CNN

I wonder if he planned this irony. This is perfect: Now if he can run that zoo, he should be able to run this zoo. Right? Very funny indeed. The only problem now is... what about all the rest of the zoos? Who will run those? Maybe the zoo Czar can endorse other zoo keepers, train them in the banking business, auto industry, education administration...

NOW this is NOT the texas teacher... this is bozo Republican lame foot texas teacher.... can't you think of ANYTHING other than MY ID? Pffft.... ignorance abounds! AND... you LOST... Oh, come on.... this is Sarah Palin... no one else could be so ignorant! *LOL*

texas teacher NOT March 3rd, 2009 6:58 pm ET

@One Nation under God

You are so full of crap. You sound like you are about ready to cry. We have every righ t to criticize this President the way you and liberal lefties tried to wish for defeat in Iraq. You don't want to admit it now, but you can't change history. Democrats ran on failure in Iraq. However, we won. Too bad for the Democrats, because they look like fools.

Aaa.... a texas teacher making a stupid republican comment about being able to criticize the President.... you are so NOT the Texas Teacher... come on.... find a name that suits you.... like Conservative Republican Teacher! Barf... when you have nothing to say... you try to take someone else's name? Really? *LOL* The Texas Teacher would NEVER say that it is okay to critcize this president... NOT after the crap from Bush/Cheney that NO ONE dare Criticize... seriously....

Not just the zoo, bozos... did you read the article or NOT? Really.... I guess NOT.. otherwise you would not make such a stupid comment had you done so! I'm really getting tired of these lame Republican comments!

If you fools would put down your snark pens for just one minute, you might learn that this man has a long record in the business world, and is known for his effective management of organizations large and small.

Don't be such idiots!

I hope this one paid his taxes at least

Republicans and their hate are such Idiots. I'm willing to bet each one has cheated their government of their taxes. So honest and uptight. God you just got to love them.

How funny! CNN you just made my day! (laughing~~~~)

This one is just TOO EASY!!!

I LOVE IT! The title says it all, Zoo Director to manage federal workforce. Finally, someone realizes that it would take a zoo director to run the zoo Obama is creating. Hahahahahahaha. I'm crying I am laughing so hard...

Is there are particular reason why so many stupid comments have to be posted after every ticker? Aren't there any Americans left who have some kind of pride to want to portray nothing less than intelligence? Ok, I see Obama was right in his address to Congress on the portion regarding education.

I find his OFFENSIVE. This guy was the zoo director. Does Obama think that federal employees are animals?

I demand a retraction, an apology. This is OUTRAGEOUS.

Ha ha ha. To reform human behavior? The oval is the best place to start.

Mr. President, This has to be your vengeance, it's just to good to be anything less. That's a good one!!!

A lot of people I see didn't read the article.

The guy worked in the Department of the Interior, and has a Master's in Public Administration at Syracuse University. Do some research people.

@Brian G. Stupid Land TX:

Federal workers "underperform at overmarket wages?"

I think you mean bank CEOs and Wall Street tycoons, right?

This is Obama's first correct decision since entering office. Given his track record so far, that probably means he's done for 2009...

lol. I can't help but think that Obama is trying to send the government a message.

Ohhh – where to start. Our National Zookeeper at OPM. Must... bite... tongue...

does anyone still believe in this guy? (subject to moderation)

to Sniffit March 3rd, 2009 5:45 pm ET

Sniffit sounds like some little gerbil creeping up one's leg. EEWWW!

There is a certain symmetry to this.

Ohh, O.K, for a minute I'm thinking about the Zoo and I'm like what the hell??

Finally a Zoo guy we need...(laughing), sorry, sounds kind of funny.

He talks to the animals...question is will they listen? How funny, wonder if his taxes are in order. The laughs just keep coming!

It's definitely a step down.

The best qualified candidate for this position?

I love it. Let the jokes begin. I love Obama, and I'm sure this guy is well-qualified, but the zoo-keeper overseeing the federal workforce is fantastic! LOL

Well... maybe the chimp knows something we dont!!

LOL and before all you Libs post hate and racism... what have you been calling Bush for 8 yrs?

HYPOCRITES!!

Maybe this guy can keep Obama and the rest of his crook buddies in check up at the zoo (formerly known as the White House).

As long as the gentleman is qualified to serve in the position he has been chosen for, who cares where he worked prior to this.

well he does have experience with monkeys.

Maybe he can keep all the monkeys in line......so they can write more stimulul packages for the entitlement population that have their hands out.

Jesus Christ ,the bureacracy is getting ridiculously huge! Mark my words, federalism is back.

Finally ... a true public servant – someone willing to take a demotion for the good of the country! Keep HOPE alive!

we are doomed by a community organizer...unbelieveable

So it seems that it won't be not more monkey business. This new Zoo director knows all the in and outs in the federal arena.
It is really just a joke after another-What a change!
I

LOL Great choice for president America!! Another folly

I'm speechless.

