You Think College Applications Are Difficult...

For all of the negative comments I have made about our newly elected 44th President of the United States, no one can fault him for running an extraordinary campaign. President-elect Obama’s transition team issues a 63-question application to potential applicants for federal government positions. Their attention to detail and commitment to hiring the best, most qualified, and most ethical candidates assuages some of my concern for Obama’s lack of executive experience.

Good campaign transition teams are determined to protect their boss from the embarrassment and distraction of a bungled nomination to one of the country’s top jobs. “In this process, you're guilty until proven innocent," says Paul Light, a professor at New York University's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Obama's lawyers are asking candidates to dig deep and come forward with some of the most private details of their personal and professional lives — as well as those of their spouses. An e-mail that could be embarrassing? An old diary entry that makes you blush? A loan you're not proud of? A late tax payment? An arrest? These questions are all on Obama's 63-item background questionnaire, and the word to those competing for top jobs is that they better cough up the answers now because the information will surely come out later. You must ask these questions, because there should be no surprises in the White House.

Some political observers say Obama’s caution with respect to recruiting new administration officials and key high-level advisers may be turning away a string of qualified candidates wary of subjecting themselves and their families to the most rigid presidential vetting process on record. David Gergen, an adviser to four past presidents describes the questionnaire as “extremely invasive.” In the age of technology and at a time when many are skeptical of our nation’s leaders, this process must be transparent both to the new administration and the American people. People who want to serve 300 million Americans and the leader of the free world must prove that they are capable of handling this responsibly and ethically.

I applaud Obama for his thorough approach to this process, but am disheartened that his apparent commitment to “change” has thus far yielded little more than Clinton administration alumni. Obama is hiring people with more Washington experience and less far-left ideology – the opposite of what his supporters thought they would get. I have written many times about my view that our national leaders should be smarter, better qualified, more experienced, and more ethical than the average citizen. I believe that the American government should stay out of people’s day-to-day lives, but the President of the United States needs to know that his team is ready to lead and will not embarrass his administration. It is an honor and a privilege to serve your country. Those who are uncomfortable taking responsibility for their actions and disclosing details of their private lives need not apply.