Obama's March Madness

The action is rapid-fire. The stakes are high. It is sudden death...and it's not even overtime. Indeed, we're still in the first quarter of the game. Things are spiraling out of control fast. And there is no instant replay camera.

If this were a scene in an NCAA Final Four basketball contest, this would probably be exciting to some of the more blood-thirsty sports fans (like it seems to be for some Obama detractors). But this is not a hoops game, folks. This is the state of the American government as this country is alarmingly close to economic Armageddon.

Where are the referees? Who's calling the game? Who's in charge? Inquiring minds want to know.

As such, I am so heavily invested in his historic presidency--and in the future of this country-- I feel the need to blow the whistle, to sound the buzzer, if you will. Apparently, someone needs to.

Since the President's inauguration, I have refrained from offering any commentary on his performance, even as I saw troubling signs with some of his cabinet choices. But I reasoned that he is a brilliant man with his eye on the proverbial ball.

Events of recent days, however, have propelled me to add my voice to the growing roar of the angry crowd watching the AIG spectacle unfold. Granted, I'm not an economist, nor an Ivy League-trained millionaire (which seems to be a requirement for Obama's advisors), "but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night."

Of course, I'm kidding about the hotel, but I just felt the need to lighten things up.

Much like President Obama apparently does.

How else can you explain his extremely ill-advised decisions to spend precious moments filling out NCAA brackets on ESPN (a representative of whom he reportedly invited into the White House mapping room) and to appear on the Jay Leno show in the midst of his administration imploding--even if Leno has been scheduled for a while now?

Granted, if anyone can pull off the Leno appearance, Obama can. Still, it's risky.

Which brings me to my first bit of advice for the President: Fire the idiot(s) who advised him to be cavorting around the country on Air Force One this week (giving the impression of misplaced priorities) when the American public is on the verge of a collective nervous breakdown.

I mean, I understand that he is the strongest asset of his administration, especially since there seems to be such a vast vacuum in the area of White House communications personnel.

And we all well know that he has inherited the worst and most wide-ranging mess in American presidential history (two wars, a Wall Street meltdown, the collapse of the American/world banking system, record unemployment, plummeting home values and skyrocketing foreclosure rates, etc.).

I get that.

Still, where are his spokespeople? To continue on his present path of constant TV face time is to risk overexposure. For familiarity truly does breed contempt.

The President needs to focus on getting his administration in order. I'm not saying that he's doing too much in terms of policy initiatives, as some have charged. I'm just saying that charisma goes only so far. He would do well to remember that the campaign is over.

This is not a pick-up game. This is the real deal, the deciding game. And the entire world is watching with bated breath. There needs to be a "come-to-Jesus" meeting in the White House or at Camp David.

I, for one, want to know who is advising the President. This is a fundamental question.

I say, no more parties, no more press conferences, no more town hall meetings...until there is a comprehensive strategy to right the banking/credit ship in this country.

I know that I'm mixing my sports metaphors here, but you get my point.

Yet another burning question is this: Where is Rahm Emmanuel, Obama's vaunted "get 'er done" Chief of Staff?

And what is taking so long getting a full administrative staff in place, especially in the Treasury Department? Speaking of which, the current economic team--headed by Tim Geithner and Larry Summers--is performing, thus far, like a bunch of third-string rookies.

I'm not advocating their removal--at least not immediately. But I do think President Obama needs to fast-track the vetting/appointment process and bring in Treasury assistants and deputies who are adept at play-calling and capable of being the point guard if called upon, as well one of them may soon be.

This is my bottom line: At this very moment, I don't care how the "retention" pay clause got into the stimulus bill. It just needs to be reversed...yesterday. Every dime must be returned. Period.

And no further bonuses should even be contemplated at Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP)-funded institutions. Further, the Justice Department and the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) should look at criminal probes.

Meanwhile, all the Congressional finger-pointing needs to end and the grown-ups need to stand up, and be heard--and handle the nation's business. Cooler heads need to prevail.

Moreover, going forward, the President needs to appoint an economic task force comprised of august financial, legal, and business experts to oversee the TARP fund. The same can be said for all the myriad problem areas in Defense, Education, Housing, Health and Human Services, State, etc.

Now, I feel pretty sure that President Obama knows the gravity of the situation, but he needs to show some signs. For--and it saddens me to have to say this--his handling, so far, of the highest office in the land is making even this hard-core Obama supporter worry. I'm still faithful, but shaken.

Ultimately, he is not being well-served by his advisors and appointees. When all is said and done, as I see it, there is good news and bad news.

The good news is that it is still very early in the Obama era, so there is still time to get on track. The bad news is that it is still very early in the Obama era, and this AIG mess could doom his young presidency.

As it were, the President needs to work on his transition game.

(Due to an editing error, the wrong byline appeared on an earlier version of this article. The correct author is Pamela D. Reed.)