So, while Obama and Biden are doing their very best to make it look like it’s an official government entity, it is not.  But it isn’t just a fabrication either.  Technically, if I had a secretary, I could have said secretary answer the phone “Office of Donkephant”.  Much like Obama can have his secretary at his government funded office answer his phone as “Office of the President-Elect”.  He is the President-Elect.  And it is his office.

That aside, I think the way that Obama and Biden are using the name and unofficial seal as well as the website is horribly misleading.  As further evidence of the office not being an official office of the U.S. Governement, the bottom of the website for the “Office of the President-Elect” has the following:

Content copyright © 2008 by Obama-Biden Transition Project, a 501c(4) organization. All rights reserved.

I’m no lawyer, and I would have to be to fully research and understand the law, but I believe if it were an official office of the U.S. Government, it would not have that and would instead say something about it being property of the U.S. Governement.  Or it would have nothing in the footer, much like the whitehouse.gov and the usa.gov sites.

Finally, while it isn’t an official government website, it does appear to have the approval of the government. As far as I can tell, you can’t just go and register a .gov domain like you can a .com or .net.  You’ve got to get approval.  It might be noted that there are those who don’t think this was a legal use of the .gov domain, but I haven’t researched that at all.  Also, there hasn’t been much of anything from the established administration about it.  At least not that I’ve read or heard.

My guess is that the current administration is content to let Obama get away with it.  It creats a distraction.  The longer the buzz last from the election, the longer the people don’t feel the full effects of what is going on around them with the economy, job market, and the world.

The site (cleverly named change.gov) explains it as:

Throughout the Presidential Transition Project, this website will be your source for the latest news, events, and announcements so that you can follow the setting up of the Obama Administration. And just as this historic campaign was, from the beginning, about you — the transition process will offer you opportunities to participate in redefining our government.

Come back often as we define new programs and possibilities to engage and be part of this administration.

Not exactly an explanation of the office itself, but more of the the website.  In all, it seems to be a Office designed to give the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect a public face.  As if they needed one.

I see two things here.  One, it claims to be opening up the process of the transition.  That could be good.  If it’s followed through with.  It may, but I have my reservations.  The other thing I see this office being is a way for Obama to hasten his Presidency.  He can’t legally, of course, but by creating this office, he creates a sort of overlap of the current “lame duck” Presidency with his own “hope” filled presidency.

It also makes me wonder if President Bush is just ready to be done.  Why else would you let the President-Elect overshadow you like that?  Or are his advisors leading him down that path?

Hey Dennis!  That is not really all that crazy.  You want to see crazy?  Take a look at Ahmadinejad, you know, the leader of Iran.  That guy’s crazy.  And if he gets nuclear weapon capabilities, it really could lead to World War III.  Well, unless you were President.  But enough crazy talk.  There are about 4 people who would need to be committed for that to happen anyways.

I’ve got to agree with  Don Ronayne, the RNC spokesman when he said that “Maybe he thinks preposterous quotes are the only way he can get his failed campaign any attention.”  But, let’s face it, Kucinich is going to need more help than that.