he list of "things to do" must be endless for the incoming president. The cartoonist on the cover of "The Week" magazine depicted the President Elect with his back to the viewer, looking at an imaginary list and marking off items as they await to be addressed. The first one said simply, "Make History". He has already done that by winning the elections and much more awaits. The apparently endless list, in the eyes of the artist goes on; Fix Economy, Get Puppy, End War, Measure Drapes. Close Guantanamo, Unify America, Get Milk, Hire Rahm (that one he's already appointed. He has him as his Chief of Staff). And the list continues into the immediate and distant future. If his selection for Attorney General is acceptable to the Senate he'll have again established a history making choice; Eric Holder a fine and experienced attorney who happens to be African American.

I shall watch my words carefully with this next thought for fear that it makes me sound like an unemployed, unabashed liberal, talk show host, who ardently wishes to be back at the profession that has kept me employed for well over a half century. Until very recently, I think it is fair to say, right-wing talkshow hosts believed that they were a major influence in dictating the outcome of elections and even managed to impact the presidential agenda. If once it had some influence and impact, that is no longer the case. Once upon a time they helped build support for the Republicans' "Contract with America". They were a driving force behind the impeachment of the Democratic president, Bill Clinton. For something like three decades they were rabble- rousing "dittoheads": followers of the likes of Rush Limbaugh, by far the finest at his craft. No longer. This year's election showed that talkradio made no impact whatsoever. Much of this partisan energy has migrated to cable television. And so the talk-jocks have become even more partisan and rabid. Less and less do they appeal to either the vast audience and certainly not to sponsors.
I would like to be back on the air, soon. There is so much to be spoken about and there are so many amazing people to meet and with whom to speak of anything and everything. There are ideas to be explored and issues to discuss. If I might borrow a line from our California governor (who pretends to be a Republican!), "I'll be back!"