Crossposted from The Field.
Senior White House Advisor-in-waiting David Axelrod was on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos this a.m. and was asked about two potential Obama cabinet picks, giving, for the first time, an official Obama spokesman's words on the matters...
The first was the talk of Tim Geithner for Treasury Secretary:
STEPHANOPOULOS: The pressure was building on Wall Street all week long, as we saw the market dropping, for the president-elect to send a signal that he was engaged with the economy. And then that word leaked out of the potential pick for Treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, on Friday at 3:00. You saw a huge spike in the stock market.
Did the president-elect let that word get out because he was concerned about the markets? And what do you think of the response so far?
AXELROD: Well, the response has been great, and it should be. Tim Geithner is uniquely qualified to do this job. He's someone who is steeped in the economy and in managing crises, as you know, George, from -- in the ‘90s, he was the assistant Treasury secretary for international affairs, and he handled a couple of international financial crises.
And he's someone who, by both temperament and experience, is well suited for the times we're in. And we were gratified by the reaction to news of his pending appointment.
That is the language one uses when an appointment is a done deal.
Now, compare that to the language Axelrod used when asked about the talk of Senator Clinton for Secretary of State:
STEPHANOPOULOS: The other big appointment on track, of course, is Senator Hillary Clinton to be secretary of state -- expected to be announced after Thanksgiving. Received a lot of praise from a lot of quarters, but also some criticism, including from David Ignatius of the "Washington Post."
And he asked this. He says, "Clinton is immensely talented, but it could be the wrong job for her, since it has the potential to undermine Obama's own transformational role in foreign policy -- perhaps the greatest opportunity he has. Why subcontract this to Clinton and her entourage?"
What's the answer?
AXELROD: Well, first of all, George, you're right that they've had some great discussions. We've not made any announcements related to that yet, and probably won't until after the holidays.
But let me say this. People need to understand one thing. There's one person who's going to be in charge of American foreign policy, and there's one person who's going to be in charge of American economic policy. And that's Barack Obama.
He's going to set the direction, and he's going to assemble a group of talented and brilliant people to help execute that vision. So, and certainly Senator Clinton, should she be selected, fits that category of brilliance and ability.
And he is assembling the best possible team to move this country forward, but he will set the direction.
That's the language one uses when something is not a done deal.
Also interesting, is how he confirmed reports that there probably won't be any announcement regarding Secretary of State until "after the holidays" (that is, until December 1 or later) giving the High School Drama Society eight more days of tantalizing leaks, spin, circus and rope upon which to hang itself... or talk itself and others in a different direction.
So, let us recap the last nine days of the freak show: hundreds of stories have been written citing unnamed sources of unexplained closeness to the process. But only two of those stories included the words of an identified spokesperson for either Obama or Clinton.
The first came on Friday, from official Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines, who told the New York Times:
"We're still in discussions, which are very much on track," said her spokesman, Philippe Reines. "Any reports beyond that are premature."
The second came this morning from Axelrod on ABC.
Neither side's official spokespersons are using the language of "done deals" that was used by Axelrod regarding Treasure Secretary-in-waiting Geithner this morning.
But just in case, if does become true that the "Team of Rivals" approach would bring us Senator Clinton as Secretary of State, highly placed sources close to, well, me have told The Field that America will get two for the price of one, and that I - as the most rivalrous team member of all - and my team of journalists throughout the continents called América will serve the next Secretary of State in unpaid, unhired (that means we can't ever be fired) capacities as investigators, auditors and publicists for each and every move made by the next Secretary of State, its subsecretaries, ambassadors and other minions throughout the Western Hemisphere.
To that end - unnamed sources have told The Field - I have generously designed, above, the new and improved US Department of State seal to wave high and proud above any ship of State that might become a permanent media circus.
I confess that one small part of me - that which constructs media viruses - has warmed to the suggestion of Senator Clinton as Secretary of State: If that were to happen, it will no longer be so darn difficult to get Americans to pay attention to what goes on outside their borders, because the circus - complete with teamery, rivalry, leakery, dramataery and all - will be on tour all the world over, and the freak show would probably prove quite useful in drawing your attentions to it all.
That said, I may be the only person left that isn't convinced it's a done deal.
On the other hand, if it is one, or if it survives the next eight days in good enough condition to become one, I suppose I should look at it as job security for investigative journalists across the globe.
Alas, what a waste of all this unnamed sourcing and speculation it would be if all this drama - and the next eight days of it still to tantalize us yet! - will have proved for naught and we don't get to utilize that handsome new State Department seal to count and symbolize the days that the circus is in town.