For all of the bi-partisan talk of the campaign, including praise of former President Ronald Reagan, President-elect Obama has reverted to governing in the old-fashioned way - offering plum appointments to members of his own party, instead of the best qualified person.

For example, there are several Republicans who would be better choices for Secretary of State than Senator Hillary Clinton including Senator Chuck Hagel, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and the current holder of the post, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Plus, they do not have the baggage of a former presidential spouse in their wake.

So far, every job announcement of the Obama transition has been given to left of center Democrat loyalists. I know it is early yet, only two weeks removed from Election Day, but Obama is sending a clear message that political party, not country, will come first.

The sad part about these decisions is the missed opportunity because of inaction. Obama has an opportunity to think outside the box and diffuse some of the Republican negative statements towards him by demonstrating that he will be a President for all of the people. If Obama were to appoint moderate Republicans to high ranking positions, he would be able to show that he kept his promise while dealing a significant blow to any reorganizing opportunities of the RNC.

As one of the first Obamacans to come out in the national media to publicly support Democrat candidate Barack Obama, I believed in the message he was communicating to the American people. Well, President-elect Obama, it is time to make good on your promises…or is the change we hoped for only another “Back to the Future” script starring a bunch of Clinton-era Democrats.

President-elect Barack Obama is in a peculiar situation as he tries to fill the top slot at “Foggy Bottom.” Obama’s predicament: How to keep Senator Hillary Clinton as a close confidant while keeping former President Bill Clinton from being a distraction? Over the last week, it has been reported that Senator Clinton is being vetted for the position of Secretary of State. One of the hiccups in making this deal is finding out what Bill has been up to over the last eight years that could cause Obama a severe migraine during the confirmation process.

Personally, I am torn on offering Hillary Clinton any role in the new administration. It makes good political sense for Obama as he is able to have her as a part of his team. This decision follows the logic of having your friends close and your enemies closer. On the other hand, in the short term, any misstep by Bill is going to cause undue headaches for Obama. In the long term if Hillary stays at State for a couple of years, and can demonstrate a failure of leadership at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, she will be better positioned to run against Obama in 2012. She will be free to say, “I supported President Obama but he was not up to the task of leading our country.”

As for Bill and Hillary, this continuing story reminds me of “Kill Bill, parts 1 and 2″. Uma Thurman spent most of those two movies fighting her way to be free of Bill’s (David Carradine) influence. For most of her adult life, Hillary Clinton has been Bill’s first lady in Little Rock and in Washington, D.C. Now she has the ability to put her stamp on the foreign policy of the United States of America…the only problem is the continued shadow of Bill. Unfortunately, there will not be any samurai swords involved, they would have made the vetting process more interesting.

In another stroke of the change we can expect, it seems that the role of Vice-President in the Obama administration may only consist of being a sounding board for the President, unlike the dominant policy role that Dick Cheney possessed over the last eight years.

During the campaign, we heard that Joe Biden was on the ticket to provide experience in leadership regarding foreign policy. Now, it seems that President-elect Obama may choose Senator Hillary Clinton for the top post at the Department of State.

If that turns out to be true, Joe Biden will not have any major involvement in implementing foreign policy. Obama will have Hillary, and former President Bill Clinton, to handle that portfolio.

Where does that leave Biden? Looks like he may already be the odd man out…

Anyone who has read my column knows that I was not a fan of Governor Sarah Palin during the campaign. For the record, I am glad John McCain and Sarah Palin lost the election. However, as I have stated before, it is ludicrous to blame Palin for the mismanagement and lackluster performance of the McCain campaign - it is a cowardly way to protect your exposed flank.

A few days ago, it was reported that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal turned McCain down when he was asked if he wanted to be vetted for the V.P. slot. My guess is that there were a lot of rising national G.O.P. stars that saw the McCain campaign as a sinking ship and did not want connect their political futures to the worst Republican rejection by the electorate in decades.

Governor Palin should be commended, not attacked, by the G.O.P. She had the guts to put her neck out and take one for the team. If McCain had a chance to win, the list of viable V.P. candidates with experience would have never included a first-term governor from Alaska. The bottom line is that the experienced people stayed out of harm’s way in 2008 while Palin took the bullet for the party. Sarah Palin deserves a medal, not a firing squad.

