is there such a thing as "The office of the president elect"??!!!

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

man, that cardboard sign in front of the podium looked cheap.  Why would Obama do something like that?

And...is there such an office?

[MODU]

Officially, no.  But there's no such thing as the Western White House either, and that didn't stop Bush with having that on his backdrop in Crawford.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Officially, no.  But there's no such thing as the Western White House either, and that didn't stop Bush with having that on his backdrop in Crawford.

ok, but at least do it with something other than an oversized cardboard sign taped to the front of a podium.

style is still important as Obama attempts to bring substance into the WhiteHouse

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

I'd rather he had placed the Chicago Bears 'c' on the front of the podium...or a kid's crayon drawing of election night.  Those would have been funny and/or uplifting.

He had a great day yesterday - he doesn't need to confuse people with "the office of the president elect" and the impression that he is leading a shadow government

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

So Obama has the egotism to have a cheap cardboard sign?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

So Obama has the egotism to have a cheap cardboard sign?

Obama's approval rating is around 70% in my estimate.  if he wants to keep it that way and gain the trust of those who didn't vote for him, he needs to give every impression he honors the current structure of government.

He'd been better off with "President-Elect Barack Obama" on the podium than coming up with an official sounding name to an office than doesn't exist.

Obviously, not a major issue...I'm just saying he should knock off the creepy stuff.

[Lief 🗽]

Well, I'm sure he currently has an office he's working out of. And he has staffers. And advisors. What else do you want him to call it?

[Silent Hunter]

Obama's approval rating is around 70% in my estimate.  if he wants to keep it that way and gain the trust of those who didn't vote for him, he needs to give every impression he honors the current structure of government.

Actually it's 40% positive, 30% negative, according to Rasmussen (I think that's the pollster).

[MODU]

Well, I'm sure he currently has an office he's working out of. And he has staffers. And advisors. What else do you want him to call it?

It would be known as his transition team, like those who went before him.

[opebo]

Obama's approval rating is around 70% in my estimate.  if he wants to keep it that way ...he needs to give every impression he honors the current structure of government.

Obviously, not a major issue...I'm just saying he should knock off the creepy stuff.

I don't think most Americans 'honor the current structure of government'.  I think a bare majority would be pleased if Bush would vacate early, voluntarily or not.

That said, I do, personally, agree that it is a little creepy.  But maybe FDR took himself awfully seriously too.. and maybe that's what people needed.  (no doubt cynics like you and I were creeped out back then too).

[Middle-aged Europe]

Well, I'm sure he currently has an office he's working out of. And he has staffers. And advisors. What else do you want him to call it?

It would be known as his transition team, like those who went before him.

Yeah, but Obama has CHANGEd that now...

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Obama's approval rating is around 70% in my estimate.  if he wants to keep it that way ...he needs to give every impression he honors the current structure of government.

Obviously, not a major issue...I'm just saying he should knock off the creepy stuff.

I don't think most Americans 'honor the current structure of government'.  I think a bare majority would be pleased if Bush would vacate early, voluntarily or not.

yeah, they want to remove the current occupant, but they also want to keep the structure.

I agree Obama needs to be conducting around the clock meetings and hold press conferences, but this official sounding "office" thingy is just a bit too overbearing

he should wrap himself as the choice of "The People", not as some self-created office

[Nutmeg]

Actually, there is such an office.  It's in the Old Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House in Washington, D.C.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Actually, there is such an office.  It's in the Old Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House in Washington, D.C.

interesting...do you have details?

[Verily]

Obama's approval rating is around 70% in my estimate.  if he wants to keep it that way and gain the trust of those who didn't vote for him, he needs to give every impression he honors the current structure of government.

Actually it's 40% positive, 30% negative, according to Rasmussen (I think that's the pollster).

That's 40% "very positive" and 30% "very negative", except it's changed to 41-29 today and will probably continue changing in Obama's favor for at least a week or so. Including the somewhats it was something like 56-44.

Anyway, so long as the President-elect has an office, there's an office of the President-elect. Or am I missing something?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No.

[Nutmeg]

Actually, there is such an office.  It's in the Old Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House in Washington, D.C.

interesting...do you have details?

I looked around, but I don't.  I'm not sure whether Obama's set his up there yet, but it is customary for the General Services Administration to ensure that such space is provided.  Staffers and equipment are stationed there until January 20, when they'll move the half-block over to the West Wing.

So people can stop replying "no" and such.

[J. J.]

The guy does need to set up a new government.

[Kushahontas]

since the election, there was that noose incident at the university of mary hardin baylor and one of the longhorn football players was kicked off the team (WHAT) for a facebook status that said something to the effect of "ns taking over washington"

[paul718]

It's like deja-vu all over again...

[Jeff from NC]

No.  No one has ever had the (audacity, arrogance, egotism) to claim that it is their 'office'.  President-elect is a status, nothing more.  He is still not the President until 12:00 PM on January 20, 2009.

You are conflating occupying an office and having an office.  There is a difference between "Nancy Pelosi holds the office of speaker" and "Joe was sent from the office of the speaker."  Since Obama is in fact President-Elect, and has an office, why wouldn't you call his office the office of the president-elect?

[J. J.]

The position of President-elect is mentioned in Article XX of the Constitution.

[Josh/Devilman88]

Did Bush make one after 9/11?

[Likely Voter]

I also read somewhere that the Treasury Dept. has set up offices for Obama's finance team to ensure a smooth transition.

this seems like a silly thing for people to care about. Markets are jittery, the world is jittery. Both Bush and Obama are trying to project to the world and financial markets that this will be a smooth and orderly transition and that they will hit the ground running. How is that a bad thing?

[J. J.]

Is Africa a country?

South Africa is.