I have received numerous emails beseeching me to "give Barack Obama a chance", to "wait and see", to "stop pre-judging" the new President-elect.  While I understand that most of the motives of my compartirats on the left are noble, I can not help but notice how "change" is being brought about by a recycled group of Democratic Washington Insiders that have been around politics and the Hill for so many years now we could go back to our "first Black President", Bill Clinton, and find the same cast of characters.

So while Obama campaigned on the promise of changing the culture in Washington, he is exhibiting none of the charicteristics of a Change Agent, but a solid commitment to the status quo.

Obama's Transition Team:

Carol Browner, Clinton's former EPA Administrator, Madiline Albright's partner and wife of mega-lobbyist Tom Downey (He is the guy who lobbied for Dubi to get control over U.S. ports, lobbied for Fannie Mae)

Stephanie Cutter, former Clinton, Kerry and Ted Kennedy spokesperson.  She is brash and combative, and definetly represents the old Democratic establishement.  She has a long history of insider dealing and insider politicing.

Bill Daley, Clinton's former Secretary of Commerce and brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.  He also sat on the Fannie Mae Board.

Christopher Edley, former Clinton appointee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and Dean of the Berkeley Law School.

Federico Pena, Clinton's former Secretary of Transportation and Energy.

John Podesta, Clinton's Chief of Staff and President/CEO of American Progress, a far left think tank.

Susan Rice, Clinton's former Assistant Secretary of State and advisor to both  John Kerry and Michael Dukakis.

Larry Summers, Clinton's former Secretary of the Treasurey and disgraced former Harvard President who claims that women are genetically inferior in math and science.

Christien Varney, Clinton's former Federal Trade Commissioner.

Now these are just the members on his transition team. Old recycled Democratic insiders is the "Change" we are going to get?  The end to "politics as usuall in Washshington DC" really means a "Back to the Future" revival of the Clinton era political machine.  The biggest difference is that Obama is taking over a floundering economy not a Clinton economy fuled up with the dot com boom ready to explode.  Another difference is that Obama is inheriting two wars, while Clinto inherited a relative peace.

The campaign rehtoric is already not living up to the promise as far as I can see... and since we have already discussed Rham Emanuel... what can we expect as it pertains to the rest of his appointments if these are the folks calling the shots?