Josie - this provides a very good forum for a number of conversation threads. It’s been interesting to hear about the university lab schools, [we have one here in Honolulu and it has not had the best of reputations since the children of well connected politicians have been found there in large numbers in the past. I’m not sure about it now. At one time there was a call to cut off its funding for that reason, and hard times are a comin (as Sarah Palin would say.) ] Also, I went to the 60 Minutes website and started watching the interview with our POTUS and FL elect (OK - from this point it’s Barak and Michelle.) Although I’m not finished viewing, I think some here were a bit too tough on Michelle for daring to contradict his eminence in such a venue. I think it was entirely appropriate for her to be herself, and I’m sure Barak wouldn’t want it any other way. The idea was to bring them into the living rooms of America, and of course they should conduct themselves appropriately — as they would if they were literally sitting in our homes. There will be occasions where she will not be included in interviews (certainly not in most press conference & official settings) and there will be many others when she gets the spotlight. In this case, they shared it naturally, lovingly, and delightfully, in my view. I am biased in the respect that my mom was older than my dad, every bit his intellectual equal, and almost equal to his force of nature (in a good way) personality. Just wanted to put in my 2 ¢ — mike in honolulu

Great comments here. Wish I could add something helpful. I will recall as long as I live hearing on my birthday in 1968 the news that Martin Luther King had been assassinated (the Colorado State University “Aggie” who was spreading the news had a smile on his face and used the slur “Martin Luther Koon”.) Worse, in 1963 my own uncle said that President JFK deserved to be shot for all that “civil rights bull s***.” Would there had been blogs and media in those days where a young person like me could have exposed such racism and treason.

Again, let Bill Clinton take the job. Obama could really demonstrate his commitment to the team of rivals concept by offering the former president the SOS position. Senator Clinton is needed in the Senate to provide leadership on the crucial issues: global environmental catastrophe, world peace, and nuclear disarmament. Should she become Majority Leader she will make history almost as significantly as if she’d become president. At Age 70 she’ll be in fine shape to make history again, God willing. DON’T DO IT, HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well said, DT!!!! Here’s the take of P.J. O’Rourke (respected conservative fed up with the Republican Part—for those who don’t know) on the Clinton impeachment scam: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Utilities/printer_preview.asp?idArticle=15… If the Rethugs had let their president do his job rather than harassing him, perhaps he could have concentrated on the terrorist threat and Bin Ladin could have been eliminated. If the country had not fallen for the “Wag the Dog” libel, it would have been paying attention to what was really going on in the world. I hope we’ve all learned a lesson. I discovered the link to O’Rourke’s piece on thedailybeast.com — I find the site more entertaining and informative than wowowow. It would be nice to see some of you over there in the comments sections sometime.

Bill should be the Sec. of State. Obama’s team are just offering her the position because they want her out of the Senate. And as for following C. Rice and C. Powell … I hate to say it but each of them has demeaned the position in my view.

Howzit Mugsy - I hope she doesn’t take it. If he wouldn’t offer her the VP position why should she? She should go after leadership of the Senate and will make history in that way, while being in a better position to set the agenda for change. If things don’t go well around the world, she’ll take the blame. I wish him well (I donated to his campaign, and have his mug on my desktop / wallpaper) but I certainly don’t think she owes it to him, and I don’t see that there’s much in it for her. I think it makes more sense to have Bill Clinton as the Sec. of State.

Wonderfully articulated, BJN — it’s not an easy concept to grasp / come to terms with. None of us wants to believe that the Monica Crowleys of the right have so little integrity and common decency. Fear mongering is the lowest of all political tactics. All we need to do is look at the foreign policy of the Clinton years to get an idea of how Obama’s team will approach things. The past 8 years make the Clinton / Gore administration appear positively idyllic. Crowley and her ilk only care about is who will control the levers of power in Washington and who will be handing out the goodies — they will say (and advocate in favor of) anything to keep their benefactors in power. I guess it’s refreshing to see that there are depths that even McCain won’t sink to. Of course he doesn’t have to. That’s what SP was brought on board to do.

Hey, GF — is that avatar you? You don’t look old enough to be a Nam vet. I like your thoughts … yes, I’m going to go Google “international law” and “Vietnam war” now etc. and see what more I can find … McCain would never have been admitted to the Naval Acacemy (or kept there after all his screw ups) if he’d not been the son and grandson of admirals. After the Forrestal catastrophe McCain said he would re-think his willingness to drop bombs and napalm on the North Vietnam. That was obviously pure spin (he was talking to a NY Times reporter when he said it. Three months later he had maneuvered himself back on the “bombing run express.” keep the faith - Mike in Honolulu PS - Of course the best stuff Google brought up was on Wikipedia.

That’s right, James, you gotta read it … I’d be surprised if you haven’t already —- the gist is that McCain has built up a VERY false persona of “honor and country”, but that is never what his life was about — the story that he was transformed by the prisoner of war experience, or the national disgrace of the Keating 5 scandal is JUST THAT ( a story, a VERY tall tale, manufactured by McCain’s publicity hacks and a very complicit media.)

Frank, the limits of your biases, blarney and bluster truly lie in uncharted territory. Whoopi is entitled to use the First Amendment to teach lessons that Ms “Hasslebest” and most of us non-blacks cannot come close to imagining. I bet some of your best friends are “whatever color Colin Powell is”. General Powell and his wife didn’t have the guts for the kind of odyssey that Barak and Michelle launched themselves and their family upon two years ago, having already accomplished things at that point which were truly historic. If Powell had possessed the guts to take on Bush in 2000, he might have forced Cheney to step aside, and he could have been the first Af/Am Vice-President. If he’d been VP rather than Darth Dick, the impeachment of Bush might have picked up steam years ago. Colin Powell could have been the first non-white president, but he lacked the courage. Give young Obama his due. At least give him credit for having the energy and heart that Powell lacked, if you can’t admit that his temperament and intelligence are far superior to McCain’s.

I doubt that our Whoopi has the time or inclination to engage in your suggested, test, James, but it certainly would be the way to get a reading as to sincerity and intent. Your point about “political correctness” is great. I wish there were a better word or phrase for it. In the old days tactfulness would have gone a long way toward covering the territory. In most cases being PC has everything to do with knowing how to articulate one’s thoughts with precision. So yes, you are correct that it’s a great compliment to be commended for being articulate, assuming good faith and good will, of course.

What do you think of my new Avatar? Betcha can’t guess what it is.

Hi Mugs - what do you think of thedailybeast.com ? So far I’m kinda disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too great. m

Yes, Tommi - among those who irritate Whoopi i bet there are more of the type you have mentioned and fewer folks with racial biases of the kind others here have speculated about. I assume that many who speak with Whoopi for the first time expect an Af/Am version of the Phyllis Diller persona, rather than a Dorothy Parker type. Of course Whoopi can’t abide “condescenders” of any sort, but I bet she is invariably civil and outgoing with them. What a class act. What a stroke of genius for wowOwow to have invited her to join their initial masthead. PS - I wish I could watch The VIEW on HULU. with aloha, mike in Honolulu

The U.S. voluntarily gave up one its hundreds of military installations located in every corner of the planet? Obviously the southern coast of Iceland is not a great place for locating golf courses or other recreation facilities for officers. And if the Icelanders can get something of benefit for it, more power to them. I say, let Putin have it.