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John Podesta, co-chair President-elect Obama's transition team, left, stands with White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten at the White House. Charles Dharapak / AP

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Sex, lies and scandal: Obama aide has seen it all

Monday, November 17, 2008 2:48 PM PST

By Larry Margasak
The Associated Press

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WASHINGTON — John Podesta, a leader of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, was the Clinton administration official who worked to douse scandals, outmaneuver Republicans and keep Bill Clinton popular even through impeachment. He’s now in charge of a 450-person staff whose experts — including Podesta himself — aren’t always in sync with those of his new boss.

Podesta has proposed a different way to pay for universal health care than Obama — even though they both support a huge expansion of coverage. Both men say they also favor a transparent, open government that protects civil rights and liberties, but have different ways to get there.

Podesta, Clinton’s former chief of staff who ran the liberal Center for American Progress, acknowledged some differences.

“Before joining the transition, I ran a think tank and have obviously put forward a number of ideas for tackling our nation’s most critical problems,” Podesta told The Associated Press in a statement. “But I am here to help implement President-elect Obama’s agenda, not my own.”

Podesta is the best known among Obama’s three transition leaders. The others are Pete Rouse, who worked on Capitol Hill more than 30 years and was Obama’s chief of staff in the Senate, and Valerie Jarrett, a friend of the president-elect and campaign adviser.

Podesta has thrived on pressure many others wouldn’t stand, handling the scandals of the Clinton White House. But since leaving government, he has been writing and speaking on the same issues that Obama will face when he takes office: the economy, global warming, health care, education, the Iraq war.

Podesta, 59, accepted the job as Clinton’s chief of staff just before the president’s impeachment trial began. Clinton not only survived but, with Podesta’s help, maintained high approval ratings. Podesta also handled controversial firings at the White House travel office, and questions about Hillary Rodham Clinton’s profits from commodity trading and the family’s controversial investment in property known as Whitewater.

“He doesn’t need a favor,” said Podesta’s brother Tony, one of the top lobbyists in Washington. “Obama picked him because he’ll give it to you straight. He knows a lot about policy and politics, and knows all the people you might pick to run the government.”

Obama campaigned against lobbyists’ influence but Podesta saw lobbyists as valuable assets because of their government experience. In his first news conference, Podesta announced that lobbyists could join the transition team if they signed a strict ethics code. They must avoid working in any field in which they lobbied in the last year. They also must pledge not to lobby the Obama administration on the same matters they focused on during the transition for a year after leaving Obama’s service.

Podesta’s willingness to operate under pressure doesn’t mean that everything went smoothly. Podesta said President Clinton personally lied to him about Clinton’s sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Podesta repeated the falsehoods, and found himself in the embarrassing position of trying to find Lewinsky a job outside the White House.

Podesta’s account of Hillary Clinton as an observer in the firing of White House travel staff members was contradicted by a draft memorandum by a Clinton aide that surfaced in 1996. The memo said the then-first lady was the central figure in the dismissals.

In a book, articles and speeches, Podesta has proposed paying for universal health care with a value-added tax, a levy on the value of a good or service. He also has proposed that Americans who don’t enroll in a health insurance plan should pay a charge that would be tied to their income and the care they would need.

Obama would require that large employers not offering meaningful coverage — or failing to make a meaningful contribution to the cost or quality of care — must contribute a percentage of payroll toward the cost of the national plan. Small businesses would be exempt.

Podesta has extensive proposals to reduce government secrecy. His plans would discourage overclassifying information, establish a presumption under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act in favor of disclosure, and propose a law directing courts to weigh the costs and benefits of disclosure.

In 2006, during a news conference with Sen. Joseph Biden — now the vice president-elect — Podesta cited President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war to make a point about presidential appointees who give their boss bad advice.

“I think at some point the people serving this president are disserving him,” Podesta said. “And at some point, they have to come to grips with that.”

