West Wing

Ensuring presidential accuracy & honesty

Three recent articles and columns prompted me to write about President Obama’s oft-repeated false promise, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan, period.”

A past Suskind error

I wish I didn’t have to write this post, but I feel obliged to do so.

Reporter Ron Suskind has a new and quite critical book about the Obama economic team and the Obama White House. I am not linking to it because I am not recommending it. While I often differ with…

Roles of the President’s White House economic advisors (updated)

(This is a minor update of a post I wrote six weeks ago when Dr. Christina Romer’s departure was announced. I have updated this version to reflect the recent announcement of Dr. Larry Summers’ departure at the end of…

“I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you!”

Nine years ago today President Bush visited Ground Zero in New York City. One lasting image is of the President, standing on a pile of rubble with his hand on the shoulder of a firefighter named Bob Beckwith, talking to the rescue workers…

Is Team Obama contingency planning for a Republican House?

Yesterday I endorsed the President’s nominee for OMB Director, Jack Lew. Far more importantly, I see that Budget Committee Ranking Minority Members Paul Ryan (House) and Judd Gregg (Senate) endorsed Mr. Lew. This tells me his…

Avoiding a Constitutional conflict

While you were preparing for your big New Year’s Eve party, the President’s Executive Clerk was deftly avoiding a Constitutional conflict. The effect isn’t earth-shattering, but I think it’s a fascinating example of how our Constitution works in practice. Consider this…