RIP MIRIAM MAKEBA

It just occurred to me that I never wrote about Miriam Makeba's passing. Below is a performance she did with my favorite, Paul Simon, on his "Graceland" tour. She was a true gift.

HILLARY AND TIMOTHY

I have been quite reluctant to post that Hillary Clinton will be on the Obama team in the role of Secretary of State because there are still rumblings that it could/might not happen. Rumors still abound that Richardson is being vetted, too -- probably as a back-up in case they find some serious dirt on the Clintons (and don't be surprised if they do). Richardson could end up at Commerce if he doesn't get State.

When it comes to all things Clinton, I am a natural skeptic. As a first time voter in 1992, I voted for Bill, went to a rally in Cleveland, enthusiastically shook his and Hillary's hands. And as soon as he took office, I felt like he did everything he could to sell his supporters down the river. I never forgave him. I still haven't. And, as a result, I look at the positives of everything Clinton... then prepare for the worst. I don't trust either of them. So, I won't be surprised if it falls out of her lap in the last minute. In fact, I expect it.

As for this Timothy Geithner, I hear he may be announced on Monday, so I will hold off on adding him to "The Team" for now. This looks like a pick that will make Wall Street happy. But, as with all things Clinton, I am always skeptical of the assholes who work on Wall Street. And as I wrote this post, it has become more and more clear that he is the choice for this position.

THE TEAM

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- Valerie Jarrett
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL - Gregory Craig
ATTORNEY GENERAL - Eric Holder
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Tom Daschle
HOMELAND SECURITY - Janet Napolitano



Politico and CNN are both reporting Napolitano for Homeland Security.

The names seem to be coming out fast. Since I have little time to blog -- or little to say that untold numbers of bloggers haven't already said -- don't be surprised if most of my posts for the next several weeks are in regards to the incoming Obama team.

CNN is also saying Penny Pritzker will head Commerce, but I'm waiting to hear something a little more definitive before adding her name.

THE TEAM

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- Valerie Jarrett
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL - Gregory Craig
ATTORNEY GENERAL - Eric Holder
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Tom Daschle

CNN is reporting that Daschle has been offered and accepted the position at HHS.

It does look as though Obama is trying to assemble a world class, rock star cabinet. Note: I have not put up Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State because at this point, it is still essentially speculation and we don't know what will happen. In the cases of Holder and Daschle, even though the announcements haven't been official, they seem very likely.

THE TEAM

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- Valerie Jarrett
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL - Gregory Craig
ATTORNEY GENERAL - Eric Holder

NBC is reporting Holder has been offered the position and accepted.

Also, Obama apparently appointed several lower-staff level jobs last week, but this list I'm compiling will only deal with high-level positions.

GUTLESS!

Once again, I am reminded why I don't like to call myself a Democrat. They have let that slimiest of slimeballs, Joe Lieberman, keep his powerful Homeland Security chair.

But, get this. Their version of punishment is stripping him of the chairmanship of some insubstantial subcommittee. What a kick to the balls this is.

Way to go, Democrats. Just remember, when the snake bites you, you knew all along it was a snake.

THE TEAM

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- Valerie Jarrett
WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL - Gregory Craig

THE TEAM

I will update this and re-post as new people are brought in:

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- Valerie Jarrett

THANKS, SENATOR McCAIN

Thank you John McCain and Sarah Palin for riling up the nutjob wing of the GOP to the point where record numbers of people (read: their wacky right-wing supporters) want to inflict serious harm upon Barack Obama.

The number of threats against Obama is higher than any other president-elect. I can only imagine how poorly Michelle Obama sleeps some nights.

Well, what should we expect when we have numbnuts like this running around the country? NOT ONE of the leaders of this wing of the GOP has stood up and told these people to calm down, give Obama some breathing room, let him have his shot, and, by the way, he's not a terrorist!

Oh yeah. Don't forget jerk-offs like these people, either.

Personally, I can't ever forgive McCain or Palin for the campaign they ran. I fear for Obama's safety.

WE (DON'T) GOT WOOD!

I'm a huge Cubs fan. When I moved to Chicago in 1997 I was not a baseball fan (what would you expect after growing up with the disgraceful Cleveland Indians as your hometown team (they were always awful in the 80s and early 90s)). But I used to take the Red Line everyday when I lived in Rogers Park and worked downtown. I was always enamored with the Addison stop, where you could see into Wrigley. Somehow that turned me into a fan. (That, and being in a city with a National League team. I hate the designated hitter. It is the most ridiculous position ever conceived in professional sports.)

In 1998, Kerry Wood pitched a 20-strikeout game as a rookie. It was a blessing and a curse. He never came close to matching that performance (well, he did pitch a few one-hit games and often struck out more than 10 when he was a starter). And since 2003, every season has started with Cubs fans biting their nails at the thought of an unhealthy Kerry Wood.

And, like clockwork, every season, he goes on the DL. I told a friend of mine last Summer when Wood was injured around the time of the All-Star Game that I was tired of the Cubs being held hostage to Woody's injuries.

Apparently, so are the Cubs. For the first time since I became a Cubs fan, Kerry Wood will not be wearing a Cubs uniform. Part of me is saddened by this. And another part of me is simply relieved.

Bring on Marmol.

OW! THE STUPID!!

As much as I dislike Sarah Palin and all she represents, I'm slowly feeling more at ease with her as the face of the GOP for the next 4 years. It could make our job really easy.



Now, Jed did cut this up a bit, but it gets to the general point about Palin: She's a moron.

