GOD BLESS BARACK OBAMA FOR MANIFESTING THE DESTINY OF THIS NEW DAY IN WORLD HISTORY!
P.S.
I have moved on.
I should have told you, so I didn't break anyone's heart...
This blog's life continues here:
http://mindbenderfuturama.wordpress.com
Barack Obama, the President-elect of the United States of America
Barack Obama's victory was inevitable
By Anne Applebaum
The maps on the television screens started turning blue as soon as the polls had closed on the East Coast; by midnight, John McCain had conceded the presidency to Barack Obama. But I had known the election result many hours before. I didn't have special access to internal campaign data, or an early glimpse of the exit polls. I simply had one conversation, and one email exchange, which together told me everything I needed to know.
The conversation was with my sister, who lives in Florida, a bitterly contested battleground state. Florida was split down the middle in 2000, went for George W. Bush in 2004, and was considered a possible McCain state this year too. But as election day dawned, my sister told me that even though a huge percentage of Floridians had already taken advantage of early voting, there were still queues - everywhere - and many of the people standing in them were black. Clearly, those patiently waiting, sometimes for hours, were not waiting to vote for McCain. Those holding up signs saying "Make History: Vote!" weren't intending to make history by voting for McCain either.
The subsequent email exchange was with an old friend, a staunch Republican who is married to an even stauncher Republican - a rather famous one too. Despite this family circumstance she had, she confessed, just voted for Obama. Though she'd had her doubts, she suddenly found, on election day, that the decision was easy. More than easy: uplifting. When she emerged from the polling booth, she had a spring in her step, because she had just voted for the first black president. "And that's no small thing, " she wrote: "Maybe even worth some higher taxes."
And that was how, by about 10am, East Coast time, before the polls had opened in much of the country, I knew two extremely important pieces of information.
Number one: Black Americans were, for the first time in recent history, already voting in high numbers. Really, really high numbers. If the indelible image of the 2000 election was that of lawyers flocking to Florida to dispute the result, 2008 will be remembered for the photographs of those first-time voters, patiently waiting their turn to mark a ballot or pull a lever. The Obama campaign had identified and steadily lobbied some 600,000 Florida blacks who had registered to vote but didn't show up in the past. Their efforts paid off, in Florida and everywhere else.
Number two: Not just Democrats, not just independents, not just "swing voters" but actual, hard-core Republicans were so moved by the prospect of a black president - and so disgusted by the Bush administration - that they had decided to switch sides and vote for Obama. This happened despite the accusations that flew around towards the end of the campaign - that Obama was a socialist, a Marxist, a secret Muslim, a radical. None of those epithets really stuck, or at least not everywhere. In the end his inclusive, centrist, bipartisan rhetoric proved more powerful than even the hard evidence of his solid, left-liberal voting record. He repeated some of it again in his acceptance speech, after quoting Abraham Lincoln, who was a Republican: "I may not have won your vote tonight," he told McCain's electorate, "but I hear your voices, I want your help and I will be your president too."
As a rule, I dislike the word "historic" when used to describe elections: all elections are "historic", after all, and I seem to remember that the election of 2004 was meant to have been extraordinarily significant, deeply meaningful, and a thundering denunciation of Bush/Cheney/Iraq etc. It wasn't.
Despite the rhetoric on both sides, this election isn't "historic" either, in the sense that it presented the American people with some kind of monumental choice between presidents who would have had vastly different policies, and would have made vastly different decisions. Let's be clear here: whoever walks into the White House on inauguration day has limited choices, narrow possibilities, and almost no room for manoeuvre. There is no budget surplus to play with, no "peace dividend" to be had from cutting military spending. The economic and financial conundrums facing the next administration are so complex as to defy simple ideology. It doesn't matter whether the next president is Left or Right, Democratic or Republican: he still has to make sure that banks continue to lend money, the housing market continues to function, Afghanistan and Iraq do not deteriorate into chaos. I have absolutely no doubt that President McCain would have made many of the same decisions about many of these issues as will President Obama.
