-The worst kept secret in Washington is that former Senate Democratic Majority Leader Tom Daschle will be the new Secretary of Health and Human Services. Not content to take on just operating this major agency, Daschle will also be the new "Health Czar" for President-elect Obama. Having known Daschle for a number of years, I can assure you there is no nicer, more committed or decent person in American politics. Count me in as a huge fan.

-Don't you love the military? After months of leaks coming from the ranks of senior officers about how Obama's plan for withdrawal would never work, they now loudly proclaim that they see no problems in implementing Obama's policies. The Huffington Post carried this excerpt from an AP story:

"Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Associated Press in an interview that the military can make the changes President-elect Barack Obama wants in both wars. "I've been listening to the campaign, and I understand," Mullen said. "And he has certainly reinforced that since the election, so from a planning standpoint, we are looking at that as well." Mullen, once a critic of Obama's plan to pull combat forces from Iraq in 16 months, said the Pentagon has already identified and practiced travel routes out of Iraq along exit routes through Turkey and Jordan."

-A number of communities have joined the lawsuits against Proposition 8 in the petition to the California Supreme Court, which announced yesterday that it would indeed hear the case. Hope all these folks realize that if the Court does overturn the Proposition 8 vote, most likely there will be a push for an instant recall of those justices who vote for our side. This could involve millions of dollars to protect these judges.

-Several dozen members of Congress apparently sleep in their offices and shower in the gyms. Next thing you know, lobbyists will be buying gym memberships and showering with the House members before work! I can hear the toweled-approach now: "Are you happy to see me or are you just excited about my legislation?"

-One of the epic battles of the new Congress isn't getting that much notice. "The Battle of the Titans" is taking place between veteran Democratic Congressmen John Dingall (Michigan) and Henry Waxman (California) for chair of the powerful House Commerce Committee. Dingall, the champion of the auto makers, (his wife, Debbie, is a descendant of one of the original GM founders) is defending himself against Waxman who is the healthcare champion. Waxman prevailed in the first round by winning the 'steering committee vote' by 25 to 22. The full caucus will vote today in round two!

-In one of the best transition web sites ever, the Obama team has http://change.gov up and running. You can find detailed plans for all issues, information for transition and the latest appointments. It is an amazing site.

-Let me jog your memory with a little bit of recent history so you know why supporting Democrat Jim Martin in the Georgia senatorial run-off is so important. Remember that incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss is the one, in order to get elected six years ago, who accused then Senator Max Cleland of not being a patriot and should not be handling national security issues. In case you have forgotten, Max Cleland lost both legs and an arm serving in the Vietnam War. To my way of thinking, there is no more disgusting individual then Chambliss. He deserves to be soundly defeated and fully banished.

-Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden - who got the nation's attention when he nominated his father Senator Joe Biden for Vice President at the Democratic National Convention - has unfortunately taken his name out of the race for his father's vacated Senate seat. Beau is off to serve in Iraq with the Delaware National Guard. He was one of the fresh faces and new stars of the Democratic Party to surface at this year's Convention in Denver.

-Ben Smith says in Politico.com that in the Florida write-in votes for President contained good news for Hillary Clinton. The junior Senator from New York received 234 write-in votes, even beating Jesus Christ who got a lowly 23. But Jesus can feel pretty good since Donald Duck - even with the powerful Disney lobby behind him - only got 3 votes.

-Thank God Alaskans finally got one thing right and defeated convicted felon Senator Ted Stevens. What is amazing is that the voters almost sent the convict back to Washington! The Republican battle cry for some was "**** the Fed, vote for Ted!" At least in the near future we won't have to see Sarah "Africa is a country" Palin head to Washington as a newly elected replacement senator.

-Here is a strange story coming out of the horror of Chilean General Pinochet's 1973 coup against duly-elected President Salvador Allende. Thousands were killed or disappeared. Over 30,000 others were brutally tortured. Now CNN reports that a man thought killed by Pinochet over thirty years ago has suddenly reappeared in his old home town in Chile. Somewhere in all of this is a movie.

-as Bush attempts to ease restrictions on endangered species, it is appropriate that we enjoy the following picture taken near Gordon, Wisconsin of a black bear giving birth to a white cub. Wonder if it is the same spiritual equivalent of a white lion?