For those who are nervous about Obama's cabinet choices and his willingness to set up potential conflict among his advisors and department heads, the Thomas Tamm investigation (and harrassment) may turn out to be yet another important measure of his presidency.
Tamm appears to be a thoroughly legitimate whistle-blower, the source for the New York Times's Pulitzer Prize winning story about Bush's authorization of secret wiretaps. An infuriated Bush White House went after Tamm and have treated him like a criminal. Michael Isikoff has the whole story in the latest Newsweek.
The ball is now in Obama's court. What will his reaction be to the Tamm situation? Senator Obama's initial vote on wiretaps was in opposition, a position he switched in a later vote. Now he will have to decide the fate of the man who exposed the Bush administration's illegal use of wiretaps. Obama supporters will be watching how his Justice Department handles the matter.
Obama has been getting some squinty eyed criticisms from even his most loyal supporters lately. Complaints are increasing -- not just about his cabinet choices and his apparent drift to status quo ante but about the pressure his campaign continues to apply on supporters. The barrage of emails from the Obama campaign continues, to the considerable irritation of some of his most ardent fans.
