We cynics are used to hearing politicians promise the moon during the campaign and promptly forget their vows after they are elected.
My favorite promise this presidential season is the common vow to change Washington, D.C. Barack Obama has based his entire campaign on the promise to make change; John McCain has adopted the mantra.
The rude awakening that will overtake the presidential candidate who emerges victorious on Tuesday is this immutable fact:
You might promise to change Washington, but Washington will change you.
Take George W. Bush. He was the image of energy and fresh ideas when he took office eight years ago. He, too, promised to “change” the way we do business in Washington. He talked about being a “compassionate conservative” who would “reach across the aisle” as he did as governor of Texas.
Now look at him: Weary and pallid and criticized for cutting health care programs for poor kids and fomenting partisan warfare.
Washington changed W. just as it will change Obama or McCain.
Obama’s call for change is the more disingenuous. Criticized for lacking experience, the Democrat was challenged in one debate to tell Americans why they should trust him to run the country. He smartly reeled off people he’s been consulting: For foreign policy, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a fixture in the capital who advised Jimmy Carter; for finance, Paul Volcker, another D.C. regular who chaired the Federal Reserve under Carter and Ronald Reagan.
Who might be his chief of staff? Rep. Rahm Emanuel, who has led House Democrats in fundraising and partisan warfare, John Podesta, a Clinton insider who’s been lobbying in D.C. since leaving the White House. Or former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle. You can’t get much more inside than Emanuel, Podesta and Daschle. Who was the agent for Obama’s two books? Robert Barnett, who makes book deals for Bob Woodward and other D.C. stars. — like Obama.
John McCain is a close second in dissembling over his intention to change Washington. He blasts our corrupt culture of lobbyists, yet his senior adviser on the campaign is none other than Charles R. “Charlie” Black, one of the capital city’s best-known lobbyists.
Who are these guys kidding?
Why not be honest and concede that it takes experienced, skilled professionals to run the White House – or broker book deals. If you want to pick an executive to run Ford,, would you choose Joe the Plumber? Hockey moms might be genuine and tough, but can they negotiate a nuclear disarmament treaty?
So let’s be honest and agree that Obama and McCain will not change the stable of politicians and policymakers who have been running Washington for decades. They are here now, or they are with the candidates.
As for any changes, Obama’s change will be changing the guard back to the cadre of Democrats who have been waiting to get back to the White House since Clinton left town. Not much change there.
McCain will not be able to change the way D.C. works because the House and Senate will block him. The only changes will be in the candidates, who will realize that there won’t be much change.
