# So what's Obama doing these days? Anything? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736 "2009-01-03T20:58:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/21 "2009-01-03T23:31:10Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > **levdrakon** , you do realize that Obama isn’t yet the POTUS right? He can’t make any grand policy decisions for the better part of a month now. All he can do is get briefed and form a cabinet and staff (mostly already done). I think that is more than enough and exactly what every incoming president has to do. Even if he wants to do something like pull out all of the troops from Iraq and move them into Iran instead (hypothetically speaking), he can’t announce any of that now. Well, that’s all I’m asking. What’s he doing? Getting briefed. Okay. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/22 "2009-01-03T23:32:33Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > **Marley23** , I expect to hear more than he’s being briefed, because our current president gets briefed all the time, and for that matter, you can brief me up the whazoo. I didn’t elect a president who is good at getting briefed. > > I’d like a president who is going to make decisions. I assume many here voted for him because they thought his decisions would be I dunno… good? What decisions can I look forward to? Obviously people like **Dio** know better than most. How about some answers? I’d also like a president who is good at making decisions - and one of the prerequisites for making good decisions is _understanding the current situation_, including information that isn’t available to the general public. This requires extensive briefing. Isn’t it desirable for the President-elect to be fully informed before he begins making actual policy decisions? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/23 "2009-01-03T23:35:02Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > **Dio** , why should it be in the pit? Because that’s the place for political jeering. > [@](#): > > Are you incapable of forming a simple answer to the question of “what is he doing?” without it being in the pit? Our president needs to be discussed in the pit? Why? Yoiur question has already been answered multiple times. The question is why you placed it in IHMO. Are you soliciting facts or opinions? > [@](#): > > **Marley23** , I expect to hear more than he’s being briefed, because our current president gets briefed all the time, and for that matter, you can brief me up the whazoo. I didn’t elect a president who is good at getting briefed. He’s not the President yet, son. > [@](#): > > I’d like a president who is going to make decisions. I assume many here voted for him because they thought his decisions would be I dunno… good? What decisions can I look forward to? Obviously people like **Dio** know better than most. How about some answers? He actually is making dcisions about who to hire, how to prioritize policy and how to proceed once he;s in there. Wjat else would you expect a President-elect to do? You DO understand that he’s not the President yet, don’t you? What is your moron, Palin, doing these days? You know what she’s NOT doing? Making any preparations to be VP. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/24 "2009-01-03T23:35:34Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, that’s all I’m asking. What’s he doing? Getting briefed. Okay. What do you think he _ought_ to be doing? I’m not being sarcastic, I’m just wondering else he could possibly do at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/25 "2009-01-03T23:35:45Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > This kinda makes me laugh. I ask a question and the answer is “you didn’t expect an answer did you?” At least one of us is gaining something positive out of it. To correct you again, my answer is not “_you didn’t expect an answer did you?_”. If you really insist on rewording my responses, more apt would be: “_You’re really not such a nimrod to think that preparing to accept the presidency requires no time and effort, are you?_” > [@Marley23](#): > > The cabinet is complete but there may still be some lower level appointments to be made, for all I know. I believe that he still has to fill (or choose appointees-to-be) a bunch of intelligence-related positions. I’m not sure whether those are cabinet-level, but I think some of them are pretty high-level. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/26 "2009-01-03T23:37:11Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Because that’s the place for political jeering. > > Yoiur question has already been answered multiple times. The question is why you placed it in IHMO. Are you soliciting facts or opinions? > He’s not the President yet, son. > > He actually is making dcisions about who to hire, how to prioritize policy and how to proceed once he;s in there. > > Wjat else would you expect a President-elect to do? > > You DO understand that he’s not the President yet, don’t you? > > What is your moron, Palin, doing these days? You know what she’s NOT doing? Making any preparations to be VP. She’s not my moron. Is there something wrong with your keyboard? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/27 "2009-01-03T23:37:44Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, that’s all I’m asking. What’s he doing? Getting briefed. Okay. No, he’s getting briefed, and making decisions about staffing, appointments, policy and strategy. You clearly have no interest in actually getting your question answered and you’re in the wrong forum. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/28 "2009-01-03T23:44:10Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No, he’s getting briefed, and making decisions about staffing, appointments, policy and strategy. > > You clearly have no interest in actually getting your question answered and you’re in the wrong forum. Well, since you’re in the know, what strategy can I look forward to? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/29 "2009-01-03T23:45:37Z")
Wait and see. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/30 "2009-01-03T23:45:42Z")
**Diogenes** , whether **levdrakon** likes Obama or not (I don’t know anything about his politics), he’s allowed to ask about what Obama’s doing even if he puts a negative spin on the question. Let the mods handle what forum the thread should be in, ok? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/31 "2009-01-03T23:47:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > **Diogenes** , whether **levdrakon** likes Obama or not (I don’t know anything about his politics), he’s allowed to ask about what Obama’s doing even if he puts a negative spin on the question. Let the mods handle what forum the thread should be in, ok? Even if he’s asking for facts, he’s still in he wrong forum, but beyond that, his question has been asked and answered and at this point he’s only trying to be provocative. Let me put it this way – what does he want to people’s _opinions_ about? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/32 "2009-01-03T23:47:55Z")
Oh, I voted for the guy. I’m just antsy. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/33 "2009-01-03T23:51:10Z")
