Oh DB — You and Diana T have been the greatest inspiration to me; it is for ME to thank YOU, and tonite I do so. You two are always so well informed — always providing links to other sites to back up your “opinions.” Both of you have opened my eyes to what it means to be politically well-informed. Recently Diana asked you to stay “in touch” with her, and it dismayed me to think that one or both of you will no longer be participating at this site, now that Obama is POTUS. Please don’t leave — the rest of us need you to keep the bar high!

Couldn’t happen to a nicer lady!

Hi Maurine — Joy Indeed! Our 8-Year National Nightmare Will be Over!

Eddi Morgan — Your comment makes me want to take a shower!

Bella Mia — I hope you are passing along trustworthy info: so much on the web is garbage. Assuming this info is trustworthy, the implications you draw amount to fear-mongering. Think about it: do you seriously believe that the Obama administration is going to outlaw eating meat? Or owning pets? C’mon, PE Obama just committed a PR coup over getting the First Daughters a puppy! This “Worst-Case Scenario” is NOT GOING TO HAPPEN — OK???? Get Real!!!

Belinda — have a glass of bubbly for me! I have to work on Tuesday, and have a couple of projects due, but I just recently resumed working and am happy to have a job! But if I could, I would be glued to the TV.

Marjorie — When have you worked FOR something, instead of tearing everything down?

Marjorie — Now, I don’t condone Carmel’s tone, but you don’t do your cause any good either. Oh, yes, the choir cheers you on (Lady Gator, Mi Alias, etc.) but you don’t convert anyone. Take your statement that Obama is “out there trying to sleep with Repbuplicans.” In the next sentence, you note that he “needs” republicans and independents on board. Actually, I understand your cynicism about politicians generally, but from the get-go, Obama’s message has been that he will work with everyone, so he is simply acting on his campaign promise to work with the opposition. You make it sound “dirty” or underhanded by saying that he is trying to “sleep” with them. What do you mean by that, exactly? Is he a closet Republican? Would it be possible for you to see a positive motive for this?

Marjorie — If you never watch them, how do you know you wouldn’t find the ceremonies, etc meaningful? You may expect to find them “just a lot of hoopla,” but you can’t really know if you don’t watch! I would love to watch the whole thing but I have to work and have 2 project deadlines to meet on Tuesday.

Hi Susan — Yes, it was justice that true heroes pushed the WORST PRESIDENT EVER off the lead of the evening news!

Hi Marjorie — I don’t know why anyone would criticize Obama schmoozing Repubs, or Conservatives, or otherwise “working with” the opposition If you had listened to Obama’s message, from the beginning he was about working with everybody to solve the country’s problems. That goes back to the theme of his 2004 speech at the Dem. Convention — i.e., “there is no Red America, there is no Blue America, there is just the United States of America.” In short, as POTUS, he will be POTUS of everyone, not just those who voted for him, and he is committed to listening to all sides. Of course, he cannot say “yes” to everybody, but he has pledged to listen to everyone, and that is what he is doing. What’s wrong with that? It puts a negative spin on it to describe it as “schmoozing,” but isn’t it better than having an “Us” vs. “Them” mentality?

Happy Obama Year, Carmel! Our 8-year National Nightmare is Over! And we have elected a smart person of integrity and vision! We actually have a chance to lick this economic crisis and regain our moral center!

Liz — The press is the worst when it comes to being a pack of apologists for their own profession. And don’t jump to any conclusion regarding where I’m coming from, based on that statement. I am not coming from the same place as Sarah P, or any other celeb who feels poorly treated by the “MSM.” Back to the Press. The Press craves credibility, but it also is LAZY, and bottom-line oriented: therefore it prefers to take the easy way by printing (or its electronic equivalent) stories about Palin’s fashion faux-paus, or her dysfunctional family, and then engaging in public breast-beating (such as your post) about how it hates to stoop to this, blah, blah, blah… . Look, don’t worry about taking responsibility for Palin — take responsibility for yourself, and the rest will follow! The Press should take a cue from Ms. Huffington (and Deep Throat — you do remember Deep Throat?) and Follow The $$$$$$!!!!!! Where did the bail-out $$$ go? AIM HIGH! Don’t aim low and then try to make it all okay with a public “mea culpa!” Having a column in a major newspaper is a privilege that you need to be worthy of EVERY DAY.

Hi SJ Yes, Obama tended to Senate business every day that the Senate was in session during the campaign. I was a volunteer at Obama for America in Chicago, and we had his schedule. Glad I could clear this up, but you know, as a voter it is better to get answers to such things before the election. For example, you may not know that McCain did not attend ANY sessions of the Senate from April until late September, when he made a BIG HONKIN’ DEAL about “suspending his campaign” and returning to Washington during the Senate debates on the bailout? Well, Obama had already shown that it is not necessary to “Suspend” a campaign just to attend to business in D.C. and run for office!

Hi JH — Happy Obama Year. Hey — you don’t know what you are talking about when you say that Obama “campaigned the rest of the time.” FYI, during the entire Democratic Primary campaign, Obama did not engage in official campaign activities on days the Senate was in session. THE SAME IS NOT TRUE FOR JOHN MCCAIN. Although McCain had the GOP nomination sewn up since last spring, he did not attend any Senate sessions from April until the end of September, when he made a big deal about “suspending” his campaign to return to D.C. to discuss the bailout. In fact, Obama’s conduct showed that there was no need to “suspend” a campaign because he had been attending to his Senate business all along without interruption.