This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7720878.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Washington diary: A city in flux | Washington diary: A city in flux |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| By Matt Frei BBC News, Washington | By Matt Frei BBC News, Washington |
| Our friend Marilyn, a real estate agent is distraught about the shrivelled state of the local property market. | Our friend Marilyn, a real estate agent is distraught about the shrivelled state of the local property market. |
| Mr Obama is bringing experienced aides into the White House | Mr Obama is bringing experienced aides into the White House |
| "Surely a new administration will inject fresh demand and capital into the Washington area?" I asked. | "Surely a new administration will inject fresh demand and capital into the Washington area?" I asked. |
| Her deep sigh appeared to bring a new shower of golden autumn leaves down on the pavement. | Her deep sigh appeared to bring a new shower of golden autumn leaves down on the pavement. |
| She glanced at me with liquid eyes: "Republicans buy. Democrats rent," she said. | She glanced at me with liquid eyes: "Republicans buy. Democrats rent," she said. |
| Every new administration brings with a hope of renewal, a change of guard. | Every new administration brings with a hope of renewal, a change of guard. |
| Conservative think-tanks like the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation will become shelters for the refugees of the Bush era. | Conservative think-tanks like the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation will become shelters for the refugees of the Bush era. |
| At Cato and Brookings, the think-tankers - who have been chewing their pens in anger for the last eight years - are waiting anxiously by the phone. | At Cato and Brookings, the think-tankers - who have been chewing their pens in anger for the last eight years - are waiting anxiously by the phone. |
| Many were refugees from the Clinton era, and they are now set to return to power. | Many were refugees from the Clinton era, and they are now set to return to power. |
| Huge upheaval | Huge upheaval |
| The White House press corps will change too. | The White House press corps will change too. |
| Tradition has it that newspapers and broadcasters appoint the correspondents who have covered the winner's campaign to migrate with him to Washington and take up residence in the cramped briefing room of the West Wing. | Tradition has it that newspapers and broadcasters appoint the correspondents who have covered the winner's campaign to migrate with him to Washington and take up residence in the cramped briefing room of the West Wing. |
| Until the media savvy presidency of John F Kennedy, this was the White House swimming pool. | Until the media savvy presidency of John F Kennedy, this was the White House swimming pool. |
| Americans want their Presidents to be both ordinary and extraordinary. class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5628&edition=2&ttl=20081111121010">Send us your comments | |
| Since then it has been either shark pool or fish pond, depending on the ferocity of the press corps. | Since then it has been either shark pool or fish pond, depending on the ferocity of the press corps. |
| In the absence of a permanent class of senior Mandarins, every change of administration means that thousands of influential jobs will be reappointed. | In the absence of a permanent class of senior Mandarins, every change of administration means that thousands of influential jobs will be reappointed. |
| It is a huge upheaval. | It is a huge upheaval. |
| Then there are the hangers-on. | Then there are the hangers-on. |
| Ronald Reagan imported old school Hollywood, tuxedos and cigars. | Ronald Reagan imported old school Hollywood, tuxedos and cigars. |
| The parties were glamorous but ended early. | The parties were glamorous but ended early. |
| Bill Clinton shipped in baby-boomer Hollywood, Barbara Streisand and more cigars. | Bill Clinton shipped in baby-boomer Hollywood, Barbara Streisand and more cigars. |
| The parties went on into the night with an air of feral glamour. | The parties went on into the night with an air of feral glamour. |
| At George W Bush's inaugural ball, diamond-studded cowboy boots appeared under designer dresses. | At George W Bush's inaugural ball, diamond-studded cowboy boots appeared under designer dresses. |
| Mr Obama will surely have his pick of the A-list. | Mr Obama will surely have his pick of the A-list. |
| George, Whoopi, Brad and Angelina will want to come. | George, Whoopi, Brad and Angelina will want to come. |
| Washington hotel rooms are already sold out for the inauguration week. | Washington hotel rooms are already sold out for the inauguration week. |
| Sleep-overs | Sleep-overs |
| But I suspect this will be a sober-minded administration for bracing times. | But I suspect this will be a sober-minded administration for bracing times. |
| Indulgence will be left at the door. | Indulgence will be left at the door. |
| Credit-crunch Washington will be quietly elegant and tucked up in bed before midnight. | Credit-crunch Washington will be quietly elegant and tucked up in bed before midnight. |
| Everyone is wondering what it will be like to have small first children in the White House again. | Everyone is wondering what it will be like to have small first children in the White House again. |
| Which school will Sasha (left) and Malia Obama (right) go to? | Which school will Sasha (left) and Malia Obama (right) go to? |
