I will surely not agree with all of President Elect Obama's picks for his team.

[Lex]

But I have, over the last year, learned to respect his judgment and instincts tremendously.

[Laurab]

1. K&R nt

[Lex]

2. .

:)

[Dr Fate]

3. Hey Lex- thanx for your Kissel fundraising efforts- it worked!

!!!

[Lex]

4. I'm so happy for Kissell!

And so glad that Robin Hayes got the boot!

:hi:

[Laurab]

5. I hope this gets at least another rec.

It's EXACTLY how I feel. After the past year, how can anyone NOT respect his judgement and intelligence? I'm surely not going to let other people's "concern" ruin my happiness at winning this historic election!

[cobalt1999]

6. No one will. However, they will all be 100% better than any republican picks.

He'll do fine and probably a lot better than listening to a consensus of DUers.

[Omnibus]

7. Agreed. He's one of very few politicians I can't second-guess.

During the campaign, I was AMAZED at how many times I said, "Don't do THAT!". "That's a bad move." "Be more aggressive." "Don't let him get away with that." only to find that Obama's decisions were better. That hasn't happened since...well, ever.

He got elected, took the high road all the way, and generated considerably less division and acrimony than I would have. Any Republican that refuses to cooperate with him will look unreasonable and anti-American without him accusing or attacking them. He's the Zen candidate; he goes with the flow and achieves maximum results with minimum negativity.

He's WAY smarter than I am, and I find that very reassuring.

[tavalon]

8. You're right. I need to remember that............

The string of expletives that came out of my mouth when I heard about Rahm E. would make a sailor blush. When my copycat child yelled "FUCK" right behind me, I knew it was time to tone it down a notch.

We have a brilliant leader now, and I must learn not to freak at every choice he makes.

[Richard Steele]

9. Yes indeed. Anyone expecting his cabinet to please them completely will be disappointed.

But not as disappointed as the freepin' idjits
who are expecting his Presidency to be some sort
of catastrophic national disaster.

I have full confidence that the USA will be in MUCH better shape
four years from now, no matter my opinions of the folks he chooses
to staff his Administration.

[JDPriestly]

10. While walking precincts prior to the election and observing at the polls on election day

in southern Ohio, I learned that the biggest issue, the issue that moved Republicans and independents to vote for McCain, was the economy.

People are scared. They are hurting. A Reagan Republican on a teacher's pension worries about being able to maintain her lifestyle. Younger people are worried about jobs and outsourcing. Obama's first priority has to be repairing the economy and doing it in a way that protects the interests of the working and middle classes. This may seem obvious, but I don't see people like Rahm Emmanuel appreciating just how dire the situation is and how angry the American people will be if Obama lets them down.

The people who helped Obama win -- the voters who were swayed to vote for Obama after supporting Bush and Reagan -- will turn on Obama just as quickly as they turned toward him if their economic situations are not improved quickly.

And if these voters turn against Obama, the consequences could be deadly. We were, prior to November 4, just a thumbs width from repression, from a dangerously fascist corporate dominance. We dodged the bullet for the moment.

If Obama feeds the beast, pays his dues to the corporations and does not defend the economic interests of the ordinary people who switched sides to vote for him, they will become cruelly conservative out of sheer desperation.

I'm not too worried about Obama's intention to name conservative Democrats to his cabinet. I won't even be too worried if Obama names a few Republicans to assist him in governing. But, I hope that he understands that he has to lead those he names as aides to support an agenda that clamps down on the greed of corporations and their managers. I hope he understands that the American people cannot take another eight years of government of the rich elite, for the rich elite and by the rich elite. I know some people feel certain that Obama will do the right thing. I am not so sure. I think we need to keep the pressure on.

I respect your right to disagree with me. But there are no guarantees. We have to keep expressing our values and making our hopes known. We should not be silent about our view of the priorities.

[Faux pas]

11. Didn't he say in his speech that we may not always agree with him

but he would always listen to us? Works for me.