Nevertheless, this was a completely different election from any in recent years, as both the turnout and the cross-party voting reveal - and it has produced a kind of euphoria that I've never seen in American politics before. "Change" didn't seem like much of a slogan, when Obama supporters held it up on signs during rallies. "Yes, We Can" didn't seem like much of a clarion call, when repeated over and over again.
But when the first black president-elect took the podium, with the new black First Lady beside him, it was impossible not to feel that something profound really had just changed, and that all kinds of other things really are now possible. If nothing else, the worst chapter of the American story - a chapter which began more than three centuries ago, when the first slave ships docked in Britain's North American colonies - had just come to an end. Early yesterday morning, black Americans were sending a short text message to one another: "Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Barack could run. Barack is running so our children can fly." Rosa was Rosa Parks, who refused to take a back seat on an Alabama bus. Martin was Martin Luther King, who marched on Washington and quoted the Declaration of Independence back at Americans: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
Obama is their inheritor - and Obama knew it: "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible," he told a cheering, weeping crowd in Chicago; and if anyone "still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time… tonight is your answer."
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McCain knew it too. In a gracious and memorable concession speech, he praised Obama for "inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president." A century ago, he reminded his sombre audience, a previous American president, Theodore Roosevelt, was widely condemned for inviting the black scientist Booker T. Washington to dinner at the White House: "America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States."
In fact - improbable though it may sound - I am now completely convinced that it was not, in the end, a disadvantage for Obama to be black. On the contrary - as I predicted would be the case in January of last year - his race proved enormously advantageous, one of the keys to his victory. Obviously, it helped bring out that enormous black vote, which proved so crucial in states such as Florida. It may also have helped convince Hispanics, many of whom have voted Republican in the past, to switch to the Democrats too.
More importantly, though, his race was an enormous attraction for many white Americans too, even - or perhaps especially - some white Republicans. Here is something that may be hard for foreigners to understand: Americans desperately want to believe that their country stands for fairness, for equality, for democracy. They especially want to believe this at times like the present, when there is a good deal of evidence to the contrary. After the disasters and embarrassments of the past few years - the mistakes made in Iraq and Guantánamo, the terrible financial crisis, the embarrassment of Hurricane Katrina - a vote for Obama allowed Americans to believe, once again, that the United States is still a virtuous nation. It's not just about being liked abroad, though being liked is nice: it's about being certain that we still are, as we have often told ourselves, an example to other nations, a "city on a hill".
Americans stood in line for that certainty, they crossed party lines to vote for it, they donated record amounts of money to the Obama campaign in search of it. In, the end, it comes down to this: all Americans are told, as children, that "anyone can grow up to be president of the United States." And now, once again, we know that it's true.
~
STAR WARS MEETS CNN: A FIRST TIME IN WORLD HISTORY MOMENT, ONCE AGAIN...
~
FITTING:
BY JAY-Z, A BARACK OBAMA SUPPORTER LIKE NO OTHER.
Many Hip Hop artists have been voicing their opinions on the election and the fact that Barack Obama has been voted the next president of the United States of America. Throughout the election, Hip Hop artists have been vocal about their cries for change. Now, with the election over, many are speaking on how they feel about the new president.
"It's just incredible to know that Barack Obama is our president," Usher told MTV. "Can I say this? The coolest shit ever!"
He wasn't the only one.
"The vision of the hip-hop generation and its young people is in full and glorious effect tonight," Russell Simmons said. "While many older Americans, who marched and struggled so hard so Senator Obama could run for president of the United States, never dared to believe in his candidacy's real potential, young people, particularly the Hip Hop community, had faith, and their imagination became our reality.
"Obama's election as president is a beautiful testament to the American collective consciousness that is flowering. This more loving consciousness will be necessary to protect us from some of our hurtful human choices and tendencies. We will need it to create balance with the constantly emerging advances in technology so, going forward, we can use these advances in a positive way to lift up Mother Earth and all her inhabitants."
Nick Cannon even added his two cents, saying, "This is my proudest day as an American. We have elected a leader that represents change and unity. Barack Obama has carved his place in history as a true beacon of hope!"