| The last time that happened was in 1960 with the Kennedys. | The last time that happened was in 1960 with the Kennedys. |
| Will there be sleep-overs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and Hannah Montana parties? | Will there be sleep-overs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and Hannah Montana parties? |
| Many are yearning for another Camelot, a black Camelot - but is that possible in an era when all presidents have to earn deference? | Many are yearning for another Camelot, a black Camelot - but is that possible in an era when all presidents have to earn deference? |
| Barack Obama starts on a high. | Barack Obama starts on a high. |
| The press corps almost jumped to its feet when the president elect arrived at his first post election news conference. | The press corps almost jumped to its feet when the president elect arrived at his first post election news conference. |
| This ritual usually kicks in once the new commander-in-chief has been inaugurated. | This ritual usually kicks in once the new commander-in-chief has been inaugurated. |
| But such is the anticipation, that Mr Obama is already being treated as if he were running the country, even though he himself has insisted that there is only one president at a time. | But such is the anticipation, that Mr Obama is already being treated as if he were running the country, even though he himself has insisted that there is only one president at a time. |
| If his transition team is more like a shadow cabinet perhaps it is because the challenges facing America are too great to languish until the end of January. | If his transition team is more like a shadow cabinet perhaps it is because the challenges facing America are too great to languish until the end of January. |
| Then there is the really burning question of the girls' puppy. | Then there is the really burning question of the girls' puppy. |
| It came up at the Friday news conference and Obama answered it dryly, as if he were weighing up healthcare reform. | It came up at the Friday news conference and Obama answered it dryly, as if he were weighing up healthcare reform. |
| He reminded us that he had a sense of humour. | He reminded us that he had a sense of humour. |
| Next question: which school will the girls go to? | Next question: which school will the girls go to? |
| Will Sasha and Malia go public or private? | Will Sasha and Malia go public or private? |
| "Michele is dealing with that one," the commander-in-chief elect said. | "Michele is dealing with that one," the commander-in-chief elect said. |
| No more questions. | No more questions. |
| Our neighbours are convinced the girls will go to the school at the end of our road, Sidwell Friends. | Our neighbours are convinced the girls will go to the school at the end of our road, Sidwell Friends. |
| It is where Chelsea Clinton went, so they are used to the muffled menace of burly men with dark sunglasses and ear pieces. | It is where Chelsea Clinton went, so they are used to the muffled menace of burly men with dark sunglasses and ear pieces. |
| Sleepy town | Sleepy town |
| The obsession with the puppy and the girls and their schools is really about the yearning for fresh blood in the stale circles of Washington. | The obsession with the puppy and the girls and their schools is really about the yearning for fresh blood in the stale circles of Washington. |
| Americans want their presidents to be both ordinary and extraordinary. | Americans want their presidents to be both ordinary and extraordinary. |
| Being both is a tricky balancing act, which perhaps every president will fall foul of given the public's scrutiny into every aspect of their lives, however mundane. | Being both is a tricky balancing act, which perhaps every president will fall foul of given the public's scrutiny into every aspect of their lives, however mundane. |
| Although Washington DC was built to service government, the relationship between the permanent residents and the visiting caravanserai of superpower always seems a little strange. | Although Washington DC was built to service government, the relationship between the permanent residents and the visiting caravanserai of superpower always seems a little strange. |
| The nation's capital feels like a pleasant mid-sized town. | The nation's capital feels like a pleasant mid-sized town. |
| Bill Clinton was slow and slovenly to start his transition | Bill Clinton was slow and slovenly to start his transition |
| On Sundays it is sleepy, even dull. | On Sundays it is sleepy, even dull. |
| On Saturday mornings every child under the age of 12 seems to be wearing the various colours of the local soccer league. | On Saturday mornings every child under the age of 12 seems to be wearing the various colours of the local soccer league. |
| Into this bubble will come the Obama family and their entourage. | Into this bubble will come the Obama family and their entourage. |
| Bill Clinton brought his friends and hangers-on from Little Rock, Arkansas, a very provincial town compared to Washington. | Bill Clinton brought his friends and hangers-on from Little Rock, Arkansas, a very provincial town compared to Washington. |
| President Bush brought the Texans. | President Bush brought the Texans. |
| Mr Obama will bring some friends from Chicago, but he will also cull his cabinet from a vast pool of experts and insiders who have served here before and who know well how to navigate the treacherous waters of Washington. | Mr Obama will bring some friends from Chicago, but he will also cull his cabinet from a vast pool of experts and insiders who have served here before and who know well how to navigate the treacherous waters of Washington. |