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TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 17, 2008 2:53 PM:

" Seems like the Liberals are running scared of what will happen. My guess is they are already working to halt the lawsuit filed by a Clinton campaign worker in Pennsylvania regarding the puppet president's legal citizenship. I'm guessing that is just one of many, many scandals we will be hearing about in the next four years. The last Liberal president brought nothing but lies, lies and damn lies to the White House, all with one little wag of his finger infront of the TV cameras. "

slowburn wrote on Nov 17, 2008 3:19 PM:

" Funny how the GOP cheerleaders always fail to mention GW's lies (WMD), Bush Sr.'s lies ("No new taxes") or Reagan's REALLY bad lie (Iran-Contra). Goooooo, GOP! "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 18, 2008 7:53 AM:

" It will be very interesting to see how the Liberals sweep Bill and Hillary conflicts of interests as far a foreign influence peddling if she goes for Secretary of State. I can see Reid and the Senate confirmation hearings now. Meeting comes to order. All in favor? If not shut up. Liberal rubberstamp will turn into major headlines over the next four years as Billy offers countries insight into the Secretary of State's thoughts. Anyone willing to bet the Clintons won't screw it up? "

The Zipster wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:26 AM:

" TDN Bad Boy: I will take that bet, any time, any place and any amount. After 8 years of diplomatic idiocy and hubris, anything - ANYTHING - will be an improvement. Clinton is an intelligent skilled negotiator and the Clinton brand has respect worldwide. Can you say the same for GWB and his string pullers? "

SM wrote on Nov 18, 2008 8:46 AM:

" Better a democratic rubberstamp than a republican rubberstamp, TDN Bad Boy. How's that privatized social security account doing? Almost as good as your 401K? "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:52 AM:

" I certainly can Zipster. Where is the Syrian Army today? If U.S. diplomacy is so bad under President Bush how come Syria has come to the peace table with Israel for the first time in history. I am not saying Hillary can't be good. But if you read the Liberal rag NY Times today you will see a story about the problems with Slick Willie's dealing with foreign governments and countries. Dealings that very well could undermine her positions and opening the door to possible influence peddling by Slick Willie. And well you can't say Slick Willie or Hillary aren't about making a buck. She did off Whitewater and insider trading. He of course has never met a sexual assualt law that he likes so I can see how this could all blow up on the new adminstration. So please focus on the future. Regardless of what you think of President Bush and I don't care, this isn't about President Bush. It is about the possibility that Bill Clinton can hurt and damage American interests. Read the NY Times if you are unaware of the issues. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 18, 2008 10:09 AM:

" SM, well we'll never know how my privatized social security fund is doing because the Liberals won't let us try. As for my 401k it is doing very well thank you. All it takes a little knowledge of where to put your money and how to manipulate it. I can tell you this that my retirement money is doing very well indeed and has grown dramatically in the past 8 years. Now if you want to discuss your social security money, better ask them Liberals what age they are going to let you start collecting it. It is safe to say that they are going to raise the retirement age in the next four years. You can forget about 65 or 67 before you start collecting those SS funds. My guess is the retirement age is going to 69 or 70. It's the only way they can bail this Liberal ponzi scheme out. And while you are waiting for your first SS check, I will be happily retired and living off my IRA accounts. Have a nice retirement or whatever the Libearls leave you with. "

SM wrote on Nov 18, 2008 1:03 PM:

" I was just looking at our company newsletter and saw that the vast majority of 401K options dropped 25 - 45 percent this year. That's nice if you made some wise calls but surely you understand that the vast majority of Americans would have been hurt if their social security was in the same pot as the market-based savings accounts. "

Saturos wrote on Nov 18, 2008 1:18 PM:

" It's hilarious that anybody would even want any of the Clinton family in office again... Quit the political stereotypes slowburn... Reagan and Bush Sr. helped invoke amazing prosperity in the worlds economies. The US needs taxes to funtion. They come back to benefit us if the government spends responsibly. "

Kelso Parent wrote on Nov 18, 2008 1:43 PM:

" Historical Amnesia. The stock market has a bad year and suddenly all historical data is mute. The SS system has been in trouble for decades, but we suddenly trust its management. Wow. So many of the American people have lost all perspective.

