Beginning to Think Post-Election

New Presidents have only three months to complete a herculean remaking of the equivalent of ten of the world's biggest companies. Most presidential candidates don’t spend precious campaign time thinking about to do, so the questions come fast and furious: how do you your turn your ideas into policy? What do you do first? What does Congress expect? What last-minute executive orders should you overturn? What will your first 100 days look like? How will you vet and when will you appoint major cabinet secretaries and political appointees? What’s he proper balance of power between executive department? Budgets, costs, logistics? [From Marc Ambinder]

While Senator Obama cautions everyone not to "get cocky," still someone has to be starting to plan a transition team. And what a job--to pivot from a ideologue Republican administration in shambles to a fresh, vibrant Democratic one whose very existence depends on being able to thrive amidst the wreckage of the last few months.

For all the talk of change, expect to see some familiar faces from the Clinton years; you may even see some moderate Republicans.

The challenge for the Obama folks is fulfilling their own expectations; the ability to accomplish meaningful things quickly is often lost upon new administrations.

Maybe that's the "real" change we need.