an outstanding campaigner. Obama is still doing the only thing he's good at- campaigning. That means he talks a lot...but says nothing, promises everything to everyone and delivers what can only result form such audacity- chaos and confusion.

[DBC]

It is a proud day for the Obama sheep, the blind worshipers of the annointed one. Tonight, our children and grandchildren will inherit a level of debt that our country has never remotely experienced. And a selfish segment of Congress,most of whom will not be around when the debt must be paid, rush to pass the bill before it can be thoroughly analyzed. So as we rush to spend billions on Acorn, Philippine veterans, bullet trains to Las Vegas and other worthy stimulus projects, take the time to congratulate yourself. Because 2 years from now when the impact of doubling the debt is realized and the country has augered in, you can be proud of your contribution. And there will be no doubt which party owns the result. Baaaah.

[Bertha]

Surprise! Barack Hussein Obama is failing! What else would you expect from a muslim president?

[steve rodriguez]

Hasani - are you playing the race card for Barrack Obama?
I didn't know that card was in his deck, but you saw it there and played it! " The Race Card!" How convenient!!!!!!

[Libby]

Obama was in over his head when he was in the Illinois Senate. Other people wrote the bills that were handed over to him so he could put his name on them and present them. Obama was so far over his head in the Senate of the U.S. that he ran for President rather than call even one meeting of the committee when he was the chairman. He barely voted in any of his jobs. He never ran his own campaigns.

Obama is a tool, a Trojan Horse, and an empty suit who is simply pushing the agenda's of others. Three weeks into his Presidency he has not proven that he has what it takes to be the president. He allowed the congress to write the stimulus plan. He keeps appointing people who have not been vetted. Obama himself, has never been vetted.

This charade needs to end very soon. Obama cannot get himself out of the White House fast enough. He goes to Chicago, Springfield, Florida, Indiana and he hasn't even been in office THREE WEEKS.

When will he admit that he is not up to the job and doesn't really want to do it?

BIden is not up to the job either.

Pelosi already thinks that she is president so she may be putting the pressure on the man she wanted as President, to expose his weaknesses while strengthening her position...since she is the next president if anything happens to Obama and Biden.

This just keeps getting worse.

[Libby]

Let me point out one very significant thing about the passage of this bill. Three of the people who support Obama on this have had brain problems.

Joe Biden: multiple brain aneurysms
Just google joe biden and brain to get the links.

Edward Kennedy: Malignant brain tumor yet he gets up from his sick bed to vote for the stimulus.
Google Edward Kennedy and brain for the links.

Arlen Specter: the republican who crossed the aisle to vote for the stimulus has been battling brain tumors for years.
Google Arlen Specter and brain for the links.

Obama never wrote one bill ever. His name was put on bills written by others and he was allowed to present them. He did not write the stimulus package and never read it. He left it to congress. He always leaves the work to others so he can keep the blame away from himself.

Are these the people we want making decisions for our lives, much less the future of our children and grandchildren? They have no attachment to the future.

Three of those people have problems with their brains, and our president has a problem that make him unable to deal with any situation hands on. He is avoiding the work the minute he gets a job. He's run out of places to run for office so now he just runs away from the White House by pretending he is back on the campaign trail for a bill when he obviously has no clue about the contents of the bill because they change by the minute. But there he is out campaigning for it though he does not know what the contents of the bill are or what the money is for, but he pretends that he does know that.

People who voted for Obama were forewarned but all they heard was "hope" "change" and never counted on the fact that even the man they voted for as President, had no idea what he meant while he was chanting about hope and change.

[Indievoter]

Incompetent boobs is the only way to describe the current administration and its incompetent leader who not only had to start his campaigning again, but has left for a 4 day weekend in Chicago to celebrate Valentine's Day.

While Rome burns.....

[truthisgold]

So...this is a SURPRISE??? What on earth did anyone expect, given the utter and complete absence of ANY legitimage credentials, experience, transparency, associates or associations, history or character.

This is like putting an axe murderer in charge of an almshouse and wondering why all the inmates keep winding up dead. DUH.

[As seen on Oprah and CNN]

All sales final.No refunds or exchanges.And everybody's
credit cards are now maxed out with the just passed
porc bill.Ron Paul will definitly have a party in 2012.The
dems pseudo stimulus thing is like paying your mortgage
with your credit card.Stay tuned for mega tax increases
next year and the year after and the year after.And if
anything happens to Obama we will be stuck with that
clown of clowns Biden. Futur has never been so scary.

[What's his face to Christopher Rose]

Your attacking Andrew Malcolm for an article that was written by Johanna Newman you putz.reminds me of Obama's faux pas about the rehiring at
Caterpilar. Your Chicago guy is starting to sound more and more like that Biden turd who keeps puting his foot in his mouth.

[Charles]

To all you naysayers, I give the Bronx cheer. The stimulus bill passed. End of story.

Please keep underestimating Barack. Barack is playing chess while you all are playing checkers. He looks like a political genius.