TNR has a cover article on David Axelrod that offers some insight into the White House. The piece focuses mainly on Axelrod's biography and frustration with the pace of change in Washington under the boss he got elected and believed in probably more than anybody else in the country.
The outrage over the AIG bonuses was highlighted as an issue where Axelrod's political advise differed from the policy advise the president was getting from Geithner. The article goes so far as to say that Geithner was arguing that countries cease to have advanced economies if the hallowedness and sanctity of its contracts is called into question. We all know that Axelrod lost this fight. Reading between the lines it seems like this issue was presented to Obama as politics versus policy. There was nobody at the White House making the argument that allowing AIG employees to walk away with our money (as Cenk would put it) was bad policy, only that it was bad optics. Geither probably made Obama feel noble while purposely pissing off the American electorate on both sides of the isle.
The article also reveals that Obama is very reluctant to go after the Republicans. Cenk often questions whether Obama's turn toward populism and progressivism as the election approaches is a cynical ploy. If this article is to be believed it appears that Obama really thinks talking nice to Republicans is going to change the tone in Washington and that he's only been convinced to attack as the disastrous election looms.
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