I have known Michael Steele for over 10 years. In Maryland, we are part of a small fraternity, candidates for public office from the African-American segment of the Republican Party. I read with interest that Michael is looking to become the next chair of the Republican National Committee. I think this may be a good fit for both Steele and the RNC if Michael is willing to change the status quo.

Unfortunately, Steele has not been a “maverick” in any of his roles in either elected office or as a leader in the Republican Party. Michael is a team player and there is no problem with that approach. However, during his time as MD State Party Chair, Lt. Governor, and chairman of GOPAC, Steele has rarely forced our party to take a long, critical look at ourselves, our policies and how we communicate our message to the voters of our country.

One of the results of this type of team player is the electoral debacle of Tuesday night. This was the worst electoral college defeat of a Republican nominee in a open seat presidential election since the Civil War. Clearly, this is not the time for a team player. Now is the time for an independent minded leader who will change the paradigm and the mantra of a national party who has suffered two straight defeats and has gone from a majority party to a powerless minority in the Congress in less than four years.

Michael Steele is a good man, a credible conservative Republican, and will be a capable manager…unfortunately, the Republican Party does not need a manager, it needs a leader that will force people out of their comfort zones and back into political relevance. Steele has not proven that he can make that transition. If he is picked as RNC chair, I hope he proves me wrong.

Last week, the talk show radio circuit was ablaze with the beginning of the anti-Obama message before President-elect Barack Obama is even sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Several months ago, I predicted that Obama’s win would be the best possible scenario for Rush, Sean Hannity and the other fire breathers on the right:

“If Obama is elected Limbaugh has a new target in the White House. Limbaugh will be relevant once again as he regains his status as the leader of the ‘vast right-wing conspiracy.’ On a side note, maybe he will even resurrect his failed TV career; probably not.

The bottom line is that Limbaugh does not care if McCain wins in November, in fact, it would be counter-productive to the possibility of revitalizing his career. If Obama wins Limbaugh will have better ratings and earn more money. So, congratulations ‘ditto heads’, you have achieved Rush’s goal…the only cost to you is victory in November.”

I wouldn’t put much stock in the reaction of Rush because he and his talk show brethren have the most to gain from an Obama presidency – more listeners, better ratings and a hefty pay raise. More importantly, Rush will be back in his environment in taking on the Democrats as he did in the Clinton years, instead of serving as a apologist for George W. Bush and a failed gig on ESPN Sunday Night Football.

The next four years will be a new lease on life for Rush’s career. So, to Rush Limbaugh I say, welcome back to the land of political relevance. The bombastic showman (Limbaugh) vs. Mr. Cool (Obama)…this is going to be fun to watch.

The speeches given by Senator John McCain and President-elect Barack Obama were correct in their substance and in their tone. As I listen to Barack Obama, I thought about how proud I was that I made the correct choice. As I listened to John McCain, I thought that I could have supported him if he had spoken like that during the campaign.

The Republican Blame Game has started. John McCain was a stand-up guy when he took the blame on himself. Others are pointing fingers at President Bush and Governor Sarah Palin. I think we can agree that McCain, Bush and Palin have contributed to the electoral debacle of Tuesday night. However, in her defense, Sarah Palin, did what she was asked to do by rallying the conservative base for McCain and she did that very well. Although I cringe at the idea of her staying on the national stage, and being a leader of my Republican Party, I hope she replaces Ted Stevens and comes back to D.C. and takes on these self-serving people who would rather place blame on someone else that take responsibility for their own mistakes.

What was the deal of Jesse Jackson and his crying? I was playing poker Tuesday night and half of the people playing are African-Americans. Everyone of them said ” Jesse is crying because it was not him on stage.” We have not forgotten that open mic where Jackson railed on Obama by stating that he wanted to cut his N**ts off… my guess is that neither President-elect Obama nor his wife Michelle have forgotten it either.

In late January, I decided that Senator Barack Obama was the best candidate to become the 44th President of the United States. As a Republican who had ran for Congress and served in the Bush Administration, I took a lot of heat for going public with my endorsement. Today, November 5th, I want to take the opportunity to make three observations:

1) Although we still have gender and racial issues in this country, the United States of America is the first western democracy to elect a person of color as their Chief Executive. God Bless the United States of America.

