...is the head of the transition team going to be setting policy about medical marijuna?

"For god's sake (or at least the country's) why not let this jell first, see how it starts to play out and then start screaming about how we were mugged by the Uppity Negro?"

For God's sake... I've saw enough racism-baiting from Obama supporters during the primary and election to last a lifetime. It's time to stop implying that every criticism of Obama is racist. You won the election. Move On.

What is with the hubbub, the chosen one, (I say it literally, since, for the past century, anyone running for high office in this country is pre selected so the overlords have their bets covered) has always been a center right, now the question is what is center right in a country that ideological and political differences between the artificially propped up two party system is as prophase as the difference between Coke and Pepsi!

I never understood why progressives thought that Obama was their candidate. He was always the right-most of the Democratic

candidates. If you wanted a progressive you should have supported Edwards (I know, I know...) and then Hillary, who was

running well to the left of Obama. Obama ran a a uniter, which

necessary involves uniting a broad spectrum of opinion, even people we don't like.

At present, Obama's main goal seems to be to unite the

Democratic party as firmly as possible behind him. As preparation for necessary but drastic action, this is probably a good thing.

Lance Drager

Strike a nerve, did it? It's under the rock. All you gotta do is turn it over and look. It's there. We all won, but apparently some just can't accept victory.

Or maybe I'm just a little paranoid after the recent lynchmob atmosphere in certain quarters. Yeah, that's probably it...

Get a grip, folks. Maybe, after eight years, we've forgotten what competence looks like, but we're living through one of the most impressive transitions in memory, and I, for one, intend to enjoy it. Surely, no one expected Mr. Obama to be "ready on day one" while staffing his administration with inexperienced unknowns, or to immediately light into his opponents after preaching "conciliation" for two years straight. The fact is, we have elected a goal-oriented strategic thinker who will probably be three steps ahead of us much of the time, so let's see how things play out before we get too hyper. Brushing away gnats shouldn't be part of our President-elect's transition agenda.

Hear, hear.

Well said and couldn't agree more.

And Axelrod is right: "There's one person who's going to be in charge of American foreign policy, and there's one person who's going to be in charge of American economic policy. And that's Barack Obama."

I honestly don't understand what all the indignation is about.

These people are there to execute Obama's will and as you aptly note, Toad, the guy's consistently three steps ahead of the game. One could argue his aptitude for strategy is the single most important factor (within his control) for his having become president of the United States.

Now suddenly he's some kind of feckless or even sinister hack?

The indignant criticism simply doesn't add up.

The Bush presidency has seen one disaster after another, with the current economic disintegration as the final outrage. President-elect Obama is walking into a house that is burning down.

Our new president is a brilliant man with a spectacular education who is clearly able to see what he is up against. I don't believe he has jettisoned his core beliefs. Rather, it seems he realizes that without stabilizing the foundations of our society, there will be nothing he can do to achieve them.

The people he has chosen to help him govern are admittedly not the fresh young faces his most fervent supporters hoped to see, but what is common to them all is that they know what they're doing and don't need to be trained. My assessment of his choice of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is that, despite the friction of the past, she is completely prepared to manage foreign relations and keep a great deal of pressure off of the new President while he attends to the calamity at home. The members of his domestic team are not "holdovers". They are veterans, combat tested and sure of themselves, and will be organized by an aggressive Chief of Staff who will keep everything in line like a drill sargent.

Barack Obama deserves out trust and patience. His moves toward the political center are meant to recruit as much consensus as possible for the tasks immediately at hand. Once accomplished, his progressive agenda will move forward.

Right, Left, Centre???

It's all relative.

The important thing is for Barack Obama to move things forward otherwise the Republicans will be back in power in 8 yeras and then Liberals will have something to really complain about.

And as a Canadian, even far left Americans are kind of right wing to us anyways.

center elected him.

"Progressives", whatever the hell that means, are the Democrats' version of the Republicans' right-wing evangelicals. Obama was elected because millions of centrist voters thought he was the best man for the job. He is brilliant, and I hope he is also a master politician. He's more likely to get something done than an extreme leftist who would have every policy subject to a Republican fillibuster, possibly supported by Blue-dog Democrats. Give the guy, and the country, a chance.

-- mountaineer

I have a bit of news for you, the extreme left does not vote for republicans or democrats no matter how slick and polished they might present themselves, now center left or by your definition Progressives need to shift their support to a republican in 2012 to send a message to dems that they are sick and tired of being taken for granted.

There is always tomorrow~!

why he wants to be president? especially after the first little stone popped out of the financial dam. just likes the challenge, i guess.

it's not enough to be smart. even a smart man can't lead a stupid nation to permanent salvation, because the next stupid, or crooked, or crazy president can undo the smart guy's work.

obama can give the nation a few years of competence. perhaps he will. take a deep breath, crack open a bottle, enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

but don't expect any substantive and lasting change, there will be another dubya along soon to screw things up. real change will come from outside the system, perhaps when china buys up gm, india takes ford, and poor old japan has to make do with chrysler. american capitalism thought they needed 'globalism' to expand, but looks like the expansion is going in the other direction.

perhaps obama will be the last american emperor.