This train is bound for glory...?

Emmanuel as chief of staff was apparently just the beginning. Barack Obama named Tom Dachle as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Yet another example of "change we can believe in", huh? Dachle was the most partisan of partisans during one of the most partisan periods in recent American political history.

Obama's campaign was one of the most discplined in recent memory, although Dubya's first campaign in 2000 was a close second. Religiously on message 24/7, and impervious to leaking of any information, they were like a gestapo of liberalism (forgive the unfortunate analogy). That is, until they floated HRC as the next Secretary of State. Choosing possilbly the most polarizing politician in the past ten years (save for Mr. Rodham himself), and unconcerned about the inevitable baggage that her husband brings with him everywhere she goes. "No Drama Obama?" On the contrary, it seems as though Mr. Obama's talk of a new Politic was nothing more than just talk.

Look I know that all candidates make promises they have no intention of keeping if elected, but during the primary season, he was pretty tough on HRC, his talking heads pointing out she had little foriegn policy experience, not to mention repeated implication that having Hilary as the nominee would be a step into the past politics of partisanship. How's that for a 180?

Interestingly, if ever there was a president-elect who could appoint centrist advisors with very little risk of political fallout it is Obama; his party has a real shot at 60 seats in the senate pending results of a recount in Minnesota and a runoff in Georgia. He has a unique opportunity to appear bipartisan while not having any real need to do so - he can pretty much name his agenda and the sheep in the Senate won't even wake up long enough fromt thier after-election hangover to put up a fight. So why wouldn't he at least appear non-partisan as he repeatedly promised during the campaign?

Instead, the train keeps on rolling down the track, a full head of steam headed east tot he Whitehouse, but every stop more bloated liberal baggage is packed into the boxcars. Soon, I fear, the momentum of a momentous election will have been spent repaying the far-left liberals that just won't leave this guy alone.