On my Chester County Peace Movement list yesterday, I already received a couple of e-mails criticizing Barack's choice of Rahm Emanuel as not "progressive enough" (i.e., too pro-Israel, not pro-Palestinian enough). One writer said that it's our duty now to make sure Barack surrounds himself with progressives. Well.....any such stuff will get this response from me: Sorry, but that isn't what Barack Obama is all about. I can out-progressive, out-left anyone, thank you - so you and I share political views. However, that being said: Give Barack a break! Barack Obama has made this clear: He's everyone's President. Not the left's President, not the blue-state President, not the progressive President. He's President of us all, of the United States of America. I would be disappointed if he didn't have people of all political ideas and opinions on his team - that's what he's about. He's not about exclusion, he's about inclusion. He's about taking all our ideas and achieving the best for this country from the best and brightest of this country, of whatever persuasion. My son called me from college last night and said, "You know, I think John McCain will be an important part of what Barack will do - he will help with all this." I could not agree more. John McCain loves his country - and John McCain will be part of Barack's plan - you can bank on that. Barack Obama has never been about anything but pulling us all together to solve problems. He is a brilliant man with an uncanny sense about people. He knows exactly what he needs to get the job done, and he will appoint the best people to do the job, of whatever persuasion. If he thought David Duke could contribute and help meet a goal, he'd hire David Duke. This doesn't mean he won't make a mistake here and there - he's human, and he will. But we must trust his judgment - and lay off, for crying out loud! I often say if there's one thing you can count on liberals for, it's that they cannibalize each other. STOP IT. Don't cannibalize your fellow progressives, don't cannibalize Barack Obama. Some liberals started doing that in the primary campaign - and they ran the risk of totally preventing this glorious moment. Thank God they didn't prevail. Thank God. Working together is the new reality - and work together we must. We must always ask, "What would Barack do?" I've tried to live by that for the four years since I committed to supporting Barack Obama when he spoke at the 2004 Democratic Convention - I'm not always successful, I admit. But it's been a guiding rule in my life, and now even more so. We must now put away our labels and our stereotypes and our prejudices and bring in more folks to our huge, loving tent - excluding NO ONE. I refuse to participate in knocking Barack - some of us put blood into getting him into the White House, and we're sure as hell not going to undermine him now with misguided, naive sniping. No way, Jose.