For posterity's sake, I captured the WhiteHouse.gov front page this morning and again this afternoon.

Out with the old...

In with the new.

Change has come to America!

President Barack Hussein Obama

If you are as old as me, you have lived through some amazing, and at times tragic, history. Today we will witness the most hopeful historic event in recent times, one that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

On inauguration day, whether it's a president I voted for or not, I am always reminded of the enduring strength of our Constitution, which provides for a peaceful transition of power that is answerable, ultimately, to the people. I am also reminded of all the sacrifices Americans have made to protect those principles and to fulfill President Lincoln's resolve that "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Today, we are witnessing far more than just a peaceful transition of power. We are witnessing the transition to a new generation of leadership, and an important and historic step in our progress towards social justice and enlightenment. There is still much work to be done, and that work starts today.

I'll leave this post at the top of the page, where you are invited to share your thoughts and comments on today's events.

If you're stuck at work with no TV, here are some links to planned live streaming video of the inauguration:

• C-SPAN
• MSNBC
• CNN
• CBS News
• ABC News

A new day is dawning in America and our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end. I can't believe it's finally here. Good luck to President Obama cleaning up the mess.

The Flypaper Theory: Every Vote Counts

Coleman: -225

I am actually going to start taping The O'Reilly Factor just so I can see the look on his face when he has to say the words "Senator Al Franken."

Change.gov:

President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden officially announced key members of their national security team today: nominating Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, selecting Defense Secretary Robert Gates to remain as Secretary of Defense, nominating Eric Holder as Attorney General, nominating Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, nominating Susan Rice as Ambassador to the United Nations and selecting General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret) as National Security Adviser.

Obama: "To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy; our intelligence and law enforcement; our economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that."

News reports out of Missouri indicate they are still counting provisional ballots past the reporting deadline, but that even if Obama gets all of them it isn't enough to overcome McCain's slim lead so they are calling Missouri for McCain. MSNBC had already previously called it, so all of that is good enough for me.

That puts Obama's (tentative) electoral vote victory at an impressive 365 v. McCain's 173.

Which means that sugarfatpie has won the KnoxViews Electoral Vote Prediction Contest by being the first with his closest to the pin prediction of 364 to 174, which would have been exact if not for a stray electoral vote Obama picked up in Nebraska where they are split. BBeanster and Paul Witt also predicted 364 to 174, but sugarfatpie's was first so Betty and Paul will have to settle for the consolation prize of being smarter than most of the rest of us.

If Missouri had gone to Obama, reader J4 would have won with a prediction of 375 to 163. Should the Missouri Secretary of State certify a different result giving their electoral votes to Obama on Dec. 2nd, KnoxViews management will make good by awarding a second, equal prize.

So the contest is officially over, the prize has finally been awarded, and thanks to everyone for playing!

CNN is reporting that Obama has picked Tom Daschle to head up Health and Human Services.

UPDATE: New York Times

UPDATE: The NYT article mentions that Daschle accepted the nomination only on the condition that he have a major role in shaping health care policy. He published a book earlier this year, "Critical: What we can do about the health-care crisis," with a prescription for the cure. Here's a summary.

I agree with almost all of it, my main objection being that we should completely divorce health insurance from employment. I can see a logistical argument, though, that working through employers around systems already in place is the fastest and easiest way to cover the greatest number of people.

P.S. This seems like a pretty huge message that health care is a top priority and Obama is serious about tackling the problem.

David Oatney:

One of the reasons that our bishops are so troubled by the outcome of the presidential election is that this country has elected a candidate whose social positions are not only opposite the Church, but whose very mentality about those issues places him at enmity with the Church herself. There is little doubt that Mr. Obama's election is the greatest singular evil that has ever befallen this country - but the die is cast.

Wow!

ElectBlue deconstructs the perfect storm for Tennessee Democrats. Yes, there is more TNDP drama.

Senator McCain's "hero" now has a website.

Stay tuned for merchandise offers and a "Joe The Blogger" newsletter.

I thought his 15 minutes already expired?

Not sure if this Campfield statement is a warning or a threat:

Lots of people have been asking what we plan on doing as far as goals go this year. Unfortunately, I have been told to stay Quiet until the first vote is made. Yes, it is killing me. I think it is safe to say that not much that will cost much money is going to move that far. I expect that leaves 140 years of lost freedom and lack of personal responsibility issues to sort out.

Will it be all that conservative?? I would like to think we will be as conservative as the other side has been liberal or allowed liberalism take control of our state.

Emphasis added. Liberals control the state? Which state is he talking about? Anyway, here's a preview of the kind of important legislation we can expect from Knoxville's now powerful rep:

Not that anyone should be surprised. (I give it an 8.5 for execution!)

In addition to unloading on the Republican Party and throwing McCain under the bus, Palin says she is puzzled by all the attention paid to her wardrobe.

You don't suppose it has anything to do with spending more than most people make in a year to outfit herself and her family in designer fashions while she's out selling herself as just a small town girl made good you betcha who relates to the hardships of all the Joe the Plumbers struggling in "real" America?

What an idiot. She's definitely the fresh new face of the Republican Party dead-enders.

State Senate Democratic Caucus Communications Director Mark Brown talks with the Nashville Scene about the election:

Democrats spent $3 million on their Senate campaigns, sending more than 2 million pieces of mail, producing TV and radio spots and putting full-time field staff on the ground to organize get-out-the-vote drives.

Brown says it was "amazing" some of the races were even close given the top of the ticket. Read the whole thing for some interesting observations, including speculation by Jeff Woods on why Lincoln Davis has nothing to lose by going ahead with a campaign for Governor.

Sandra Clark talks with Jamie Woodson, who says Republicans in control of the state legislature can be fair and "wise and thoughtful." Not so fast, says Sandra: The state legislature is Knox County Commission on steroids. And now 100+ years of "outs" have just moved "in." Read the whole thing for a look at what's in store.

Betty Bean speculates about Scoobie's appeal and whether Commission will run out the clock on his seat thus sparing R. Larry Smith the unpleasantness of having to appoint someone to run against him in 2010 for the one remaining seat. (Hey, maybe that's not a bad idea. Folks in the 7th District can start getting used to having only one representative, giving them a head start on the rest of Knox Co.) Betty also discusses Greg Mackay's future, which may not be as gloomy as previously thought, at least in the short term.

Larry Van Guilder notes that Lockett took one for the team on Question 4, and predicts legal challenges for Question 3 to prevent West Knox good old boys running roughshod all over county government. (They don't already?)

Campaign for America's Future

• The top issues that voters think Obama should focus on: Reducing unemployment and getting the economy moving (62 percent), investing in alternative energy and getting us off foreign oil (44 percent), changing the health care system (21 percent)

• Economic policies at or near the top voters want Obama to address: Repealing the Bush tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000 and cutting taxes for people making less (60 percent), making job-creating investments in infrastructure (60 percent), raise the minimum wage (54 percent), enacting a three-month moratorium on all foreclosures (51 percent), repealing tax breaks that benefit companies that export jobs overseas (50 percent)

• Voters agree that: The middle class is more threatened by global trade and greedy CEOs than by too-lenient immigration and affirmative action policies (60 percent), they are more worried about giving additional tax breaks to the rich and corporations than about going too far (61 percent), we need to reform public schools and invest properly in them rather than give parents private-school vouchers (68 percent).

Here's the summary page. Here are charts and graphs, here's the analysis, and here are the survey questions and responses.

In case you missed it.

It was published just before the election. I just got around to reading it, but it has some interesting insights re. how Obama will govern.

This is pretty good.

Electoral Poverty