Rick Ross noted that this brings hope to his trying times, as he mourns the loss of a friend who recently passed.
"I'm just ... to be honest, I'm speechless. I think we all should be. It's time for action. I'm one of the people that really think life can be a mind game at times. To see this obstacle that us, as men of color, have overcome. ... There are a lot of mind games that people played on us, or we used as an excuse for not being successful. I think the picture that Barack will paint for black males will be phenomenal. [The world] is finnin' to see us as being compassionate, as far as being leaders, as far as having the potential to be great as president.
"He showed his level of class. He commended John McCain. He thanked his team, his political adviser for putting together maybe the best campaign in the history of the presidential race. I would say he has the support of the people. One of the lines that touched me the most was when he said it doesn't make sense for Wall Street to be on top and Main Street suffering more than ever. That's the nerve of the problem in the United States for the past few years."
~
TIME TO HUSTLE LIKE RUSSELL, AND RUN THE BLOCK LIKE BARACK.
~
MAYBE BET CAN STEP THEIR SHIT UP INFINITELY NOW THAT AMERICA HAS A BLACK PRESIDENT!
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THIS ONE IS A NECESSARY REFLECTION.
THE NEW NEW WORLD ORDER:
By Odeisel
And so we have the change that we fought so hard for; a gigantic monumental step towards the next phase of American evolution. The election of Barack Obama is more than a victory for black people or for any racial subset. More than anything else it was a triumph for the power of youth; for the voice of the generation that has yet to make its mark on the face of America outside of pop culture manifestation.
You can segment them with Generation X’s and Y's and Next's but this generation (or group of them) has been defined by its underachievement and apathy for anything non-immediate. Today was the day that Generation Now got off its collective ass and voted against the mortgaging of their future to preserve a present that has little regard for their destiny.
Congratulations. Welcome to the first day of the New World Order. Not the Illuminati world order but the real one. The one where you get out of the baby seat and take the wheel of the street car named desire. The one where you vote; where you voice. The one where you buy the politicians. The one where you lobby. The one where you become aware of the way the world works.
If nothing else, Barack Obama has shown you that there is strength in numbers. That three million people with 100 dollars is even stronger than 10 people with 30 million. That a bundle of that many branches are unbreakable. Not by slander, not by hate, and not by negativity. The lesson you should take from this historic event is the power of organization and the true force of mobilization.
The lesson you should take is that if youth culture marshals their forces and puts the resources behind them, there is no power on earth that can withstand it.
These opportunities don't come once in a lifetime. They don't come once every four years. They come daily. They come when corporations think that old white men in an office can determine what is cool for you to consume. They come when your favorite artist goes double wood while some cat who can't spell is selling hundreds of thousands of records.
You have been informed. You have been shown the power of your collective voice on a macro level. Do not lose sight of how to apply that on a micro level in your own lives. Your families, your crew, your blocks are all there. Be a bundle not a branch.
Don't surrender your power to apathy and laziness. Long Live Barack Obama. Longer live the spirit of youth. You can do even more than this. Change is like marriage. It's not a destination it's a journey. President elect Obama's... (wow) ascent is not the end but the beginning. The beginning of the New World Order. Will you be the driving force, or will you continue the mistakes of the previous world? This time you have a choice.
~
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMMM...
Jay-Z and Diddy may just have to watch history from a distance. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker, Hov, Puff and Mary J. Blige have been strongly advised to miss Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama’s rally in Chicago’s Grant Park tonight (11/04). Word is the aforementioned celebs had been trying to get their hands on VIP invites to attend the event. Instead, the stars were told to think about attending a possible Obama inauguration in January.
”There really only needs to be one star in Grant Park, and that’s Barack,” an Obama insider told Zwecker.”There will be plenty of time for a new President Obama to be surrounded by famous fans, all hopeful about a new administration.”
Actors Tim Robbins, Susan Surandon and Ben Affleck were also among the celebrities advised to keep a distance. Longtime Obama supporter Oprah Winfrey is the only celebrity expected to make an appearance at the rally tonight.
