Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sees that Chief Justice Roberts swung by the White House to re-administer the oath of office to President Obama. The scuttlebutt is that they were doing a little CYA to make sure that no one thought that he wasn’t president because the oath was flubbed at the inauguration. So, your Maximum Leader supposes that we are only now beginning the Obama Administration. (Will they ask for a few extra hours out of the term of the next president as some “make-up” time?)

Anyhoo…

Your Maximum Leader might have inadvertently given offence to our friend (and supplier of the greatest damned home-made pickles in the world) Polymath. Perhaps a little clarification is required on my comments on being patriotic and wishing President Obama well. To try and put a fine point on it. On the first day of a president’s term when it is a time for general celebration, we should wish the new president the best. For patriotic and polite reasons. Your Maximum Leader is sure that the criticism will start soon - indeed one can argue that it should begin right away over the decision to close Gitmo (a decision that your Maximum Leader feels must be taken due to US courts now granting rights to prisoners there that they shouldn’t have - so your Maximum Leader is in agreement with the overall decision; but the devil will be in the details here. Your Maximum Leader suggests that they put the prisoners in a jet that happens to fly into a flock of birds and isn’t piloted by someone as skilled as Chesley Sullenberger III.). Also the selection of Tim Geithner as Treasury Secretary should be a cause for some concern. Your Maximum Leader thinks at this point that Geithner should just step aside and they should choose someone else. (NB to minions: Do governors of the Federal Reserve not go through a confirmation process? If they do why didn’t this tax stuff come up earlier? Is the Senate a bunch of slackers who only investigate the big jobs? No need to answer that last question…)

Your Maximum Leader feels that Obama’s critics who are warning of creeping socialism are a little premature. So far Obama’s team is just playing out the creeping socialist plan that was left to them by the Bush Administration. It is yet to be seen what Obama’s team will suggest. Your Maximum Leader isn’t too hopeful, but he will wait until he sees the plan.

Moving along…

Another minion, Maggie, asked in the comments of the last post if your Maximum Leader would serve in an Obama cabinet of “adversaries” if asked. That is a good question. It is one that your Maximum Leader contemplated for a little while. Your Maximum Leader can confidently say that if President Obama asked him to be an informal policy advisor; he would gladly accept the job. Advice is free and the president should get lots of it from different perspectives. If President Obama asked your Maximum Leader to serve in a cabinet level job (or other appointed position) he would likely agree to do so. He says likely because when the president asks you to serve your country you should try to do so. Of course, if it was clear that your Maximum Leader could not in good conscience carry out the policies of the president then he would have to resign and have the president find someone else. Your Maximum Leader is not expecting a call from President Obama (or Rahm Emmanuel) asking him to serve in an Obama Adminstration. Lucky him.

One last item…

Your Maximum Leader hasn’t commented on the whole Caroline Kennedy thing. It appears as though she has removed herself from consideration from appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Your Maximum Leader didn’t ever comment on Caroline Kennedy wanting the seat. She is, he feels, no more or less qualified than hundreds of others who seek elective office around the country. He did object on one basis however. Because she is a Kennedy, and her family has a history of serving in elective office, she should only attempt to get into the Senate (or House or where ever) through direct election. Your Maximum Leader would hold her to a higher standard in that respect than others. Because of who she is she should not “back into” office but should actively campaign for it. It doesn’t appear to be an issue not however…

Carry on.