But it is the President’s birthday and I’m kind of fond of the guy, so here is a great video of Colbert’s interview with Orly Taitz, “mother of the birthers.”

You have to give Orly some credit, challenging the birth certificate of the President is one truly original way to defend a soldier who refused to deploy to Afghanistan.

As a second treat, here is a website dedicated to challenging Obama’s birth certificate:  http://lamecherry.blogspot.com/2008/08/proof-barack-obama-birth-certificate-is.html

And, as I was writing this blog I read about Clinton’s success in North Korea. His secret visit was a perfect example of the Obama administration’s commitment to engagement rather than isolation. If a government is holding two of your journalists, go talk to them. If it’s politically risky, send a non-official emissary who still holds a lot of clout.

Genius.

Both the Clinton’s and the birthday boy deserve a lot of credit for breaking with the Bush traditions when it comes to foriegn policy.

Today, the Obama administration officially announced the foreign policy team for the next four years.

Not surprisingly, many of the appointments are former Clintonites (including Hillary), and stand to the right of Obama on the political spectrum. This includes the maintenance of Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense – a post he stated a year ago he would likely not continue under a Democratic President. It also includes Susan Rice, former assistant to Madeleine Albright.

For those of us who bought into the Obama change mantra, the “team of Washington insiders” (according to David Brooks, conservative columnist for the New York Times) isn’t very reassuring.

How can we believe that U.S. policies abroad will be different this time when everyone in charge of decision-making is more hawkish than the President America voted for?

Part of the reason many liberals criticized Hillary Clinton was because she voted for the war in Iraq. Robert Gates led the surge in Iraq. Susan Rice was key in the decision not to intervene in Rwanda in 1994.

Things don’t look so good for change in America.

Still, Gates made noise this summer about investigating military use of private contractors and has publicly endorsed diplomatic means when military intervention seems futile. Clinton stated time and time again that her vote on Iraq was a mistake and Rice insists she learned from her inaction in 1994.

Perhaps the most reassuring fact is that Obama is emphasizing experience rather than policy allegiance when questioned about his choices. Those who are loathe to abandon their enthusiasm for this administration can only hope that centrist players are being used to push through a progressive agenda.