I needed a great laugh today!! This made my day. From one zoo to a bigger zoo...LOL

How appropriate a background. National Zoo director to now oversee all the government workforce! HAHAHAHA!!!

No Hillary = No Obama

You don't get to....not that it matters. If the guy is qualified, he's qualified. You're just experiencing what I like to call a knee-jerk idiocy response because you hate Obama so much you really don't care how dumb you sound spouting off at the mouth without any factual basis.

Still have that math wrong too by the way.

Gee all we need now is a paper bag czar that owes back tax money too. This will be the only way we will be able to afford the Porkulus bill.

Who's going to be the new zoo director? Joe, Rahm, Nancy, or Harry?

Does this mean we have a bunch of animals working for the government? Maybe he'll be able to teach a bunch of old dogs new tricks! Just when you thought this "New Administration" couldn't get any more far out – maybe he was the only "DEMONCRAT" that wasn't behind on his taxes that was qualified for a post in "O's" administration.

People still making tax comments..

Please... every single person who goes to see an accountant or tax service is thrilled when they find every write off, every loop hole, to save money on taxes. Many of those write offs are not legitimate in most cases but the government doesn't press them, and therefore people use them anyway.

It's only when someone gets a high post that their taxes are combed through... or during an audit. I'll bet if we audited every member of congress... 99% of them will owe taxes for one thing or another.

And I'll bet if we audited every American who uses the services of an accountant... 99% of them would have to pay taxes back for some illegitimate tax deduction, whether large or small.

The point is.. stop with the tax comment. I'll bet every person making these comments would owe back taxes if they were truly combed through thoroughly... it's the American way

From one zoo to the next

Does anyone see the humor in this...National Zoo leader appointed to control the Federal......is the World Order theme...bring in the dogs? lol

If he ran the National Zoo as well as they claim he did, he will have the skills to run the civil service part of the government. Have you had to deal with Social security lately? I have and it was not pleasant and they still have not fixed the problem after 2 visits.

Hey "No Hillary/No Obama"-

if you haven't noticed, one of his appointments is none other than Hillary Clinton.

people like you give new meaning to bitter lol

Oh my dear, they want to blame Obama for the drop in the Dow Jones... I tell yah.. how the hell is a man like Obie supposed to pay off 5 trillion dollars overnight?

No H = No O "I'd like to know how many of these appointments that Obama is making contributed to his campaign"

Excellent question – remember it is OK to Question Authority.

If you Google a little you will come up with goverment data (yes – not from a ufo site) that contains pretty shocking contributions (lobby-like) from Big Corporations (banks / financials are big) and individuals.

And they are BACK to COLLECT the PAYBACK from Obama.

Yeah, if he can put up with the stinks and diversities of the zoo animals, he can definitely put up with the rest of the Talibans (elephants), donkeys, kermit the frog, miss Piggy (Palin), Limbaugh (burning bush going rogue)......

The Federal Zoo Director to oversee the national workforce? Yeah, that's about right.

The conservatives are already getting their panties bunched up over a gay guy leading the Civil Service! If confirmed by the Senate, he'll be the highest ranking openly gay guy so far in President Obama's administration. w00t!

This is choice irony - from one zoo to another!

The More Money the Government put in the Stock Market Related Business America will Fail..

The National Zoo Director??????????????

I think Barry has gotten into the liquor cabinet again. Michelle please keep an eye on him and hide the keys.

Change you can believe in.

Zoo czar???

How utterly appropriate! With all the loons and jackles in this administration–he'll have his hands full.

I'm hoping that there's more in in resume than being the Zookeeper for the National Zoo.

Or maybe having a zookeeper is exactly what we need to oversee the government's workforce. Congress does seem to behave like a bunch of wild animals........

Once again, I read the vile comments of the far-right. Of course, you all have a right to your opinion no matter how vile or hateful.

What troubles me, is that the vast majority of the far-right claims to be Christian....... how is hate Christian? How is calling names Christian??

President Obama ......INHERITED....... this Economic Disaster from Bush!
He has been in office a mere 40 days........ give the man a break.

Oh........ but no. The GOP continues to spew the very vile that cost them the elections in 2008.

I love it..... a zoo director to run the federal workforce. If Obama had not done this himself, would conservatievs have gotten in trouble for even suggesting it? Welcome to the monkey house........

Finally Obama has appointed someone with first hand experience for the job he will be doing. I hope he keeps all these fools in their cages so they can't harm our country anymore, that includes Obama. Keep us safe!

Money well spent. Probably 150k a year and an office budget of 5 million.

Can I get the next job as National Zoo Director? Does it pay well and come with the government health and pension plans?

Is this a Zoo Czar? Is Obama now going to borrow $300 billion as part of a zoo stimulus, with special zoo projects in Nancy Pelosi's district and Harry Reid's state? Maybe he will raise the zoo tax? More and more I think this administration is demonstrating incompetence...this may be the area they should focus on, so they cause less damage.

Obama – you are so smart.
Personnel at the Govt. is like a Zoo.So we need a good person to control these animals.

