Change?

President-elect Obama's bedrock foundation of his campaign was change. Massive crowds would gather to hear him speak of a new era in politics and a fresh direction for the country. They would cling to his every word and believe they had found a bold, new leader for our nation.

But how compelling is his argument now that 31 of the first 47 appointees in an Obama White House are Clinton insiders?

The highest profile positions: Obama's chief of staff, Biden's chief of staff, and the transition chief all have longstanding ties to the Clintons.

And now it appears as though Mrs. Clinton herself is on a short list for Secretary of State.

If he possessed a true desire to be bold and fresh, Secretary of State should be offered to Senator McCain, thereby completing the storyline directly out of The West Wing.

But as much as reality has mirrored that show in this election cycle, partisan politics will most likely prevent Obama from reaching across the aisle.

When Democrats retook the White House in 1992, Bill Clinton did not bring in hordes of Carter insiders. He believed their time had passed and was now a new generation's opportunity to govern.

President-elect Obama obviously does not share this sentiment.

That's not change we can believe in. It's divisive politics as usual.