| Economic brains | Economic brains |
| The President-elect began working on a transition a month before he even got elected. | The President-elect began working on a transition a month before he even got elected. |
| He has employed a staff of 400 people to plan every aspect of his ascent to power. | He has employed a staff of 400 people to plan every aspect of his ascent to power. |
| The team is run by John Podesta, a former Clinton Chief of Staff and consummate insider. | The team is run by John Podesta, a former Clinton Chief of Staff and consummate insider. |
| Mr Obama's own Chief of Staff will be the sinewy Rahm Emmanuel, the Democrats' most effective fixer on Capitol Hill and a former Clinton adviser. | Mr Obama's own Chief of Staff will be the sinewy Rahm Emmanuel, the Democrats' most effective fixer on Capitol Hill and a former Clinton adviser. |
| He is flanked by a phalanx of 17 economic brains, including Paul Volker, the legendary former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Larry Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton and is often described as one of the country's cleverest men - a compliment which he acknowledges with a pinched smile. | He is flanked by a phalanx of 17 economic brains, including Paul Volker, the legendary former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and Larry Summers, who served as Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton and is often described as one of the country's cleverest men - a compliment which he acknowledges with a pinched smile. |
| John Kerry - the man who failed to get into the White House last time but who was so impressed by a young Illinois State Senator called Barack Obama that he gave him the prime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 - has been mentioned as a possible Secretary of State. | John Kerry - the man who failed to get into the White House last time but who was so impressed by a young Illinois State Senator called Barack Obama that he gave him the prime speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 - has been mentioned as a possible Secretary of State. |
| So has the maverick (can we still use this word?) Republican Senator Chuck Hagel. | So has the maverick (can we still use this word?) Republican Senator Chuck Hagel. |
| Robert Gates, the current Secretary of Defence, may be asked to stay on at the Pentagon, where they really do not have time for the lengthy and sometimes bruising process of appointing a new boss. | Robert Gates, the current Secretary of Defence, may be asked to stay on at the Pentagon, where they really do not have time for the lengthy and sometimes bruising process of appointing a new boss. |
| You get the drift. | You get the drift. |
| Barack Obama, who was elected as an agent of change, will probably govern like a pragmatist calling on the existing expertise of a group of insiders who know the ropes of Washington. | Barack Obama, who was elected as an agent of change, will probably govern like a pragmatist calling on the existing expertise of a group of insiders who know the ropes of Washington. |
| The contrast with the last Democrat in the White House could not be greater. | The contrast with the last Democrat in the White House could not be greater. |
| Bill Clinton was slow and slovenly to start his transition. | Bill Clinton was slow and slovenly to start his transition. |
| He rewarded his Little Rock crowd and his campaign staff, many of whom were too young and got swamped in the quicksand of Washington. | He rewarded his Little Rock crowd and his campaign staff, many of whom were too young and got swamped in the quicksand of Washington. |
| They made fundamental mistakes that almost drowned the presidency. | They made fundamental mistakes that almost drowned the presidency. |
| Hillary Clinton tried to ram comprehensive healthcare down the throats of a Senate still controlled by the Democrats and came up against a brick wall called Robert Byrd, the veteran Senator from West Virginia who was in charge of budgets and who was offended by the First Lady's high-handedness. | Hillary Clinton tried to ram comprehensive healthcare down the throats of a Senate still controlled by the Democrats and came up against a brick wall called Robert Byrd, the veteran Senator from West Virginia who was in charge of budgets and who was offended by the First Lady's high-handedness. |
| Senator Byrd was a Democrat and he torpedoed her dreams. | Senator Byrd was a Democrat and he torpedoed her dreams. |
| One assumes that Barack Obama will be reminded of these pitfalls by his advisers. | One assumes that Barack Obama will be reminded of these pitfalls by his advisers. |
| His transition will be less honeymoon and more carefully arranged marriage. | His transition will be less honeymoon and more carefully arranged marriage. |
| He expects to be tested soon, but wants to leave as little to chance as possible. | He expects to be tested soon, but wants to leave as little to chance as possible. |
| Matt Frei is the presenter of class="inlineText" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america">BBC World News America which airs every weekday on BBC News, BBC World News and BBC America (for viewers outside the UK only). | |
Send us your comments in reaction to Matt Frei's Washington diary using the link below: | Send us your comments in reaction to Matt Frei's Washington diary using the link below: |
| Send your comments | Send your comments |