Hildebrand: No, I understand, I just want to be clear that first of all, I don't use that kind of language when I write in a public forum. But it's also... you know, it's not the way I talk to people. I'm an inclusive person. I believe everyone should have a voice of their own. I was simply making the point that we were going to be more successful as a country if we rally behind these very, very important items - climate change, the economy, health care, etc. - and really try and accomplish some things. And it doesn't mean that people can't go out and speak on their own - they have their own choice and their own voice - but I do believe that we will be more successful if we get behind this guy and really work to solve some very important problems.
Rob: And how would you advise progressives who are not thrilled with his choices so far, who have their own wishes and goals... what would you suggest is the best way to get their goals met while at the same time doing what they can to help Obama? Because I believe that most people...the attitude I have is that Obama could be a truly great president. He has the potential to be a great man, and I want him to succeed in all ways possible in spite of the fact that I am not thrilled with some of his current choices.
Hildebrand: Tell me who you are not thrilled with and tell me why.
Rob: Geithner, the New York Fed Reserve head...This is a guy who is so in with all the people who are involved with the problems, he just carries so much of the history of it along with him. Gates. I would have liked to have seen somebody new, but I do understand the thinking behind keeping some continuity there. And there are a lot of others that I'm not particularly criticizing, that other people are. I'm kind of voicing what I've heard from an awful lot of other people. And then there are all the Hilary people. It would have been nice to see others, but on the other hand, I know - what are you going to do? Pick seventy year old people that Jimmy Carter picked? He's gotta pick from pre-experienced people who were Democrats and Democratic presidential administrations. So he's stuck, in a sense, with the Clinton crew.
Hildebrand: Well, you know, President Clinton was, by all accounts, one of the best presidents this country has ever had. You know, we were at peace, we had an economy that was rolling better than at any point in history, more jobs were created, you know... people were doing pretty well under his presidency, and so to pick some of the best people from back a few years ago... you know, I can't say that that is a bad thing. You know, we were a pretty successful country at that time. He took a significant deficit and made it into a surplus, and those were good times. So, you know, I can't say... I mean, people like Carol Browner to be his Energy Czar - I think that's an incredible choice. Putting Hilary Clinton at State - I think that's a very smart move for him, and for this country and for this world. Eric Holder at justice, I mean, he's going to be fantastic - he's a great progressive.
Rob: If he gets through the Senate confirmations.
Hildebrand: I think he will.
Rob: My senator here in Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter, looks like he's going to give him some flack.
Hildebrand: Well, Arlen Specter is in the minority, thank god.
Rob: Any last words on advice to progressives on how they could be, I don't know, more synergistic in their criticism and their observations?
Hildebrand: Look, I don't want to tell anybody to not use their voice as they choose to use it. What I would say is that I do know President Elect Obama really quite well, and I know how he operates, and I know how he thinks, and I'm not saying that anybody else needs to have this same level of trust, but what I would say is you can trust this guy to do the right thing. He is the boss, and he is gonna implement a progressive agenda that will move this country forward, and I believe in the end people will be very pleased with his presidency.
Rob: I'll tell you, the other day, on Sunday, when he was doing the press conference for Shinseki, and he took that position on the Chicago factory worker's sit-in, that was incredible. The next day it kind of dawned on me that this was his most progressive act yet: speaking in solidarity with workers, protesting in a factory. What president in history has ever done anything like that before? It gave me chills when I realized it. That was a progressive thing to do. And that's the kind of decisive, off the cuff response that I think really defines the kind of man he is. I think he needs to pick more centrist appointees to get through the system in Washington.
Hildebrand: Going back to your point that you were very pleasantly surprised to see what he did with the Chicago workers... Probably my most important point in the column that I wrote for Huff Post was, give this guy a chance. He will prove to be a great progressive president, and, you know, we have too many problems not to rally behind him and help him get them done.
Rob: Great. Now, do you have any... What are you doing now? What do you plan on doing and do you have a website or anything you want to tell us about?
Hildebrand: I am back at my consulting firm, Hildebrand Tewes Consulting. We have offices in Washington, D.C., as well as in my home town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where I live. We do a lot of work for progressive organizations, liberal candidates for the House and Senate and Governor, and work with a lot of labor unions. I plan to be a very outspoken voice to help Barack Obama be successful in any way possible.
Rob: Great. Thanks so much!
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