Barack Obama's appointments, manner reveal a cool, confident leader

President-elect Barack Obama's decision to tap his campaign nemesis and rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state reveals so much more about the person and style of Obama than it does about Clinton.

Oh sure, Clinton in the top foreign-affairs job speaks volumes about her intelligence and political skills. She also presents a fascinating face of America to the rest of the world: the former first lady in a new role, the dynamic senator from New York, the hard-charging, relentless presidential contender reinvented in a diplomatic role.

But even more so, Obama sends a message that he doesn't really have enemies. He has former enemies. Or, he has the heft to turn former rivals and challengers into ... subordinates!

And about his ego — well, it is awfully sturdy. He is not bothered that a one-time rival thinks she is more qualified than he. She's the woman who used to rail at him for not having the stuff to be commander in chief.

That is all so 3 a.m.

Now, Obama pokes the press for not moving forward: " ... I think this is fun for the press to try to stir up whatever quotes were generated during the course of the campaign," he said, flashing that killer grin.

If an individual such as Clinton has skills that can be put to work, Obama is confident enough — man enough — to make it happen.

Obama's election offers many lessons to young people engaged in politics the first time.

The man with the coolest temperament in the room can become president. E.Q. and I.Q. For young people, and everyone else with a hot temper and a tendency to hold a grudge, Obama has much to teach. His mantra could be: Let it go.

Obama demonstrates how to fight and how to forgive — an important life lesson. Others have employed the same policy. Sen. Warren Magnuson, the late, great longtime senator from our state, frequently was quoted saying, "Never hold a grudge; that man you hate today may be a vote you need tomorrow."

There will be those who say Obama is more likely a brilliant yet crafty politician, a Machiavellian thinker trying to neutralize future rivals. How does the saying go? "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

By naming Clinton secretary of state, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson secretary of commerce, Obama pulls off a nifty political trick.

Who from the Democratic Party is left to challenge him in a few years? Not John Edwards. His career is toast. Not Sen. John Biden. He's vice president. Clinton and Richardson are on the team. Not bad.

Obama is not the first forward-thinking politician to do something like this.

President Abe Lincoln famously hired many former rivals to work in his Cabinet. President John Kennedy, a bitter adversary of then-Senate powerhouse Lyndon Johnson, tapped Johnson as vice president — first, to win Texas, and second, to quiet potential challenges.

Not only was Johnson silenced as a future presidential challenger, maybe even for 1964, he was neutered as an enemy in the Senate. Johnson thought he could be vice president and a big hound in the Senate. He was informed after he became vice president that his power amounted to — Sarah Palin, take note — breaking ties.

For cynics who think Obama is merely shoring up his own future by being so gosh darn big-minded, consider the tone and spirit of his most recent promise.

Meeting with the nation's governors this week, he promised to work with all of them on the nation's economic troubles, Republicans and Democrats.

"I will not simply ask our nation's governors to help implement our economic recovery plan," he said. "I will ask you to help design that plan."

He very pointedly promised Republican governors "the same hand of friendship and cooperation that I offer Democratic governors."

Lots of newly elected presidents say friendly, big-tent things at the beginning of a term to start out with a positive tone. But the way this man operates, smooth as butter, he sounds like he really means it.

Our problems are too big to interpret his words any other way. Our president-elect starts with very adroit political skills and a message that says we are all in a deep economic bog together.

Obama may have promised too much. Expectations of him are off the charts. But his appointments, especially of Clinton, portray an incoming president with enormous quantities of finesse and cool.

Joni Balter's column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. Her e-mail address is jbalter@seattletimes.com; for a podcast Q&A with the author, go to www.seattletimes.com/edcetera