Brad Bannon

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Bill Daley's Bridge to Nowhere

With the advent of the new year, it's out with the old and in with the new at the White House.

Bill Daley's departure his job as the President Obama's chief of staff is a promising sign for progressives. The President hired Bill Daley to build bridges to corporate America. But when Daley tried to build the bridge, conservatives immediately torched it. Bill Daley's attempt to create a positive relationship between the White House and congressional Republicans was a bridge to nowhere.

In a speech he delivered just after Labor Day this year, President Obama traded in a futile concilatory approach to the GOP for a brand spanking new confrontational approach. In that speecch, the President criticized congressional Republicans for blocking his efforts to create jobs. When he gave the speech, it was clear that conciliation was out and confrontation was in. It also was evident that economic populism was in and Bill Daley was out.

In the NFL, the opposition makes mistakes when you put ratchet up the pressure. This is just what has happened on in Washington. The President's pressure forced House Republicans to act like spoiled children on the fight over the extension of the payroll tax. President Obama also demonstrated that he is the only adult who works on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Monday, January 09, 2012

3 Stikes and Keith is Out
For the Arena Blog at Politico.com

The only reason the media is buzzing with talk about Current TV right now is Keith Olbermann's high profile. Olbermann put Current TV on the map and the network will stay on the radar if they find someone of the same stature. Even Current will fire Olbermann or he will quit. The controversy about his inevitable departure will do even more for Al Gore and his network.

Olbermann is his own enemy. Since he's burned his bridges in politics, my guess is he'll follow his passion for baseball. Is anyone looking for an analyst to go along with their baseball play by play guy? Rush Limbaugh would get a kick out of it, if the former MSNBC host works for the Cincinnati Reds. But Olbermann should be very cautious in the new job. In baseball, it's three strikes and you're out.

2 sure bets. An SEC team will win the national championship tonight and John Huntsman will be out of the GOP race by the end of the week.