2) I am so honored to have had the chance to defend and support President-elect Barack Obama during the past 10 months, even taking on Fox News TV / Radio and Laura Ingraham.

3) My crystal ball still works. On October 31st, I revised my Electoral Vote estimate to 348 for Obama and 190 for McCain. According to Real Clear Politics, I am one Electoral Vote off of my estimate. Not too shabby.

As Stan Lee of Marvel Comics is famous for writing:

’nuff said.

Part II will be posted after I sleep and I get done giving my morning lectures at Towson University.

In memory of “Toot”, your grandson did really good and your great-granddaughters are finally going to get that puppy.

What a depressing day to be a Republican. It appears that Obama’s projected win in Pennsylvania that the Democrats will take the White House, increase the majority in the House, and with Elizabeth Dole projected to lose her seat in the U.S. Senate, the Democrats may reach the filibuster proof threshold of sixty Senators.

The broom is moving across the floor… my hope is that this election will help the Republican Party, my G.O.P., to evolve into a more centrist party.

This morning, I paid a visit to CTV - the Canadian TV Network - to talk about election day, the campaign, and my thoughts on the outcome. After I finished with the interview, seen here, I walked around 2000 M Street N.W. and participated in a couple of other segments with Irish, Catalan, and the French Networks.

It was amazing to hear the perspective of the foreign journalists. Almost everyone expressed a hope that Obama will win but none of them thought it was going to be decided quickly…and they all mentioned the 2000 election aftermath as their example of a protracted decision.

I just voted and it only took 30 minutes…that might be the record for the day. Stay Tuned.

BTW, if anyone knows how to take a video from a website to post it on YouTube, please let me know. Thanks.

There are times when words do not or can not express loss in the soul of a person. As a chaplain in our nation’s armed forces, I am called upon to deal with issues that are very personal. My calling to these men and women in uniform is to try to help them find their spiritual center in their time of crisis. I read the stories about the passing of Senator Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, and I was taken aback at the poignant timing of her passing. Why would God allow this sorrow to take place at this point in time? I think it has to do with a mountain top moment.

There are times in our lives when our dearest companions and mentors are destined to leave us. It was said that “Toot” had been struggling with cancer for a lengthy period of time. As I pondered the timing of her passing, I decided to pick up my Bible and I turned to Deuteronomy 34, verse 4:

“And the Lord said unto him (Moses), This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.”

God took Moses to the mountain top to show him the future that was in store for Israel. My heart is telling me that “Toot” got to the top of her mountain to see that her grandson is going to have a great future. Her mind and soul were at ease and that is a true blessing.

My prayers go out to Senator Obama and his family.

I woke up this morning to read the Gallup poll numbers that show an 11 point lead for Barack Obama. The amazing thing is the fact that so many people seem to be surprised by the double digit lead. In a post, two weeks ago, I predicted a win of 14 points. The surprising part of these poll numbers is that we have not seen the effect of Vice President Dick Cheney’s endorsement for John McCain.

My lead question is “what happens if Obama does not win?” While I do not see this a likely outcome for tomorrow night, I believe it is worth taking a look at possible consequences of a McCain win.

1) The legitimacy of this election will be called into question. We have already had stories about voter fraud, the throwing out of ballots, and possible problems with both hand ballots and computer based voting systems. If you thought Bush v. Gore took a long time, McCain v. Obama may also wind up in the Supreme Court. By the way, the Republicans have a 5 - 4 margin on the bench - sound familiar…

2) For black folks, it will be about Race. I know that it is not PC to write this but being PC has never been one of my badges of honor. African-American turnout will surpass all benchmarks in the South and in urban areas. These voters will feel cheated and feel that our political system is designed to keep one of their own out of power. I even read that some local jurisdictions are going to have extra police on duty - in case there is a large protest or other kind of public disturbance.

3) The millions of young people who have been energized to get involved in politics will feel betrayed as well. On both sides of the aisle, my students are more energized about this election than any I have witnessed since 1992. We will lose a generation of voters because they will not trust their government any longer.

