Subject: Re: Daschle letter on confirmation process
From: Cassandra Butts <[email-masked]>
To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Cc: Chris Lu <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:48:18 -0400

I've communicated that we would prefer that he not sign, and they are  
fine with that.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 22, 2008, at 7:35 PM, "John Podesta" <[email-masked]>  
wrote:

> I wonder about the overall framing as well. I'm all for rapid
> confirmations which I believe won't be a problem for our side if we
> get our job done. But this asks us to buy into a pick the important
> war jobs. Implication is that the ones you don't designate aren't
> important to you which I think is trouble.
>
>
>
> On 9/22/08, Chris Lu <[email-masked]> wrote:
>> My two cents is that Daschle shouldn't sign since he's involved in  
>> our
>> transition efforts.   If Dole is going to sign, isn't George  
>> Mitchell the
>> better Democratic person to sign?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> From: Cassandra Butts [mailto:[email-masked]]
>> Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 3:36 PM
>> To: John Podesta; Chris Lu
>> Subject: Daschle letter on confirmation process
>>
>>
>>
>> See the following from Sen Daschle regarding a letter he has been  
>> asked to
>> sign with Sen Dole on the confirmation process. I think this may  
>> have come
>> up on our Friday call but it is being pushed by Howard Paster and  
>> Max Steir
>> of the Partnership for public service and Dole has agreed to sign.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>>    From: "Bennett, Jody" <[email-masked]>
>>    Date: September 22, 2008 12:58:41 PM EDT
>>    To: [email-masked]
>>    Cc: "Hogan, Timothy" <[email-masked]>
>>    Subject: TAD request
>>
>>    Cassandra -
>>
>>    I'm about to bother you with a random request….
>>
>>    Senator Daschle was asked if he would sign the following letter  
>> with
>> Senator Lott to Congressional Leadership regarding the importance of
>> expediting the confirmation process.  Tim and I are not inclined to  
>> have him
>> sign this letter for a couple of reason, primarily because we don't  
>> want to
>> do anything that is at cross purposes with the campaign.  However,  
>> Senator
>> Daschle would like to have your opinion before he gives it further
>> consideration.  Would this cause angst for you all?
>>
>>    Thanks,
>>    Jody
>>
>>    --------------------------
>>    Dear Senator Reid, Senator McConnell, Chairmen and Ranking  
>> Members:
>>
>>    With  two  ongoing wars, the threat of terrorism and a flagging  
>> economy, it
>> is  essential  that  our  nation's national, homeland and economic  
>> security
>> remain undiminished   during  the  presidential  transition.
>>
>>    From our perspective as former Majority Leaders, we believe the  
>> Senate can
>> perform a  vital  service to the American people by working in  
>> cooperation
>> with the President-elect  to  ensure  that  his  core  security   
>> team  is
>> in  place immediately after Inauguration Day.
>>
>>    In the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004,  
>> the Senate
>> acknowledged the importance of expediting consideration of national  
>> security
>> nominees.
>>
>>    Our government bears the responsibility of keeping the American  
>> people
>> safe, and the actions of the Senate before and after the general  
>> election
>> can facilitate a seamless transition between presidential  
>> administrations.
>>
>>
>>    We know from experience that enemies of peace and stability seek  
>> to exploit
>> leadership transitions to their advantage.  The 1993 World Trade  
>> Center
>> bombing occurred only five weeks into President Clinton's first term,
>> the2004 bombings in Madrid were timed to disrupt national  
>> elections, and Al
>> Qaeda's attempted attack in London and Glasgow occurred just two  
>> days after
>> Gordon Brown was sworn in as Britain's Prime Minister.  Only 60  
>> percent of
>> President George W. Bush's appointees were in place when the  
>> Pentagon and
>> World Trade Center were attacked on September 11, 2001.
>>
>>    Between the 2008 general election and the inaugural, Congress  
>> and the
>> President-elect should work together to ensure that functioning  
>> national,
>> homeland and economic security teams are in place as soon as  
>> possible after
>> the President takes the oath of office.  It is essential to the  
>> safety and
>> security of all Americans - and could raise the bar for all future
>> transitions.
>>
>>    We encourage you to reach out to the presidential campaigns with  
>> an offer:
>> the committees of the Senate will consider, and the Senate leaders  
>> will
>> schedule a vote - as soon as possible after Inauguration Day - for
>> individuals designated by the President-elect for as many key  
>> Cabinet and
>> Subcabinet positions affecting national, homeland and economic  
>> security as
>> is feasible.  In order to meet this highly ambitious and  
>> unprecedented
>> timetable, the President-elect would need to provide the names of his
>> designees to enable the Senate to conduct a thorough, but swift,  
>> review.
>>
>>    The Senate has an opportunity through this proposal to initiate  
>> a new
>> standard of excellence in the selection and confirmation of  
>> presidential
>> appointees.  Doing so would insulate the American people from the  
>> dangers of
>> a sluggish appointments process and, just as important, assure the  
>> American
>> people that Congress can act quickly and decisively when the times  
>> demand.
>> This is one of those times.
>>
>>    Sincerely,
>>    [Senator Tom Daschle, Senator Trent Lott]
>>
>>
>>
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