You all are such haters. You should all be in a zoo

How appropriate! The federal workforce(?) has needed a Zoo keeper for quite some time!

I'd like to know how many of these appointments that Obama is making contributed to his campaign for President and the amounts they contributed either individually or under some umbrella organization etc.

He can't even keep the animals from dying at the Zoo.

Maybe he should clean that up a bit before accepting this position.

If he is in charge of the zoo, he needs to be in congress and senate. they are the true animals.They need to be herded up and run out of this country. let them go to Israel, they send 3 billion to Israel very year, let them move there, hopefully at the Israeli , Gaza border. that should open their eyes

Did he pay his taxes?

Just wondering who served as National Zoo Director under Bush? Some nut who spent the whole budget trying to prove that 2 of every animal could fit on a wooden ark?

Are you serious? Talk about completely setting yourself up for late night puns and analogies.

We need this man to manage Congress !

oh Mike, you silly man. If you don't like the president, it is your right as an American. But, to say that your faith hangs on the appointment of what amounts to be the HR director for federal employees is silly. I have been following politics since I was very young and I have never even heard of this office. What does that tell you?

Well of course he did. What more appropriate leader for this crew?

zoo director to over-see lib animals, wow, Obama got one right.

Obama finally picks someone who is capable of doing what is asked of him...... running a zoo

He should be really qualified for this job and there should not be many changes in his day to day life . it will just be another day at another zoo.Only experienced one that has been hired.I hope he has paid his taxes.

Can we say downsize??? A federal hiring freeze and period of attrition would help toward that 50% deficit reduction goal!!!

Is this for real??? Please tell me that this guy did something meaningful before running a second-rate zoo???

Good choice or not, Jon Stewart is gonna have a ball with this.

Oh great,

Now we have a zoo keeper in charge of the people who work for the government. How wonderful is that

How fitting. A zoo director to oversee the Democratic animals.

"Nat'l Zoo Director to oversee federal workforce"

the irony is oh so thick...

National Zoo Director to oversee the Federal Government's Workforce? Hmm .... Guess Obama thinks the Government's Workforce are nothing but a bunch of animals. That's a nice description of all the one's Obama has working for him. NOT

Another Clinton retread.

Correlating experience? I would imagine that he will be able to apply what he learned from managing animals to the federal workforce.

Former responsibilities as a 'zoo director' seems quite appropriate and he should fit in quite well – the whole scenario is turning into a ZOO!!! Ineptness and questionable reputations have been the norm in the new administration, including 5 nominees that owed taxes and some incapable of understanding their own tax forms. Nothing is surprising at this point.....

ZOO Director for federal employees? BRILLIANT!

ZOO Director for federal employees? BRILLIANT!

Now this is one pick that makes sense – a national zoo keeper to keep the zoo that Obama is creating.

Sounds fitting. The working for the federal government certainly FEELS like being at the zoo.

Well, If a horse trainer can oversee millions of dollars, I guess a National Zoo Director will be just fine; as long as he has paid his taxes.

Zoo director?? Why, how appropriate this is for the Obama administration and his menagerie of wild animals now running this country (into the ground). He needs a ring master as well.

(I suppose the loony libs will now try to make this out to be something racist...)

I know the government is a zoo, but this is a bit of a stretch.
Not sure what to think how can a National Zoo Director oversee the federal government work force.

CNN you are making it too easy to crack jokes on this story! I'm biting my lip, trying to stay strong!!!!!

Well, he certainly has the right qualifications because he will be overseeing a zoo now!

Sounds like the perfect pick!

There's a joke in here somewhere!

A zoo director now heads White house personnel management.

This is too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need a former Monopoly money maker to head the Treasury.
And a former charity organizer to head the country. Oh yeah, we have that.

What we need is a comedian to represent our country because the world will be laughing at us.

Oh yeah, we have that too, almost, in Minnesota.

Your hard earned tax dollars at work. Why does every tax payer need to shell out money for a national zoo director?

I love it!!

That might be fitting in another workforce but we will see there.

Hope he paid his taxes!

Well, he will be in charge of one of the BIGGEST zoos in the world–have fun!

Oh No! I can just see the animal (monkey and otherwise) jokes coming soon.

Not a bad idea. If he can handle wildlife at the Zoo...what better place than the fed gov't?

Brunswick,MD

Ironic that a keeper of animals is now responsible for the "federal dogs" who underperform at overmarket wages.

Perhaps John Berry can teach those old dogs some new tricks...like integrity, intelligence and innovation.

National Zoo director to oversee Office of Personnel Managment. Boy, can't wait for the comedians to get a hold of that one! ^_^

Did he pay his taxes?

Is this a joke? National Zoo Director? If this guy has tax problems, I am going to lose ALL faith in this administration.

From the Zoo to the Government.....yeah, that's about right.

No, no, the jokes are too obvious! But if this guy is used to dealing with the National Zoo, he's PERFECT for dealing with federal workers!

He can 't replace Pelosi !

Good choice!