Diddy and Hov have been quite vocal in their support of Obama through the Illinois Senator’s campaign. Jigga recently held a rally alongside Cleveland Cavalier Lebron James and joined Diddy and others in Florida rallies just two days ago.
WWW.XXLMAG.COM
~
PEACE TO LUDA. AT LEAST HE TRIED. FAILED, BUT HE TRIED.
With President-elect Barack Obama’s historic election run now complete, Atlanta rap star Ludacris is finally breaking his silence on Obama’s marked criticism of his July dedication song.
On the track entitled "Politics As Usual" taken from DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz: The Preview, Ludacris professed his full support for Obama.
That support was overshadowed by controversial lyrics that labeled President Obama’s former Democrat rival Hillary Clinton as a "b**ch," and alluded to Republican John McCain as being close to disability.
Ludacris also took aim at George W. Bush, calling the 43rd President of the United States "mentally handicapped."
“The song was my artistic expression and was meant to get people who weren’t involved in the political process involved,” Ludacris reasoned to AllHipHop.com. “Being as though it was the first mixtape to reach the United States government was a bit overwhelming.”
Obama, who in 2006 first met with Ludacris privately to discuss community activism and Hip-Hop’s role in it, was not understanding of Luda’s vitriolic words and publicly condemned the track.
“Rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he (Obama) doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to,” Obama’s campaign released in a statement. “This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”
Although Ludacris has since met with Obama, he declined to elaborate on what their discussion entailed.
Instead, the Atlanta star revealed he put his pride aside for the greater good of Obama’s campaign to prevent any possible damaging distractions, as previously seen with Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
“What myself and the president spoke about is confidential, but I took it upon myself to not speak on the song because I did not want to further distract either candidate in dealing with the ancillary issues they had to face in order to become the next president of this country,” Ludacris explained. “Now that Barack has won, I can honestly say that we are all fortunate to witness a period in America’s history when we rose to our best.”
Through this experience, Ludacris felt that he learned how much can be accomplished when people focus on common ground in lieu of highlighting disagreements.
“We stood up and acknowledged that America’s true power is when people come together and focus on our possibilities rather than our differences,” he proudly stated. “Obama’s focus is to bring this country together and move it forward as one united nation. I believe in him and what he stands for and wish him success!”
Ludacris’ is also finalizing his sixth solo album Theater of the Mind, due in stores November 25.
The album features collaborations with Nas, Jay-Z, Common, Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, The Game, and Ving Rhames.
~~~
SURPRISE, SURPRISE. THE TRUTH COMES OUT:
Bishop Lamont had more than a lot to say about former label mate The Game this past weekend on Hoodhype.com's satellite radio show. Of course, none of his comments were flattering of the Compton-bred rapper. For most of the interview, Lamont referred to The Game as "Baby Girl," "Sweetheart," and "Star Face."
“Jayceon is the type of nigga that's bipolar. And he's a phony ass dude,” he told the radio show. “Baby Girl don't want to unify with other fly dudes out here on the West coast. She wants to keep everybody under her…She a hater. Whenever somebody is signed, or is about to blow up, she got an issue with them.”
The two rappers were acquainted even before Bishop Lamont was signed to Aftermath Records. In fact, it was on the set of The Game's "Dreams" that Bishop was introduced to Dr. Dre, who would eventually end up signing him to the Aftermath label.
When asked about The Game's current relationship with Dr. Dre, Bishop Lamont responded, “She [The Game] is heartbroken. She wants to get back to Dre. She misses the milk and cookies. She misses the walks in the park, I guess. You know, going to go get more fake tattoos. Baby girl got the Heineken bottle sticker on her face.”
He was also questioned about the fall-out between The Game and 50 Cent:
“[The Game] is a sweetheart… And when you comfortable with that, you go and get mohawks and 5 billion tattoos that you never had before you got signed. He was about to get dropped if it wasn’t for 50 writing all his hooks… People wanted to jump and believe that Game was the underdog and think that he was the victim. Nah, 50 was the good guy because 50 saved his career. He would have never came out if it wasn't for 50 Cent, and 50 Cent did everything right by him. But there are some missing pieces that 50 ain’t said because he just keeps it G like that, to what really went down, to why he really kicked him out of G-Unit."