**Lev** , the honest answer is that he spends 10 hours a day in meetings which cover a wide variety of topics from briefings, to hiring decisions, to formulation of political strategies. He isn’t putting the minutes of these meetings online, if that’s what you’re asking for, so I don’t know what else to tell you. The short answer to your question is that he’s making like Batman and getting prepared. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/34 "2009-01-03T23:52:53Z")
Also, it’s considered to be poor form for a president-elect to start governing. Keeping everything low-key so as not to overshadow the outgoing administration is customary. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/35 "2009-01-04T00:02:34Z")
I agree the basic question’s been answered. Obama can’t just send Clinton to negotiate any peace treaties or give money to GM or whatever, he can only follow the situation, speak up in public if he wants, and make plans. Maybe somebody else can find more info about what he’s planning right now. ETA: I reported this thread to the IMHO mods. They’ll move if it they see fit. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/36 "2009-01-04T00:03:22Z")
**levdrakon** , I follow the news, and Obama’s actions have been in the news on an almost daily business. One thing that’s been pointed out, though, is that he doesn’t become the president for another couple of weeks and making major policy decisions before then would be seen as presumptuous and stepping on the current president’s toes. Bush is still in office and still making decisions. His presidency didn’t end on election day. Until he’s sworn in as president, there are limits to what Obama can do. On the other hand, I went out to CNN’s website while I was typing this post. On the front page they have the following story:[Obama sketches out recovery plan](http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/03/news/economy/obama_stimulus/index.htm?postversion=2009010306). MSNBC has this story: [Obama faces an early test over views on detainees](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28477615/). As others have pointed out, he’s also named his cabinet and has been getting the briefing’s he’ll need to take over as president, as well as attending a memorial service for his grandmother and squeezing in a bit of a vacation. I don’t blame him for doing that – even if things go well, he’s in for a rough few years. Obama’s not running the country yet, nor should he be. On the other hand, he’s not slacking off, either and even conservatives have been pleasanty surprised by some of his appointments. If you want to see what he’s up to, the evening news, the morning newspaper, or the usual on-line sources might give you better and more accurate information than we can. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/37 "2009-01-04T00:17:21Z")
If you want something completely generic and unbiased, I started a thread well before this election called “Who Teaches a New President of The U.S. How to Be President?”. It got some good and informative replies that also apply to Obama right now. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=424226&highlight=teaches+president](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=424226&highlight=teaches+president) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/38 "2009-01-04T00:19:29Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > **levdrakon** , I follow the news, and Obama’s actions have been in the news on an almost daily business. One thing that’s been pointed out, though, is that he doesn’t become the president for another couple of weeks and making major policy decisions before then would be seen as presumptuous and stepping on the current president’s toes. Bush is still in office and still making decisions. His presidency didn’t end on election day. Until he’s sworn in as president, there are limits to what Obama can do. > > On the other hand, I went out to CNN’s website while I was typing this post. On the front page they have the following story:[Obama sketches out recovery plan](http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/03/news/economy/obama_stimulus/index.htm?postversion=2009010306). MSNBC has this story: [Obama faces an early test over views on detainees](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28477615/). As others have pointed out, he’s also named his cabinet and has been getting the briefing’s he’ll need to take over as president, as well as attending a memorial service for his grandmother and squeezing in a bit of a vacation. I don’t blame him for doing that – even if things go well, he’s in for a rough few years. > > Obama’s not running the country yet, nor should he be. On the other hand, he’s not slacking off, either and even conservatives have been pleasanty surprised by some of his appointments. If you want to see what he’s up to, the evening news, the morning newspaper, or the usual on-line sources might give you better and more accurate information than we can. Thank you for a thoughtful and unprejudiced post. I’m aware of some of the challenges he faces. I’m just curious what he’s actually doing, besides packing. I don’t think the president starts waving his presidential wand only after he’s sworn into office. He is the president of the most powerful country on this planet - sworn in or not - and I hate to think he doesn’t have buns in the oven. Personally, I’d like to see him storm into the Whitehouse, grab Bush by the scruff of the collar and throw him onto the street, but that’s just fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/39 "2009-01-04T00:21:50Z")
If what is being sought out is facts, GQ is the place to be. Moving thread from IMHO to General Questions. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736/40 "2009-01-04T00:25:41Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I don’t think the president starts waving his presidential wand only after he’s sworn into office. He is the president of the most powerful country on this planet - sworn in or not - and I hate to think he doesn’t have buns in the oven. No, he isn’t. That’s the thing. Right now, he’s the President-Elect, and has very little legal authority. Whether you like it or not, Bush is still President, and will be President for the next sixteen days, sixteen hours, and thirty-six minutes. Swearing-in isn’t just a formality, it actually makes the guy President. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-obama-doing-these-days-anything/479736.md?page=3)