McCain pledges to help Obama’s administration Arizona senator is unlikely to take a Cabinet position
By The Associated Press
Published: November 18, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama meets Monday with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at Obama’s transition office in downtown Chicago. AP PHOTO
CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama and former Republican rival John McCain pledged Monday to work together on ways to change Washington’s "bad habits,” though aides to both men said it was unlikely McCain would serve in an Obama Cabinet.
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The two men met in Obama’s transition headquarters in Chicago for the first time since the Illinois senator vanquished McCain in the presidential election Nov. 4. Obama said they wanted to talk about "how we can do some work together to fix up the country,” and he added that he would offer his own thanks to McCain "for the outstanding service he’s already rendered.”
Obama has said he is likely to invite at least one Republican to join his Cabinet, but McCain, servicing his fourth Senate term, was not expected to be a candidate.
Obama and McCain sat together for a brief picture-taking session with reporters, along with Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s incoming White House chief of staff, and South CarolinaRepublican Sen. Lindsey Graham, McCain’s close friend. Obama and McCain were heard briefly discussing football, and Obama cracked that "the national press is tame compared to the Chicago press.”
When asked if he planned to help the Obama administration, McCain replied, "Obviously.”
After the meeting, the two issued a joint statement saying: "At this defining moment in history, we believe that Americans of all parties want and need their leaders to come together and change the bad habits of Washington so that we can solve the common and urgent challenges of our time.”
Obama and McCain clashed bitterly during the fall campaign over taxes, the Iraq War, and ways to fix the ailing economy.
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I really like Obama's approach on this presidency. Instead of posting a bunch of "yes" men around you, only bring out the best people for those positions. Bush only had yes men in his administrations. Bring people with different backgrounds and beliefs should make a lot better team.
Anyone who thinks any Republican is worth anything at this point is dumb as a stump. Lining up votes now for next spring is as smart as it gets for the country and dooms our good ole senator Dr. to the back benches. The rest of the country will sleep easier when our Dr. is put to sleep and we can get this country back on track again. Sarah Palin? Give it a rest. In a few months she will return to being a wart on Alaska's rearend! I doubt she will even finish out her term as Governor. She has some ethics issues that have not been addressed yet.
"All the President is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway." (Harry S Truman)
I imagine if anybody could help Obama flatter, kiss and kick it would be John. I think John is better known for kicking part, but Sarah could help with the others. Does anyone find it scary to notice that hovering around the White House is a "plumber's friend? Didn't that have unfortunate consequences once before? Oh well, maybe John just wants an invite so he can see for himself if that New Yorker cover was accurate.
The senator overseeing President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony introduced legislation Monday to criminalize scalping tickets to the historic event.
House offices swamped with demand were being limited to just 198 tickets apiece and most had stopped taking requests. Senate offices were expecting a larger allotment — 300-400 each — but they, too, had many more requests than they could handle.
"This is going to be a major civic event of our time. Excitement is at an all-time high,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said on the Senate floor.
Feinstein introduced a bill she aims to speed through the Senate that would make it illegal to sell or attempt to sell tickets to the Jan. 20 ceremony. It also would be illegal to forge tickets. Either crime would be a misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and a year in prison.
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