Not Ready for Prime Time Players

Al Franken would fit nicely with this crowd.

During “Saturday Night Live’s” halcyon days, Franken played a bit role with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner and the gang. They were judged too edgy for family viewing and dubbed the Not Ready for Prime Time Players.

Reminds me of the Obama Cabinet.

Tom Daschle was not ready for prime time because he “strategically advised” for millions of dollars and then didn’t pay his taxes.

Hilda Solis wouldn’t answer any questions and then had to defend herself against charges that her husband didn’t pay taxes.

The chief accountability officer (I can never remember her name) never made it past Go because she didn’t pay her taxes.

Leon Panetta may get through, but if the new CIA director were so smart, why did he take so much money from failing banks and hedge funds?

Even Hillary Clinton got beat up because of her husband’s flirtations with foreign governments.

Tim Geithner got through even though he didn’t pay his taxes, because many Republicans thought he was better than whatever alternative our new president could come up with.

In fact, the only guys who have had no problem getting through the process are the Republicans. Gates? No problem. LaHood? No problem. Gregg? Don’t worry, no problem.

My good buddy Bill Speros pointed out to me that for all the really important posts (Defense, Commerce, Transportation, Treasury), the president has picked Republicans, mostly because he can’t really trust the Democrats to come up with a plan that works.

Don’t believe me? Well, look at the monstrosity put together by congressional Democrats that has been picked apart by just about every nonpartisan observer.

Even Obama is showing signs that perhaps he is not ready for prime time. While he still has high “q” ratings (nice smile, nice family, etc.), his recent partisan rants are not becoming of a president who has promised a new direction.

It is hard to be out of power for as long as the Democrats have been out of power. And they are showing that they are not quite ready for prime time.

Perhaps Obama should put Franken in his Cabinet. Maybe as chief joker.

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