Both rappers planned to come together in an effort to unify the West coast, according to Lamont. With The Game’s split from Aftermath, and what Lamont calls The Game’s “disrespect,” those positive hopes were dashed. However, Bishop Lamont assures that he and The Game have no substantial beef.
“I can't have beef with a girl," Bishop said. "I wish dude could be who he really is, and be the good dude that he really can be, but he's so into this maze of being this pretend person. He can't be the beautiful person he can really be, because I’ve seen it sometimes. But you know, Baby Girl is gonna be her. She's gonna put her press-on nails on, she's gonna put the tomato paste on her chest.”
Bishop Lamont also gave some revealing information about the recent drops of Busta Rhymes and others from the Aftermath label, and the current status of Eminem’s Relapse, 50 Cent’s Before I Self Destruct, and Dr. Dre’s Detox.
~~~
THIS IS DISGUSTING.
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/audio/id.6032/title.jake-one-f-pharoahe-monch-kardinal-offishall-hurt-u
PEACE TO JAKE ONE AND KARDINAL AND PHAROAHE.
~~~
LOVE THIS SONG. SORRY I COULDN'T MAKE THE SHOW, SEAN P... IT WAS BARACK'S ELECTION DAY! HOPE HE FIXES BROWNSVILLE.
CAUSE YOU SAID IT HERE: IT'S SO DAMN TUFF!
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CHARLES HAMILTON IS NOW ON INTERSCOPE. BUT WILL IT EVER COME OUT?
~~~
ONE FUCKING WORD: ~SLAUGHTERHOUSE~
!!!!
~~~
EPMD SAMPLER. WE MEAN BUSINESS!!! ~ http://www.zshare.net/audio/5089528544d66d94/
~~~
IT'S A NEW DAY:
How many deaths did gangster rap suffer in 2008 alone? And which was the least noble?
Was it Rick Ross getting outed as a former corrections officer and continuing to deny it, even in the face of incontrovertible proof? Was it Ice-T showing his age, and his lack of perspective, by losing a YouTube battle to Soulja Boy? Was it Shawty Lo bringing a camera around Bankhead and asking about T.I.’s neighborhood bona fides? Was it the unearthed criminal records that seemed to indicate Plies wasn’t quite the “definition of real” he proclaimed to be? Was it the venerable G-Unit, who, this summer, released their second (and best and hardest) album, T.O.S. to general indifference? Or was it that one of the more hooliganish rapper moments of the year came from Kanye West, of all people, who, along with his manager Don C, attacked a paparazzo at an airport and demolished his camera? Even Suge Knight plays nice with the paparazzi these days. Where have all the thugs gone?
Not long after the late-’80s media began using the term to describe a burgeoning style of brash, street-oriented hip-hop with lyrical focus on criminal behavior, gangster rap became the dominant strain of the genre. Its characteristics (or, at least, its affects) so flooded the form as a whole that, over time, the term lost precision in meaning. Over the past two decades, most of rap’s biggest stars have presented themselves, at least in some ways, as gangsters.
These days, though, the gangster icon is being replaced by that of the player, the bohemian, the seducer, the nerd, the precocious kid. Increasingly, any rap that markets itself as street rap is likely to be a footnote. Just a few years ago, 50 Cent brought about a tidal shift in the tone of the genre, out-thugging the competition to install the ultimate bad guy at the top of the food chain. Now, in 2008, that’s but a fast-fading memory.
Ask Styles P of the Yonkers hardcore trio The Lox how the climate for street rap is these days, and his answer comes quick and blunt: “It’s bad. It’s real bad… The past five years, there hasn’t even been a lot of gangster rap… If I started my career today, I think I’d be in a real fucked-up position.”
Last year, when Kanye West and 50 Cent faced off in a sales battle, Kanye seemed like the obvious underdog. 50 was a juggernaut and a bully; Kanye, by comparison, seemed small and humble. Until the first-week numbers came out, that is, with the fashionista besting the thug by more than 250,000 copies.
