I very much like the ideas of nicknames, I will gladly give up my more used nickname : Bitch. LOL

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Which of course begs the following question: may I have it, please?

LOL Valerie I have a belief if all women aren't called a bitch at least once in their lifetime, they aren't really doing their job in todays world. I was going to say your nickname would be "Church Lady" But you are too young and cute for that. Maybe since you have red hair it should be "Red" or maybe "Sonja".

I prefer to be left out of this naming game.

I guess the party hats are out? Oh fine Mike, way to be the mature one. :0) So Mike O'Bama is out too?  Just kidding if you don't want to be part of our Supercool Nickname Club that's OK we still love you and we'll still let you visit the clubhouse.

Well, look - I LIKE Mike O'Bama... but yeah, despite the friendships made on this thread, (Geoff and Jodi especially) I don't feel like I'm "friends" with all involved, and I don't want to be lumped in with people that I feel uncomfortable around.

My appologies to those offended.

No problem Mike

Did you all see this, I felt sorry for him.....................................NOT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-n5qQKJXOA

I'm wondering, though, what some of Obama's hardcore followers think of this; there are some here who were as anti-Clinton as they were pro-Obama.  What's the consensus on the new administration borrowing so heavily from the Clinton years, and Hillary herself having such a prime role?

Well there are many answers here:

1) Of course his picks will have some sort of Clinton connection - Clinton was the only Democratic president of the last 28 years - if Obama is going for people who know what they're doing, one hopes they'll have some experience, and to have that, they'll have to have served in some capacity with Bill Clinton.  In the end, Obama was elected, and HE is the change, not his cabinet.  Anything else you hear is a right wing talking point.

2) As Harry S Truman noted - "The buck stops here" - Obama can have whomever on his cabinet, but at the end of the day, Barack Obama is president, not Bill, Hillary or any Clinton subordinate. 

3) Hillary as Secretary of State is a good move for three reasons: 

a) The Clinton name is well respected the world over - who better to be our diplomatic face in the world than a Clinton?

b) Anyone afriad of Obama's foreign policy being weak can kindly STFU now.  Joe Lieberman is the only Dem more hawkish and bloodthirsty, the only Dem with less care about human life and suffering than that old monster Hillary.  So... I guess Iran is back to shitting their pants again.  Mission accomplished, indeed!

c) Hillary is the lightening rod that will attract the media attention to let Obama do his work. 

Understand - Obama is no fool.   Clearly he is familiar with his Machiavelli.  Hillary is serving a purpose on Obama's cabinet, and I am more than satisfied with that role.

Did you all see this, I felt sorry for him.....................................NOT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-n5qQKJXOA

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Well, if it was a case of everyone on that stage snubbing Bush rather than a case of them having already greeted him before then and the clip being taken out of context, that would reflect very badly on politics in general, showing world leaders as having all the manners and maturity of playground cliques.

The report doesn't seem to reflect well on CNN, which came across to me as rejoicing a little too much about nobody liking Bush. And aren't there more important things to report on than who shook whose hand and who didn't? This is gossip, not journalism.

I was taught that whether you agree with a person's politics or not, you treat them with respect.

I don't feel sorry for Bush, however. Not, at least to the same extent I feel sorry for CNN which seems to be the first to pass off something along the lines of "Look at that loser! Nobody likes him," as unbiased reporting.

Gore Vidal - Message To Bush

"Look at that loser! Nobody likes him,"

Valerie lets recap, he lied to the UN , ignored most of our allies, his actions killed 10 of thousands innocent Iraqi's, not to mention 4204 US service persons and approved of torturing people. Maybe for those that don't share your political beliefs this man is not due respect. I would guess that some from other countries put him on the same level, as we put Osama Bin Laden.

Here in the US we have had the Iraq war filtered, but other countries see photo's in all it's shame and horror.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-05/19/content_ 331970.htm

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/iraq_38180.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepac ific/australia/1510668/New-video-footage-of-abuse-in-Abu-Ghr aib.html

Sorry Valerie, refusing the shake the mans hand is mild to what I think should happen to him.

I'm wondering, though, what some of Obama's hardcore followers think of this; there are some here who were as anti-Clinton as they were pro-Obama.  What's the consensus on the new administration borrowing so heavily from the Clinton years, and Hillary herself having such a prime role?

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Since I love the Clintons despite all their faults, I'm happy about it. No matter what anyone wants to say, this country was in a much better place when Clinton left office than we are today. Clinton ran his personal life like a train wreck but he didn't surround himself with idiots.

I believe it was Kevin Hagerman who said several months back that I am a "posting machine".  Note: I hope to reach 4000 by Dec. 29th !  So I am posting machine.  Or if that doesn't work, Dan the man, the consummate RUSH fan !

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You don't get to pick your own nickname! That defeats the purpose!

How about "Tom Sawyer" for Dan? Y'know, based on the Rush song, not the Mark Twain novel.

I like "Red" for Valerie.