Obama picks non-politician physicist to head energy department

[TheImpossibleMan]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/10/obama.energy/index.html

Washington -- President-elect Barack Obama is likely to name Steven Chu, a physicist who runs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as his energy secretary, three Democratic officials close to the transition told CNN.

The three officials said that the announcement is expected next week in Chicago, Illinois, and that Obama will also name Carol Browner, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration, as the newly created "climate czar" inside the White House itself.


Chu won the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics and is highly respected in energy circles. But some Democrats have privately expressed concern that Chu has no political experience as he takes on the monumental task of passing a landmark energy reform bill early next year.


Although Browner is seen as a shrewd inside player who could help the incoming energy secretary navigate Capitol Hill, Obama (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Barack_Obama) will face questions about how effective his team will be going up against oil companies and other special interests that do not want to change the status quo.

"Energy is going to be a huge fight," one Democratic official said. "They need someone with the gravitas and force of personality to make it happen."
Democrats have privately floated some other big names for energy (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/U_S_Department_of_Energy) secretary in recent days, including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.


But a source close to Schwarzenegger said the governor wants to serve out the rest of his term in the Golden State.


A source close to Powell said the retired general will take "no formal Cabinet role" in an Obama administration but is leaving the door open to an informal troubleshooting role -- such as Mideast envoy -- if the incoming president has a specific mission that needs to be filled.Well, you Republicans bitched incessantly about Obama not picking people out of left field to head every major department. Here you go.

[worldsnemesis]

I applaud Obama for making decisions for his cabinet not based solely on political ideologies. It shows a strong sense of integrity to the country rather than to political party. I am also glad that Obama sought after pioneers and leaders in their prospective fields to fill high positions, it shows a great willingness to work outside of Washington.

[freegood]

A Nobel Prize Winner >>>>>> whoever the fuck Bush has in place now.

[Mustard]

Al Gore?!?!?

[freegood]

Al Gore?!?!?

A REAL Nobel Prize Winner >>>>> the scrap metal left behind from making the other legitimate prizes

[Mustard]

Aww shucks :(

[WET HOT MESS]

This is kinda random, but do you really think his team is actually reading the stuff folks send in to their website (www.change.gov)? I wanna believe that Obama is truly open minded to the people's ideas and opinions, even though it's probably too good to be true.

[Gary_Busey]

This dude is probably not as smart as Palin, the true energy expert.

[TheImpossibleMan]

He probably has never even seen Russia.

[Claydon]

Chu has TONS of political experience, he has worked in academia, it doesn't get more political than that.

[Archetype]

Sure it does. Like, in politics.

[Smuckers]

Aww shucks :(

:(

[TheImpossibleMan]

Chu has TONS of political experience, he has worked in academia, it doesn't get more political than that.
We get it dude. Just post "Change we need?" in every Obama thread and be done with it.

[taters]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/10/obama.energy/index.html

Well, you Republicans bitched incessantly about Obama not picking people out of left field to head every major department. Here you go.

Theyll still bitch. If he picked an entire republican cabinet, they would bitch about that. Fox news has got to keep its base viewers watching somehow.

[heelsguy]

so far I have been impressed with Obama's picks... the only one I had a problem with was rohm. that made me worried about what would follow, since he is as partisan as they come.

[Rover]

Chu has TONS of political experience, he has worked in academia, it doesn't get more political than that.It's not the same. Politician is a career with specific skill sets. I'm not sure this guy has those skills.

And putting an energy physicist in charge of the Energy department is like putting a union boss in charge of the Labor department.

[Morfin]

Obama will also name Carol Browner, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration, as the newly created "climate czar" inside the White House itself.

Can we stop with this stupid word, "Czar?" We had a drug czar. (Do we still have that one?). We are going to have a "car czar," and now a "climate czar?"

Czar? Why not King or Dictator. I guess the previous title of "Undersecretary" was just too pedestrian -- or, continuing with the czar theme: to proletarian.

