Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin (Harper 2010)

Edwards was still doing his best Monty Hall imitation: Let’s make a deal. Although he maintained publicly that he never desired to be a running mate again, Edwards was, in fact, quite open to the idea. But he was also willing to consider more modest rewards. Having been rebuffed on the notion of teaming up with Obama after Iowa, he once again dispatched Leo Hindery to make a revised offer.

“John will settle for attorney general,” Hindery emailed Tom Daschle.

Daschle shook his head. How desperate is this guy?

“Leo, this isn’t good for John,” Daschle replied. “This is ridiculous. It’s going to be ambassador to Zimbabwe next.”

Daschle warned Hindery that this new offer, like the last one, was sure to be rejected. And it was. When Obama heard about the suggested quid pro quo, he was incredulous.

That’s crazy, he told Axelrod. If I were willing to make a deal like that, I shouldn’t be president!

Edwards wondered if Clinton might be more open to cutting a deal. For all his previous distaste for her, he was beginning to find her more agreeable than Obama—less aloof, more brass-tacks. But Edwards knew his options were rapidly running out. He had no money, the press was ignoring him, and his vote totals were spiraling toward zero; he’d won just 3.8 percent in Nevada.

Then again, Rielle Hunter was only eight months pregnant.

So Edwards still had another month to strike a bargain.

Obama - Whose President?

Latest post to the World Socialist Party of the United States website:

Obama - Whose President?

Obama's the wrong sort of socialist

Obama is the third period?

An 'American patriot' tells it like it is about living under the jackboot of Obama's First Reich.

As recommended by nine out of ten LaRouchians who click on the 'Obama is literally Hitler' website every morning before they pour kool aid on their Special K.

Hat tip to Carlos over at F/B.

Shots across the world

Via the Boston Globe website, some amazing pictures from around the world documenting the impact of Tuesday's inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States.

A few of my favourites are reproduced below (click on the images to enlarge) but go to the website to check out all the images. Whatever your politics there's some powerful images on display.

Hat tip to Glynnis M.

"President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th President of the United States on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) "

"Residents of Kibera, one of the poorest quarters in Nairobi gather to watch the inauguration ceremony of US President Barack Obama in Nairobi on January 20, 2009. (YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/Getty Images)"

"40 years after their silent protest at the 1968 Olympics, Gold Medalist Tommie Smith hugs Bronze Medalist John Carlos, and their wives Delois Smith and Charlene Carlos after Barack Obama is officially sworn in as the President of the United States. Photo taken in the Smith room at the Sheraton Boston in Boston, MA. (Boston Globe/Stan Grossfeld)"

That US Presidential Election coverage in full

I promise that I will wake up in time for the debates but, in the meantime:

Via Faithful Progressive blog, Anne Kilkenny's Sarah Palin E-Mail: 'A Wasilla Resident Speaks Out'

A link found via Marx and Coca Cola blog, Alaskans Speak (In A Frightened Whisper): Palin Is “Racist, Sexist, Vindictive, And Mean”

And for a bit of political balance, from Louis Proyect's blog, Obama disappoints

Caught between an episode of 30 rock and harry's place

Caught between wondering what my one American reader makes of all the posts about Hibs, Hearts and Parkhead heartaches and what my two British readers make of all the posts about Midwood, Midtown and Lucky Louie marathons.

But that's enough waffle to justify the post title. (Like this blog has three readers.)

Here's a couple of links: One from a Socialist in Chicago about Barack Obama and the continuing Reverend Wright fallout and one from London about a couple of SPGBers taking time out from their Hyde Park armchairs to attend Friday's London Assembly count:

From the WSPUS website: Obama, the Rev. Wright and hesitation

From the SPGB election blog, Vaux Populi: A day at the count

Barack Obama, Race and Class

Good post over at the Marx and Coca-Cola blog on Barck Obama's 'A More Perfect Union' speech from last week in Philadelphia:

'The Visible Man'

Hat tip to Alan J over at Mailstrom blog.