Actions, not words, Tim. Barack had no problem breaking his promise to take the public financing route against McCain. He'll have no qualms breaking any other promise.

Those dissapointed and worried about the Emanuel appointment are completely missing what is in fact a totally BRILLIANT move to advance the progressive agenda.

If Rahm Emanuel were left in congress then one of two horrible events were inevtable.

EITHER Emanuel would become speaker consolidating the "Blue Dog" faction to a power base promoting corporatism and advancing non progressive congressmen.

OR Emanuel would replace Obama as the new Senator for Ilinois building a potential base for the blue dog concept in the senate.

By taking Emanuel in as Chief of Staff Obama in one move eliminates a whole plank of potential opposition to progressive policy from congress empowering by default the "obama wave" of genuinely progressive congressmen.

Emanuel is a political opperative of enourmous skill now contrained to use that skill to promote OBAMA'S agenda rather than his coprorate donors.

Obama and Emanuel are genuine friends but have significant policy differences but Emanuel is fundamentally a gamer. While he was gaming for himself he was channeling  fundraiser access which enables the distribution of largesse to other congressmen and the collection of favours. Emanuel is not an idealoge he is a power politician. Obama knew that he could not refuse to be at the centre of power and also knows that he will do everything he can to advance his power the fact being that that means he has to support OBAMA'S agenda.

One of the HUGE mistakes that Clinton made on entering office was not understanding how dindametally tricky navigating an agenda through congress can be. He did not have enough experienced "insiders" to do that efficicently. He got completely thrown off track got completely bogged down with side issues and failed to get healthcare passed. Then after the debacle of 94 he was forced to fall onto the "traingulation" concept invented by the worst weasel of politics in existance the aptly named "Dick" Morris.

Note that Clinton did not even have a transition staff in place till the 25th of November and his appointments were ill thought and the cause of considerable problems in his first 6 months in office just to get them approved by congress.

In contrast Obama has hot the ground running with a carefully thought out plan for the transition.

Those that "worry" about what Emanuel "means for the progressive agenda" Have clearly not been paying attention. If you want to know what Obama's agenda is go to Change.gov and you can read it!! It is all there defence healthcare economy energy ethics. Detailed agenda and priorities You can even apply for a job and push your own agenda in any of the departments:)

 I repeatedly pointed out to folks during the campaign that Obama had consistently proved to be smarter than the pundits and most of us about how to win. I think we will soon find that Obama knows how to get his progressive agenda passed better than we do. If you "doubt" that Obama is genuinely progressive then read his books. He is far more progressive than Clinton. He is a master at this. The problem for a lot of people is that they equate liberalism with wimpyness Obama is Liberal but is no wimp and can be utterly ruthless when needed. Just look at how he got into the senate if you dont beleive me. Look at what he did in the Ilinois Senate and the US senate if you doubt his liberalism. The best LIBERAL changes for justice in his ilinois crime bill in the US gauranteeing video taping of interrogations. When he entered the US senate his first priorities were the outrageously neglected issue of "loose nukes" And transparent governement with "google for government".

Consider also his recently balyhooed interview on civil rights and the constitution. In that interview he showed that he understands that to achieve change you have to have a movement for change that knows which levers to pull. The Civil rights movement went off course by relying too much on the courts and not enough on the legislature. Obama knows that to get a progressive agenda through it must be as part of a movement. By bringing Emanuel inside the tent to piss out he removes the most dangerous organisational power that could mobilize opposition and capitulation to the corporatists from congress and to boot gets a real hard ass to push HIS agenda.

Obama is the first president in half a centure at least perhaps in the last century and a half who owes NO favours to cororate donors because although he is not completely "clean" from corporate donations they are dwarfed by the "peoples" donations. Obama knows that if he dissapoints his base which is the US people who volunteered and donated in MILLIONS for his campaign he has no chance of repeating the fundrasing and volunteer flow he achieved in the 2008 election for 2012. I don't think that is even a question.

As Fineman said recently Obama did not run just to BE president he needed to be president to DO stuff. If you still dont know what sort of things Obama wants to do then again I say read his agenda, read his books.

I think Obama is probably the smartest person ever to be elected president of the united states with the possible exception of Jefferson. I think he is a better politician than Jefferson though and also a considerably better man.