It was show time in Chicago, as Barack Obama trotted out his economic team in an attempt to boost Americans' confidence in our financial future.
Obama voiced support for the Congressional Democrats' massive stimulus package — another $700 billion of YOUR money. The bill is planned for delivery right when Obama takes office in January. But for some in the church of Obama, that's not soon enough.
In Saturday's New York Times, columnist Gail Collins urged Bush to step aside now so Obama could take power immediately! This is what she wrote: "Putting Barack Obama in charge immediately isn't impossible. Dick Cheney, obviously, would have to quit as well as Bush. In fact, just to be on the safe side, the vice president ought to turn in his resignation first... Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would become president until Jan. 20. Obviously, she'd defer to her party's incoming chief executive, and Barack Obama could begin governing."
Then there's Tom Friedman, Collins' colleague on the New York Times editorial page, who thinks that Bush should allow Obama's Treasury secretary to step in now.
And way back in October, The Boston Globe, anticipating an Obama win, also outlined a plan for the Bush Administration to pack it in before Inauguration Day.
We need the Messiah and we need him now!
Two problems — one, this is just stupid. President Bush is already consulting with Obama on the economy. Plus, Bush and Obama both seem to believe that bailouts are the right medicine for an ailing economy anyway.
Second, subverting the orderly transition of power would only heighten the sense of panic — not just about the economy but about the state of government itself.
Obsessive Bush hatred is an affliction that even Obama's victory didn't seem to cure. Maybe Ms. Collins should take some of her own advice and retire immediately. Readers would receive better economic analysis if she just handed her column over to an intern...or one of the Times' restroom attendants.
