Post-election Aftermath

There are 2 themes developing from the 2 parties after the election 3 days ago, and neither of them is particularly surprising:

The first is the way McCain's campaign aides are treating former running mate Sarah Palin. I'm no fan of hers, and I certainly did not think she was the best choice as a running mate. McCain's boys are publicly and loudly (yet anonymously?) making her the reason they didn't win. They want to blame her for their defeat so they can salvage McCain's political dignity. Unfortunately their post-election tactics show no dignity, and make their shameful campaign tactics look fair and honorable. It's a disgrace, and McCain's silence speaks volumes. He hasn't denounced his staffers' comments, and he certainly hasn't put a stop to them. These actions mirror McCain's entire political career: He aligns with a party, a running mate, or a wife and uses them to position himself for the next move. Then he screws them over to propel himself to the next level, while touting himself as a maverick. With a record like that, his only hope for keeping the support of the Republican base was to choose a running mate who leans further right than he. I used to respect McCain. Now I feel duped.

The second theme is the way Barack Obama has begun choosing people for his administration. He appears to want to place smart people into important positions, whether or not they agree with all his opinions. That is a refreshing change from the last 8 years when W filled those positions with cronies and yes-men. Also, I think it will be a nice change to have intelligent leadership and vigorous debate over the issues AFTER the election. Has any leader since Lincoln surrounded himself with the best people even if they were in political opposition to his own positions? I like and respect Obama more each day.