It was perhaps the first indicator of a shift that now seems to be in full flower. Suddenly, among the dance-rap teens, the hipsters and the bohemians, street rappers seem fewer and farther between. They’re not totally off the scene. Says Baby, CEO of New Orleans’s Cash Money Records, “Jeezy did it. Ross did it. Plies doin’ it. They came up the same way we did.” But the climate seems less and less forgiving. Even though Young Jeezy landed atop the album chart earlier this year, it was with such a small sales number that it left only the question: Is he the last of a dying breed?
WWW.XXLMAG.COM
~~~
WORD TO CHRISTOPHER WALLACE: IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT ENDS EVERYTHING FOR ME.
SEEING MY BROTHER K-NAAN PERFORM THE BEST SONG OF THE NEW MILLENIUM WITH MOS DEF IS JUST TOO INSPIRING FOR WORDS.
~~~
FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET:
Transition vulnerability
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that the United States is vulnerable to attack or other incidents during the presidential transition period and that the military is ready to respond.
"When you go back and look at the number of incidents that have occurred three or four months before an inauguration to about 12 months out, back to the '50s, it's pretty staggering the number of major incidents which have occurred in this time frame," Adm. Michael Mullen said, noting that the danger is compounded by current world conditions.
The Sept. 11 attacks, for example, occurred eight months after President Bush took office, at a time when many key appointments had not been made.
Recent preparations for the transition in the Pentagon were aimed at preventing any attacks, and if an attack or incident does take place, the military is ready to respond, Adm. Mullen told Sara A. Carter, national security reporter for The Washington Times.
Shifts from old to new administrations are "always a challenging time in our country, always have been," Adm. Mullen said.
"Transitions are always difficult," he said. "We've put a lot of effort into it, and we're ready."
The chairman said he is concerned about the transition because of the global threats and opportunities facing the United States at the present time, namely in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"I consider this a time of vulnerability, and I've worked this for months to have a transition team prepare for a new administration, mindful that this new administration, they don't take charge until the 20th of January," Adm. Mullen said.
The four-star admiral, who is the designated chief military adviser, stated that the military serves "one commander in chief always" while at the same time he will be going to "great lengths" to respond to the Obama transition team.
The team is expected to show up "very rapidly in this building," and Adm. Mullen said he and his staff are ready to help. Adm. Mullen is halfway through his two-year term as chairman.
Leaders' futures
One of the first decisions President-elect Barack Obama must make is whether to keep Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who plans to leave office unless asked to stay.
"As far as I know, he is still planning on returning to his home in Washington state at the end of this administration," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told Inside the Ring Wednesday.
"But as he has said many times before, he learned long ago never to say 'never' and does not rule out the prospect of serving the nation longer if needed."
Mr. Gates has focused most of his time at the Pentagon on the Iraq war since taking over for Donald H. Rumsfeld in December 2006.
Mr. Obama stated on his campaign's Web site that "immediately upon taking office," he will order the defense secretary and military commanders to end the Iraq war and withdraw U.S. troops "responsibly."
He said Oct. 30 that he views it as important to have Republicans in senior leadership posts in his administration, but he did not answer a direct question on whether he would keep Mr. Gates.
Among those considered for the key national security post of defense secretary are former Clinton administration Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, an Obama adviser, and Sen. Chuck Hagel, Nebraska Republican and critic of the Bush administration's war-on-terror policies.
CIA Director Michael V. Hayden also may resign or be replaced.
Asked whether Mr. Hayden will leave or stay, CIA spokesman George Little pointed to a statement Mr. Hayden sent to CIA employees Wednesday that said "those privileged to lead this organization understand that they serve at the pleasure of the president.”
Obama spokeswoman Wendy Morigi declined to comment on planned appointments or requests for officials to stay in place.
Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell also suggested that he may step down before the new administration. In a message to employees that was obtained by The Washington Times, Mr. McConnell said intelligence agencies have been working for months to prepare for the transition, which is about to enter "a critical stage" after the election and before the inauguration.
"A new national security team will soon emerge," Mr. McConnell said. "The current administration is leaning forward to ensure that the incoming team has security clearances and access to sensitive intelligence as soon as possible."
