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Whose progressive agenda? Obama is busily proving that he couldn't be less interested in enacting a liberal or progressive agenda. His appointments already show an even stronger move to the center-right, pro-business politics of the pre-Reagan Republican Party. Witness his figurative embrace of Joe Lieberman, Howard Dean's departure from the DNC, and the appointment of right-wing "Democrat" and bitter Dean opponent Rahm Emmanuel as Obama's Chief of Staff.
Mark my words: Democrats, at least those that haven't drunk the DLC Kool-Aid, will be bewailing the Obama Administration's remarkably Bush-like qualities within two years. His Supreme Court nominees will be far more conservative than almost anyone dreams at this point. Those appointees will likely put the final nail in Roe v. Wade and many other former Constitutional rights enjoyed by Americans.
Don't expect government to stop spying, torturing, or to restore habeas corpus. Government doesn't give back rights - the people have to TAKE them back. Obama's the last person in the world to be interested in bringing progressive values to America, because they oppose his interests and those of his wealthy corporate backers.
I hate playing Cassandra. It's a thankless role. Still, I'll put this here on the record so I can have the useless pleasure of saying "I told you so" in a couple of years - assuming, of course, that Salon survives the ongoing economic meltdown and that it isn't shut down for lèse-majesté by the ever-more-powerful government. Although given Joan Walsh's tendencies, I imagine it's more likely that Salon would be a wholly subservient, willing mouthpiece for the Administration.