I trust free market economics, not government bureaucracies. "

SM wrote on Nov 18, 2008 2:49 PM:

" Supposedly we get back as much as we put into SS so I'm not sure what "management" you're talking about, Kelso Parent. If you want to blame somebody for erroding social security, try blaming Reagan for making it taxable. That's right, you pay taxes on the income before you put it into SS and then pay taxes on that same money when you take it back out. Genius huh? "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 19, 2008 11:29 AM:

" SM, when the Liberals get through fixing your SS, you are going to have to be 70 or disabled to get it. Enjoy it. If you are smart enough to figure how to make better use of your money than SS you are in a world of hurt as far as retirement goes. "

Common Sense 24 wrote on Nov 19, 2008 11:36 AM:

" HA!!! Clearly SM doesn't work for a living. If she or he ever got a paycheck, they would see that the SS is taken out before tax. I'll explain how it works for us working folks so you can understand. We pay 6.2% and our employer pays 6.2 percent on top of ours. I'm not sure how your welfare works as far as SS. Maybe you're already sponging off it for some addiction disability or something. I would love to have a privitized SS account. As of now at 33 years old; my employer and I have paid $80k into SS together and I'll never see a dime by the time I retire if I even live that long. It will be bankrupt. If I had my own account, the government couldn't touch it. Right now SS is a slush fund with no name on it. "

SM wrote on Nov 19, 2008 11:53 AM:

" I'm looking at my patcheck right now and see Pre-Tax deductions listed as Pension and VEBA. SS is not pre-tax, 24. Get your facts straight before you start throwing around insults or people might think you're ignorant AND a jerk.

And TBB, what exactly are the liberals doing that is erroding away your social security money? Specifics please :) "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Nov 19, 2008 12:17 PM:

" SM, there are two ways the Liberals will accept to fix SS. 1. is to raise the SS tax. Unfortunately they will but it will not be the solve all. 2. they will have to push the retirement age out so that people have to pay more a year or more and then can't collect until they are 67,68, 69, or 70. The Liberals in the Senate have already said that raising the retirement age is the best prospect. By raising the retirment age, they are lowering the value of the money you will receive if you live past their retirement age. That is why this is one of the most crooked and ideas this government has ever hoisted on the workers. Sorry you are not smart enough to see that you can do more with your retirement money than the government can. I know you are one of those what can my country do for me people, but I believe that I and most people can do more with their own money. Here is my solution: Let people who want to opt out, opt out. Require them to build a retirement account. But let people manage their own account through investing. Man if I had that money available now I could buy some choice real estate that will make me more money on my investment than the government ever will do with SS. Keep SS for people like you. Let people make the choice though. "

SM wrote on Nov 19, 2008 1:39 PM:

" TBB I'm not quite sure what you mean by "people like me" since you know nothing about me but I do see the same old "faith healing" technique that you're pulling out on social security. It's a fact that the baby boomers are no longer powering our economy and it's a fact that more money will be taken out of social security than will be going in. That being said, there's no "mismangement" going on at all - it's just math. If there isn't enough money being paid in to sustain it then benefits have to be reduced and there's no way around it.

We obviously disagree on what SS is supposed to be about. You see it as a way to make money and are willing to take risks to do that but I see it as the absolute ground-zero of retirement; even if the economy goes in the tank, at least you've got enough to live on. If we let people risk that last line of support as you suggest, it's going to result in the ruin of millions of people and that's a fact. If you want invest, nothing is stopping you but have some appreciation for the truth that if you lose big, there will a parachute waiting for you in SS. "

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