DIDN'T ANYONE NOTICE? – AT 8:40 A.M. ET:  The president needs someone in the White House who will read the papers before personnel announcements are made.  Earlier this week it was revealed that General Electric will voluntarily give China much of the technology of GE commercial jet engines, making it much easier for China to compete with American aircraft manufacturers.  Then we read this, from The Politico:

HOW'S IT WORK, JEFF? -- President Obama will fly to upstate New York on Friday to take a tour of a General Electric branch in Schenectady, the birthplace of the company. Joining him will be the company's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt. Afterward, Obama will speak about "the importance of growing the economy and making America more competitive by investing in jobs, innovation and clean energy," the White House said in guidance to reporters.

The White House announced early Friday that GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt will be the chairman of Obama's new Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. The announcement came shortly after Obama thanked Paul Volcker for leading the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which will wind down on Feb. 6.

COMMENT:  Say look, isn't this the wrong guy for the job?  GE, under Immelt, hasn't exactly been much of an American symbol.  And the broadcast network GE ran before selling it, NBC, became a big Obama booster, giving rise to the suspicion that this job is a political reward. 

A more imaginative appointment was needed.

January 21, 2011