Subject: Re: Daschle letter on confirmation process
From: Cassandra Butts <[email-masked]>
To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:09:03 -0400

I'll ask him not to sign, which was their instinct.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 22, 2008, at 5:50 PM, "John Podesta" <[email-masked]>  
wrote:

> I have big questions about this.
>
>
>
> On 9/22/08, Cassandra Butts <[email-masked]> wrote:
>> 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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>>
>>
>
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