What so proudly we hail...

The flag, Silly.

After months of resisting requests to wear a flag pin during the campaign, Barack Obama eventually capitulated and donned the patriotic symbol. Now the flag is one of the more prominent things in the official photo that will be used throughout his presidency. Oh say can you see?

Your seat at the table

President-elect Barack Obama is making good on a significant campaign promise even before he is sworn in. You'll recall he often promised that he would make government transparent. That would mean everything from showing meetings on C-Span to making pending policy available online for review and comment.

That's a pretty stark contrast from the current administration, which would make decisions and not only keep silent about what was discussed but who was there doing the discussing. After eight years of darkness, sunshine is a welcome contrast.

In a message and video distributed today, Obama is launching what he calls Your Seat at the Table. It's a message not just to us but to his transition team. If you need another reason to be impressed with this man, take a look at what he is doing to government. He promised change; it looks like change is on the way.

Read the full memo to his transition team and more on the Your Seat at the Table initiative on Obama's change.gov site.

Read to his transition team and more at Obama's change.gov site.

Time to retire the red button

I've just about had it with the red button. You know...the one at the end of every Barack Obama email that says "Donate Now?"

I have much love for Barack Obama. Back when he was the insurgent candidate, I gladly clicked the little red button and took "ownership" of the campaign. As he surged into the lead during the primaries, I was one of those millions pledging my love in small amounts.

He needed more money to stave off McCain, and I complied. Little by little, I registered my support and made my voice known.

But then something changed. McCain agreed to accept $80 million for his campaign, and Obama was still raising prodigious amounts of money each month. His fundraising crescendoed in September when he raised $150 million. He collected almost twice as much as McCain had for his entire campaign...in a month. Still the red buttons continued.

Just weeks were left in the campaign, and Obama was buying up blocks of TV time that competed with the World Series. Still he asked us to "Donate Now." I must admit that that little red button got less and less appealing to me. It seemed a bit much to ask me for more money when he was outspending the competition by record amounts.

Still they asked. Even though the campaign has ended, the red buttons persist. There is something unseemly about a president-elect begging for money. At that point, you are about to take control of the most efficient fundraising machine ever -- the IRS. I'm beginning to wonder if we can expect rebates from a campaign that expects a perpetual hand out.

It's about time for us to start emailing him our own little buttons. All this other bailing out is going on, and I'd like some of that action. Christmas is coming. Times are hard for everyone, and we need some help. Hey President-elect Obama:

Clinton drama drowns Obama

Just as I was starting to get over my Clinton fatigue, the duo stages a reprise.

For two years, the Obama campaign kept negotiations and decisions private until they were ready to make an announcement. They were disciplined and leak free. No more.

Word leaked last week that Hillary Clinton had been offered the Secretary of State position in the cabinet and, ever since, we have been subjected to a barrage of leaks and public hand wringing. No other appointment has generated this much debate and public negotiation. Bill needs to be vetted. He doesn't want to be vetted. He has lawyers negotiating. She has angst. She's not sure she wants the job.

Enough already. Make a decision and STFU. Geez... Do we really want her around the executive branch for the next four years?

Through all this drama, we barely hear the name of the president elect. He is absent from the debate. You have to think that is deliberate. He's letting her suck all the oxygen out of the room again. This is just like the way things went when he won the nomination and, for a week, all we heard about was how hard Hillary had it. How much time she needed to admit what we had all known for three months. Through that time, Obama was silent as well.

I'm not sure what his strategy is...but I hope he soon has Clinton fatigue like we have. End this drama.