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Campaign Priorities Shift

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The New York Times

Published: January 11, 2009

WASHINGTON - Confronted by the worst financial crisis in generations, President-elect Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress are preparing to delay some of the promises he made on the campaign trail to avoid political distractions and focus on reversing the economic slide.

Obama has not publicly identified which priorities will wait, but advisers and allies have signaled they may put off renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, overhauling immigration laws, restricting carbon emissions, raising taxes on the wealthy and allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Other signature promises may be addressed in piecemeal fashion in the opening weeks of the administration, then put on a long track toward more comprehensive resolutions. For example, Obama plans to include what aides call "down payments" on his promises to expand health care coverage and promote energy independence in the economic recovery package he is developing, as a sign of dedication to the broader goals.

The economic tumult provides Obama an opportunity as well as a challenge. While he may have to table some of his goals, the magnitude of the problem awaiting him in the Oval Office has grown so overwhelming that he has a ready reason for doing so.

Gays In The Military

Even if there were no economic problems, some Democratic strategists said Obama would be wise to take his time repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that permits gays to serve if they do not discuss or act on their sexual orientation. But opponents of the policy say Obama has a moral commitment to act soon.

"I'm not talking about a first-100-days initiative," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which represents those kicked out of the military. "I am suggesting this is very doable in 2009."
Immigration Policy
Obama has pledged to follow through with a new immigration policy, but several allies on Capitol Hill said it is not at all certain that can happen this year. Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza, said Rahm Emanuel, the incoming White House chief of staff, told her the issue needed to be addressed without making commitments on a time frame.

Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, another advocacy group, said advocates hoped a window of opportunity would open between this September and March 2010.

NAFTA

The president-elect does not appear ready to scrap NAFTA, nor does he seem to be in a rush to push through a hotly disputed plan making it easier for workers to organize unions.

But Bill Samuel, legislative director of the AFL-CIO, said union leaders were focused on the economic package, which would provide hundreds of billions of dollars for job creation, much of it road, bridge and other infrastructure construction that would benefit his members. If it takes longer to get to some of the union's other priorities, Samuel said, so be it. "You can't do everything in the same week."

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