Forming a government

I have to admit I think it's humorous listening to Republican pundits, like Dick Morris, tell those of us who supported Obama how disappointed we have been in his picking Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State; then they add that we expect results right away. Oh and how we don't like that he's picking insiders to run various offices like Tom Daschle to be Secretary of Health and Human Resources. We are so upset that Obama is picking experienced people. We loyal democrats want amateurs on his team. We want him to be soft and gentle, prepared to fail because it's the democratic way.... NOT!

The upset people are those who hoped he'd pick outsiders with no clue how to get anything done. They are the ones who never understood he wasn't as far left as they hoped. To them, if he brought in a lot of people who didn't know Washington, didn't know their jobs, these pundits, who did everything to block his election, would have every hope he would fail, something they clearly want because for them it's all about their power, not about what is best for Americans.

Then they pontificate on how he has no mandate for fixing things like health care (the money's been promised to bankers). Of course, Bush had a mandate even the year he actually lost the popular vote, but Obama winning more than a majority of Americans has none.

It is obvious Obama worries a lot what these pundits think. You can see how upset he is as he steadily makes powerful choices for his cabinet, like Bill Richardson for Commerce, a position that is more important now than ever before. He is choosing those who will help him form a new government and a new direction.

To me, if we trusted Obama enough to give him our vote (which these knowing pundits did not), we then will trust him to get the people who will help him do what he promised. I don't care who he picks and that would have included McCain if that's who he thought he needed. This is about him being a leader who gathers an administration, who can work with him, to do the job he committed to do.

AND he never said he'd get it all done right away. He has made it clear all along that it'll be tough and take awhile. There will be sacrifices. Anybody laying out an expectation of instant results didn't vote for him to begin.

It is a huge job to create a government that can turn the country around. He makes it clear every day that he knew what he was taking on. He's setting about to lay the foundation to make it happen. We should wait to see what he does before we second-guess who he has chosen to help him do it.

The Dick Morrises of the world are hoping to do what they can to see him fail. Our support and encouragement will help him to succeed. We have a lot more at stake than our votes. If we are truly heading for a depression, we needed a strong leader and a people who will stand behind him. The easy choices have been passed up years ago.