The true believers of Goldwterism in the 1960s are today’s centrists.

Well, speaking as one on both counts, I’ll buy that. I’ll buy that my / Reagan’s / Goldwater’s vision of America – the smallest possible domestic government, strong defense, maximum personal liberty – are what centrist Americans really want in their hearts.

history will record that President Obama came close[] to the principles of Senator Goldwater

Pathetic!

Change consists of ideas and ideals.

To IloveCapitalism in #25 — I think history will record that President Obama came closer to the principles of Senator Goldwater than George W. Bush did and a president McCain would have. The true believers of Goldwterism in the 1960s are today’s centrists.

By the way Jack, I do appreciate that you admit at #12 that you have been a strong Obammunist thoughout the general campaign, and a Hillary supporter before that. I could be mistaken here, but I believe your previous pose at GayPatriot was only that you were “considering” Obama or found him “interesting” or some such. So much for the principles of Barry Goldwater, eh? No longer useful to you.

In the Obama Administration, Holder and other Cabinet officers will be carrying out the policies of President Obama. If Holder fails to do so I will have erred in trusting him. And the President will have likewise erred.

It might seem clever or cute to call the President-elect “comrade” etc. but everyone ought to stand back awhile and wait to see what President Obama does. Some exit polls indicated a fifth of voters who call themselves “conservative” voted for Obama. We’ll know in a few years, maybe even a few months, if he earned their trust.

To subvert the system, you must first join the system. This maxim is basic systems theory. I am advocating for Obama to choose both those with DC experience who know how to play the game AND new folk who come with different experiences, perspectives, and are not beholden to their political DC ties.

Good Luck, Obama!

Enjoy the Dear Leader’s Kool-Aid, Erik and Jack.

“Outsiders” who don’t understand the levers of power can’t make it happen. But people experienced in the ways of Washington can make it happen.

Still, we were promissed “change”. We were promissed that Comrade Barak Milhouse Obama Carter was “fresh and new”. So far, it’s the same shit, different day.

The past is the past. I don’t care what role Eric Holder might have played in the Marc Rich pardon. I prefer to look to the future and judge Holder on what kind of leadership he provides in carrying out President Obama’s ideas and goals.

Do you apply the same standard to Republicans or just the liberals?

Personally, the Obama message which resonated with me was turning the page on the “failed policies of the last 8 years.”

An aweful lot of looking back for someone who’s “progressive” and “forward thinking”. And why dwell on the past? Why not look forward?

Obama has a good balance in his cabinet so far.

Really? How many black people has he appointed or considered compared to whites?

What’s more, Erik, are you ever going to explain to me why we should ignore what a POS William Ayers is, or are you just going to spin that we should forget about the past and ignore my previous questions? I can repost them, if you want.

It seems to me that Comrade Obama seems to fancy surrounding himself with paragons of liberal failure. Seems to me that he’s inclined to do so to give himself cover when he screws the pooch. The way I see it, he’s appointing scape goats to these positions.

Either that, or he’s just an idiot.

Obama said that “Washington insiders” were all corrupt and awful and were the reason our government and our country were in such terrible shape.

Personally, the Obama message which resonated with me was turning the page on the “failed policies of the last 8 years.” That was the line he hammered again and again throughout the campaign. It worked.

And I challenge you to find any Obama supporter who thought the President-Elect was going to bring only new voices into the government. Obviously, veterans like Tom Daschle, Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder have been around Washington for awhile. Others like Janet Napolitano, Penny Pritzker and Susan Rice have not.

Obama has a good balance in his cabinet so far.

Now that the campaign is over, Obama flipped, and of course his acolytes like Erik are now screaming how wonderful Washington insiders are — which, of course, totally contradicts what they were saying during the campaign.

Amazing. You don’t need to be a good politician, or even an intelligent person, if you can convince enough people like Erik to repeat whatever you say as fact no matter how opposite it is to what you were saying previously.

The best predictor of a person’s future behavior is their past behavior.

Both a lesson on his own behavior and the behavior of others.

I don’t care what role Eric Holder might have played in the Marc Rich pardon.

Pathetic.

I hope you are not saying that a person’s past is not relevant. That would be like saying, “You know that guy Benedict Arnold sure did a good job at the Battle of Saratoga, why don’t we put him in charge of the Department of Defence?”

We are, or at least should be, responsible for our actions and should be judged accordingly. I personally do not think it is always wise to reward bad behavior.

Change consists of ideas and goals and leadership. “Outsiders” who don’t understand the levers of power can’t make it happen. But people experienced in the ways of Washington can make it happen.

The past is the past. I don’t care what role Eric Holder might have played in the Marc Rich pardon. I prefer to look to the future and judge Holder on what kind of leadership he provides in carrying out President Obama’s ideas and goals. I’ll apply that test to anyone named to posts in the new administration, whether they come from inside Washington or outside the Beltway.

To “sonicfrog” in #4 — As someone who supported Hillary Clinton during the primaries I would advise you to check your facts. There was no “deal” to get her to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination. She ended her effort when it finally became obvious she couldn’t secure the support of more delegates than Obama had.

Some Obama fans aren’t happy: “These guys didn’t put together a campaign in order to turn the government over to the Clintons.”

ROTFLMAO Sorry, jerks, but that’s how you get a radical Leftie elected. You have your sleazy Chicago power structure compromise with the sleazy Washington power structure – which means, all those sleazy Clintonistas (if not the Clintons themselves). Welcome to your world!

Holder has spent his entire professional career in the nation’s capital where he doesn’t have a record (or the reputation) of someone who shakes things up.

You don’t want someone at Justice who “shakes things up.” You want a steady hand, knowledgeable of the needs of law enforcement.

This is not change. This is more of the same.

Then you should be thrilled!