Also, I highly suggest this piece on Palinese by Matt Taibbi. The part where he translates her statement into German then Japanese and back to English had me in tears.

IT'S OVER!

Apparently, someone forgot to tell Sarah Palin:

a) The election is over

b) YOU LOST

c) The electorate thinks you are the nation's number one nitwit and nothing you say or do will change that right now

d) Barack Obama has not been sworn in yet, so please stop running for president in 2012 already.

Seriously, what is up with the media already talking about the GOP's nominee in 2012? Obama hasn't even named one cabinet secretary and all these shows are discussing who's the current front runner. It's no wonder people hate politics so much.

I really can not stand Sarah Palin and all she represents and, unlike many of my fellow Obama supporters who are already praying she become the nominee in '12, I'd rather see her disappear from the national scene. To me, she is everything that is wrong with this country.

While I'm at it, I'd also like to ask everyone liberal out there to calm down about Obama's cabinet choices and policy decisions. Everything we've heard so far is nothing but speculation and, as Sarah Palin needs to be told, Obama has not even appointed one cabinet memeber yet. So, please, calm down! (And read John Cole's absolute annihalation of one of our Democratic concern trolls. It's brilliant!)

QUICK RANT

Rachel Maddow is already poo-poohing Obama's cabinet on Air America Radio.

Are you serious?

She's calling it Clinton's 3rd term because Rahm Emanuel was named Chief of Staff. Is this what the hard-core left (of which I consider myself a part) is going to do immediately? No wonder we never get our mandates through. Not even 48 hours after he was elected and Maddow sounds like she wants to start an internal civil war over Rahm Emanuel.

GOOD POINT

David Sirota makes an excellent point about Joe "two-face" Lieberman.

Lieberman has been a partisan attack dog for the Republicans against Obama for many months now. Empowering that attack dog with the subpoena power that comes with a committee chairmanship (and especially on a committee whose role is broad executive investigations) is insane.

THE TEAM

I will update this and re-post as new people are brought in:

CHIEF OF STAFF -- Rahm Emanuel
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON -- Robert Gibbs
SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR -- David Axelrod

SINCE ELECTION DAY

I haven't written anything about Obama's election because I don't know what to say. Before November 4th, I thought I would weep like a baby the moment they announced him as the new President-elect.

Instead, what came over me was a stunned silence. And I haven't really gotten past that yet. I shed a small tear when I saw Colin Powell interviewed on CNN about Obama's victory, but, other than that, I am so in awe and so overwhelmed that I really don't know what to say.

Probably the only thing I would like to say to Obama (and I'm sure he's been aware of this from the start): FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

JOE THE DOUCHEBAG

Ben Smith had this video of "Joe" the "Plumber" going mano a mano with Rick Sanchez on CNN. In the comments of Smith's post, the first one I read simply said: "Joe the Douchebag."

Really. Here's another one we're not going to miss everyday, right?

** for some reason, I'm having trouble linking to this video, so please click on the link above**

IF YOU BECOME VP

Really, will anyone miss Sarah Palin everyday?

I CALLED IT 4 YEARS AGO

The Atlantic has some of the best blogs out there, as you may well know. In my mind, Sullivan has the best blog I've seen so far. Period. Ambinder is a great source of information. And last week, I discovered Ta-Nehisi Coates. His blog page is truly excellent, too.

Coates has a post today titled "The moment I went all in..." and links to Obama's victory speech after the South Carolina primary. It got me thinking about the moment that I went all in with Obama.

I live in Illinois and when Obama won the Senatorial primary in 2004, I had barely heard of him. There were two guys running against him (whose names I can no longer remember, nor do I care) and they basically beat the crap out of each other through the whole campaign. Seriously, I woke up the day after the primary and saw some guy named Obama had won the primary. Who?

Who the hell is nominating someone with that name? The Dems must want to get trounced.

You'll recall that Obama was slated to run against a really good-looking Republican named Jack Ryan until he (unfairly, in my mind) was decapitated by the GOP once it was revealed he and his ex-wife liked to get freaky.

I began to follow Obama, but not really -- I mean, I knew I was going to vote for him. When I found out that Kerry had picked him to give the keynote address, I was stunned again. Clearly, my interest in the Illinois Senate race was piddling, but people were talking more and more about this amazing nominee we had. Kerry noticed it, too -- the best decision he made in his entire campaign was to give Obama the keynote speech.

In 2004, I was dating a Republican. We watched Obama's convention speech together. She sneered, and I cried. I told her, "He's going to be the first black president." Naturally, she guffawed. But that was my moment -- the moment I went all in. I feel like I've had his back ever since.



Kerry lost, Obama won. I was so happy about our new Senator that I almost didn't care about Kerry's loss. Obama was the future, I was sure. Should he decide to run in '08, I'd be with him -- no matter what. When he declared, I cheered but didn't think he stood a chance against Hillary.

When he won Iowa, I jumped up and down like a child on a trampoline. He inspired me to volunteer for a cause (his campaign) for the first time in 12 years. And his call for a citizenry that is active in its community has me looking for a place to volunteer once I've unwound from this election season.

Get out and vote today and hold on to your hats. Tonight should be a wild ride.

LIFE ISN'T FAIR

Ever since I got married in May, I feel like I'm more in touch with my own mortality and think about death and its consequences everday.

Still, Obama's grandmother passing away one stinkin' day before his historic election is just not right.

Go home and tell your family you love them. Forever.