Intelligence agencies will both be working with the current administration and helping the incoming team, he said.
"We will be responsive to both and will work out priorities should conflicts arise."
A spokesman for Mr. McConnell said the director said earlier that he intends to leave at the end of the current administration unless he is asked to stay on for a period during the transition.
Obama and missile defense
Defense specialists say one likely policy change at the Pentagon under the incoming Obama administration will be funding cuts and program modifications for U.S. strategic missile defenses.
During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama stated that he opposes "unworkable" missile defenses but that he thinks missile defenses are needed to counter Iranian and North Korean missiles.
A defense official involved in missile defense, however, said there is no reason to believe major changes will be made to the current missile-defense program.
"The Democrat-led Congress appropriated $9 billion for missile defense for 2009, only about $320 million less than the president's budget request," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of political sensitivities.
"Both North Korea and Iran are continuing their development of missiles of all ranges, including missiles capable of striking the U.S., and there is no indication the threat will abate anytime soon, considering how much money both countries are spending on missile development."
Missile defenses were integrated into the Bush administration's new strategic triad of capabilities, which include nuclear and precision conventional strike forces, passive and active defenses, and the buildup of defense infrastructure. The old triad was a combination of land-based, sea-based and bomber-carrying nuclear forces.
John Holum, former Arms Control and Disarmament Agency director and an Obama campaign adviser, told the Arms Control Association in June that Mr. Obama would limit strategic missile defenses to current deployments in California and Alaska.
"But at the same time, he thinks it´s very important to proceed on the basis of workable defenses, making sure that systems are capable before we put so many resources into these systems," Mr. Holum said.
Missile defense also needs to be based on threats and should focus on short-range missile defenses and "local defenses" against missiles, Mr. Holum said.
Mr. Obama's priorities for missile defense include so-called theater or regional defenses, "and further down the list, as the technology is proven, more effective defenses; national or longer-range defenses," Mr. Holum said.
Mr. Obama thinks a missile attack is less likely than a nuclear blast carried out from a suitcase, boxcar or shipping container smuggled into the country, "where missile defenses don't have any impact," Mr. Holum said.
During the Clinton administration, Mr. Holum opposed both short-range and long-range missile defenses during interagency discussions, favoring existing arms agreements over hardware, according to internal documents obtained at the time.
Mr. Holum led Clinton administration efforts to extend the now-defunct 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in talks with the Russians to cover short-range defenses, a move opposed by many in the Pentagon as restricting needed defenses against short-range missile attack.
Riki M. Ellison, chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said he thinks missile defense will grow internationally under Mr. Obama and become part of "an alliance-building movement."
However, missile defenses are likely to be approached differently than under Mr. Bush, he said.
"I believe that there will be no growth in the long-range ballistic missile capability that includes both here in Alaska and California as well as Poland and little growth if any on future missile-defense systems," Mr. Ellison said in an e-mail.
Bill Gertz covers national security affairs. He can be reached at 202/636-3274, or at InsidetheRing@washingtontimes.com.
WE CAN'T GET TOO CAREFUL... AS SARAH CONNOR SAID IN 'THE TERMINATOR CHRONICLES': "WE ARE ~NEVER~ COMPLETELY SAFE..."
BUT STILL:
PEACE TO AFRICA, KENYA, AND THE OBAMA FAMILY WORLDWIDE:
~~~
FROM THE DAY AFTER OBAMA'S GRADUATION TIL INFINITY, I WILL BE THERE:
http://mindbenderfuturama.wordpress.com
NOT HERE.
SO TAKE THIS PORTAL TO THE NEW FUTURE, AND I WILL LOVE YOU THERE! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE BLOGGER.COM MINDBENDER WEBSITE... WE'RE GONNA KEEP RISING UNTIL WE ARE THE NEW TRUTH MEDIA!
CAUSE MINDBENDER AND TORONTO ARE THE NEXT BIG THING! :)
http://mindbenderfuturama.wordpress.com
THE WORLD IS YOURS. ONE LOVE!
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