Do you believe that Obama and McCain collaborated on creating a list of potential staffers?

[JDPriestly]

I find this hard to believe, and if it is true, I wonder what Obama was thinking? This kind of information makes you wonder whether there is anything real left in our election system. Why bother picking between two candidates if they are so similar that they can collaborate on making lists of potential staff members?

A senior Obama campaign official shared with The Washington Note and Huffington Post that in July 2008, the McCain and Obama camps began to work secretly behind the scenes to assemble large rosters of potential personnel for the administration that only one of the candidates would lead.

Lists comprised of Democrats and Republicans were assembled, sorted into areas of policy expertise, so that the roster could be called on after the election by either the Obama or McCain transition teams.

This kind of out-of-sight coordination is rare between battling presidential camps and provides some indication that both Obama and McCain intended to draw expertise into their governments from both sides of the aisle -- or at least they wanted to appear interested in doing so if the information leaked out about the list development process.

Fascinating tidbit on cooperation behind battle lines.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/scoop-mccain-and-obama-ca_b_145827.html

Is it all really just a show? Is the only difference personality? What do you think?

[Art_from_Ark]

1. The Senate is an Old Boys (and Old Girls) club

Senators are in the habit of rubbing each others' backs-- you vote for my crappy bill, and I'll vote for yours. It all seems like a dog-and-pony show to me.

[madrchsod]

2. ....that`s one of the dumbest things i`ve read

why would barack ask john about anything...

[sandnsea]

3. No.

They may have had conversations considering the economic crisis, but other than that, no. This is absurd.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. "assemble large rosters of potential personnel" LOL!

First, I'm not going to click on huffingtonpost to read who this "senior Obama campaign official" is. (This person's name wouldn't be "Anon" or "Unnamed" would it?)

Secondly, LOL!

"Assembling large rosters of potential personnel" can mean damn well anything.

Like, "they talked about a bunch of people" or "they read the phone book."

[FrenchieCat]

5. Know that Obama ain't part of no "network". When you voted for him,

he didn't come complete with an accompanying Ol' boy networked Cabal. For once, after a long time, we done good. :)

[pecwae]

6. Anything's possible in politics.

[lonestarnot]

7. No fucking way.

[Romulox]

Obviously Citi and AIG had a powerful say in who he appointed.

[Romulox]

8. dupe