The Ever-Changing Mystery of Change

Although we live in a society where there is only one president at a time, today the president-elect has far more influence now than our current fixture. And though the world (including, it seems, our own country) would love to have Obama represent himself at the G-20 meetings this weekend, and publicly espouse future policy, it is not going to happen.

Obama is following the FDR - Hoover transition template. FDR was entreated by Hoover constantly to publicly enjoin him with statements of support and alliance. FDR demurred. He felt, rightly, that the country's economy was owned by Hoover and should remain so until his own Inauguration Day. Whatever happens between now and January 20, for better or worse, will be on W's watch. He owns it.

In the meantime, Obama has launched his Transparency in Government website. It's designed to open the door for those curious to research how the new administration is shaping up. If it works, expect to see this website serve as an alternate communication tool for Obamatists and the public at large, possibly bypassing more traditional forms of media. The Audacity of Change:

Change.gov

One thing that happened this week remains murky. After meeting with Bush at the White House, Obama headed to the airport for a Chicago-bound flight. Then a curious thing happened: an unscheduled event. His motorcade drove off to the airport's Fire Station #301, where Obama met with an unnamed person for an hour. This has the makings of High Paranoia, or at least a cool parlour game. Who was this person?? And why meet in such an odd place?

Who Did Obama Meet With? -- Political Wire


My bet is he met with Kobe Bryant and played a game of HORSE. And speaking of horse, here's Obama's future Press Secretary appearing with the world's biggest horse's rear-end, Sean Hannity, the prince of the puds. Lil' Sean is in full blowhard mode, practically flecking foam while invoking the name Bill Ayers. I think Robert Gibbs is going to be fine:

YouTube - Robert Gibbs Confronts Hannity Over Anti-Semite Guest

For a "calmer, more reasoned" approach to things, let's give a look and listen to the late, world-class loon/genius Glenn Gould as he ponders, plays and sings through a piece by Bach in his home, accompanied by a skeptical looking collie. He even has a Thelonious Monk moment when he reaches some sort of interior conflict and rises from the piano bench, mid-piece, and wanders to the window, looking out and still singing the music as he would be playing it:

YouTube - Glenn Gould plays Bach

And now for the Quote of the Day:

"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward." -- Soren Kierkegaard