[taters]

It's not the same. Politician is a career with specific skill sets. I'm not sure this guy has those skills.

And putting an energy physicist in charge of the Energy department is like putting a union boss in charge of the Labor department.


Born in Chicago, Illinois on November 26, 1938, Bodman passed his early years in the Chicago suburbs, before he graduated in 1961 with a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cornell University. He was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity and the Sphinx Head Society. In 1965, he completed his Sc.D. in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). For the next six years he served as an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIThttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Bodman

I guess chemists are the preferred choices on the right over physicists.

[Rover]

Right. Bodman has been an overwhelming success as Energy secretary. I forgot how he solved all of the energy problems this country is facing.

[taters]

^ Fair enough. But who should a person pick? A former oil lobbyist? A 'person friend of Obama's father'? A former big energy CEO?

[Rover]

Someone with executive experience who is understands how to pass legislation. SecEnergy can hire a thousand physicists to give him an energy plan, but unless he can pass legislation to get it done, it's pointless.

Chu has a Nobel prize, but the the prize isn't for "Passing the most influential legislation that changes the world."

[redsox39]

http://i37.tinypic.com/2nj8n.jpg

[redsox39]

It's not the same. Politician is a career with specific skill sets. I'm not sure this guy has those skills.

And putting an energy physicist in charge of the Energy department is like putting a union boss in charge of the Labor department.

OH NOS!!!! A guy that can't bullshit very good!!!! SHIT!!!

[BIG PIZZLE]

It's not the same. Politician is a career with specific skill sets. I'm not sure this guy has those skills.

And putting an energy physicist in charge of the Energy department is like putting a union boss in charge of the Labor department.

The only skill sets that successful politicians develop is how to stay in office.



Chu has a Nobel prize, but the the prize isn't for "Passing the most influential legislation that changes the world."

When was the last time you saw any influential legislation that changed the world?

[Morfin]

When was the last time you saw any influential legislation that changed the world?

Lawmaker wants to prohibit billing BCS title game as 'national championship'
Dec. 10, 2008

WASHINGTON -- Taking aim at a BCS system he said "consistently misfires," a member of Congress planned to introduce legislation Wednesday that would force college football to adopt a playoff to determine the national champion. Link (http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/11163890)

[BIG PIZZLE]

Yes, college football. But I prefer my government to waste its time and my money on pro-sports.

[freegood]

For people criticizing the pick, what the fuck is so good with the chump we have now...Mr. WhoeverTheFuckHisNameIsCuzI'mTooLazytoGoogle?

[Rover]

The only skill sets that successful politicians develop is how to stay in office.

When was the last time you saw any influential legislation that changed the world?Bush has been able to push through congressional support for 2 wars and Congress has broken to his every whim on the war on terror. Domestic surveillance, rendition, torture, etc. Thanks in no small part to Rumsfeld and Tom Ridge and John Ashcroft, who used their decades of Washington experience and relationships to do all sorts of crazy, wacky things.

I'd argue that the war on terror and it's ripple effects have changed the world.

If you want some feel good bullshit, PEPFAR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President's_Emergency_Plan_for_AIDS_Relief) is changing lives and making millions of people live longer lives in wonderful sub-Sahara Africa.

As far as generic, influential legislation. Congress took 3 days to start nationalizing the economy.

For all I know Chu could be a brilliant administrator and politician, but just because he's got a Nobel prize doesn't mean he's going to be successful.

[Rover]

For people criticizing the pick, what the fuck is so good with the chump we have now...Mr. WhoeverTheFuckHisNameIsCuzI'mTooLazytoGoogle?To lazy to read the thread, too. Tater and I already discussed the (lack of) accomplishments of Secretary Bodman.

[Yelram]

Well I'll have to give it to him, he's not picking sides based upon arbitrary party line litmus tests. Thats a plus.