If Obama wins, Republicans will have to retool to find their message for 2012. This means they either have to jettison Sarah Palin or the moderates of their party.

If Obama loses, Democrats are going to recount, go to the Supreme Court, and once again, lose the Presidency on a technicality…either way tomorrow should be a day for the history books and I have got my Tums by the TV.

Here are my predictions for Election Day 2008 and for the next four years.

Two weeks ago, I wrote the following prediction for Election Day:

“Three weeks is not a lot of time in politics and this was McCain’s last best chance in salvaging a close outcome on November 4th. Prediction: Obama will win by a landslide - 57% to 43%; Electoral College outcome - 315 to 223 (give or take 5 votes).” With five days left, I have to revise my earlier prediction. I don’t see the Electoral Vote count being this close; my revised prediction is Obama 348 to 190 for McCain. McCain, in latest polling numbers, leads Obama by only 4 points in Arizona and may even lose his home state. The only nominee to lose their home state in the last 50 years is Al Gore in 2000 and that cost Mr. Gore the White House.

Other predictions during the Obama Administration:

Hillary Rodham Clinton is nominated and confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The G.O.P., divided by the Sarah Palin 2012 issue, will split and cause the formation of a third party that will field a moderate candidate for President in 2012.

On a lighter note, President Obama will know the difference between “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford and Son.”

Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day for most of the country. I plan to get away from my keyboard and go outside to enjoy one of the last 60 plus degree days of 2008. Take a few minutes and do the same for yourself. Politics will still be here on Sunday.

Last night, after the 30 minute Obama infomercial, President Bill Clinton joined Senator Barack Obama on the campaign trail in Florida. As I watched Clinton’s remarks, there were two thoughts that dominated my thoughts: where has Bill been and it would be a great race if those two were able to run against each other?

Where Clinton has been is anyone’s guess and I’m sure some pundits have already spun the lack of a prior endorsement from Bill Clinton as a negative for Obama. However, in his usual style, Bill Clinton laid out the case for Barack Obama better than any other politician in American politics today.

Clinton’s four reasons why people should vote for Obama includes:

Philosophy, Policies, Ability to Make a Decision, and Ability to Execute the Decision.

Briefly, Clinton stated that Obama’s philosophy was “built from the ground up, rather than the top down.” Obama’s campaign promises indicated a “better to-do list” of policies. For the last two reasons, Clinton said that Obama is the better choice for the role of “Decider-In-Chief because American deserves a President who wants to understand and can understand” difficult situations and will ask for help before acting.

In his remarks, Clinton emphasized the difference in judgment between Obama and Senator John McCain in their two major decisions of the campaign: the choice for V.P. and their responses to the financial crisis.

Bill Clinton has a knack for taking difficult decisions and breaking them down into their component parts and stating the case for the American people. Too bad, there are only 5 days left in the campaign…but at least Bill Clinton finally showed up.

First of all, as a former TV producer, I have to applaud the production value of Senator Barack Obama’s 30 minute campaign ad. My one negative issue was the beginning shot of Obama in the office. Visually, the Oval Office-esque backdrop was a bit much but probably only a few people put two and two together to understand the subliminal purpose of the camera shot. The transition from the taped to the live segment was a bit disjointed, including the tinting of his tie for a few seconds, the piece was very well done.

As far as the message:

Good mixture of stories of American families in battleground states. The personal stories about his mother, father and grand parents may help to ensure the American people that he has dealt with similar circumstances. The story dealing with his mother and her struggle with cancer and health insurance companies was a emotional high point of the piece that illustrated a connection between his family and other families across America.

At times, Obama sounded like a fiscally responsible candidate in several areas of interest that stood out for me including:

Spending cuts for government; promoting personal and moral responsibility; extolling the responsibilities of parents to educate and raise their children; cutting taxes for the middle class, and providing a tax credit for business to hire American workers for 2 years.

In the live shot from FL, Barack Obama ended the 30 minute commercial by asking people to go out and knock on doors and to vote on Election Day.

30 minutes of political infomercial - No mention of John McCain and not one Ross Perot-esque flip chart on the set. Final grade: Style - A; Substance - B.