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To campaign is one thing and to govern is another. You do need people who know how things work in Washington. It seems that President-elect Obama will be a hands on president and not a micro manager like President Carter. I trust in the fact that President-elect Obama knows what he is doing and he has a plan of action. After the last eight years it will be refreshing to have an articulate, aware and intelligent person in the White House who has excellent critical thinking skills. There are probably some Republicans who could serve in an Obama administration. Secretary Gates has in my opinion done an excellent job at DOD and it makes sense to leave him there as we transit out Iraq .I am hopeful that Senator Hegel will replace him. Bill Richardson was term limited and hopefully the Democrats will hold that state house in 2010. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico remain blue and that Arizona will be added to that group . I was surprised that Hillary was the choice for State since I thought that Ambassador Richard Holbrook would have been considered. It appears that President-elect Obama sees qualities in her that will be of benefit in creating an improved foreign policy. She is the equal in intelligence to that of that of her husband former President Clinton if not a bit smarter and much more disciplined .I was surprised that she ran such a poorly managed presidential campaign but she showed a great deal of fortitude in over coming the deficiencies of her staff. I think that she does want President elect Obama to have a successful term. She will therefore be able to part of this success which will help to make the Democrats the majority party for many more election cycles. Senator Clinton would have won re-election in 2010 and could have served at least another term after that one. It will be interesting to see who Governor Patterson selects for that seat.
I am curious as to the choice for Department of Interior. That department has been turned into a K-Mart for special interests. Right now several political appointees are being burrowed into permanent positions which will make it very difficult to reform the corrupt policies of Bush 43. Clear cutting and other horrid practices have been the rule since the first Bush term and it will take a lot of work to clean up the mess. Under President Bush that department has served the private interest and not the public good. Our national parks have been seriously neglected , mismanaged and turned into a resource for private industry.
It does seem that President Obama wants to achieve results and not play the usual games. In choosing the Governor Napolitano of Arizona for Homeland Security he has removed someone who could have won that senate seat in 2010. We should not forget that the mid-term elections have begun. There are state houses , senate & house seats to win and others to defend. The Republicans may be seriously injured but they are not dead. The Might Moose Hunter from Alaska may have been using the Florida RGA convention to sell herself but I am betting that the emphasis was on how to defend current seats and pick up a few in 2010. I doubt that they will win in 2012 but they are probably setting up for 2016. Lets face it there aren't too may bright lights left in the GOP. It seems that it will take an election cycle or two for the Republicans to try and begin a comeback. President elect Obama has to hit the ground running because it is apparent that Bush 43 has already checked out and unfortunately the economic situation is getting worse.
I think that it was a good idea to keep Lieberman on board. I am not happy that he is heading an important committee. This that is what was needed to keep him so that he could be of some use . Hopefully he will call it a day in 2012 and retire on his own or that the good people of Connecticut will show him the door. President-elect Obama was smart in being gracious towards old Joe. Teaching him a "lesson" would not have taught him anything and in fact it would have made him even more obnoxious and obstructive. I do wish that the press would ignore him and stop inviting him to the Sunday morning shows because it inflates his already large ego. If Senator Reid retires or loses in 2010 who is going to be the next Senate Majority leader if the Democrats continue to hold the Senate which is a likely possibility? Eventually the Republicans will re-emerge and it will be interesting to see what replaces the extreme GOP social, economic and foreign policies. They will try to emulate the way President elect Obama's team run the 2008 campaign and raised funds. It will interesting to see what campaign strategies they come up with.
