Does "Hope and Change" translate into "Quid Pro Quo" in Latin?

I dunno. I was never very good at the Dead languages. I'm not even all that proficient in the live ones.

But I'm beginning to think it does mean that. Why?

Because President Obama just hired Alaskan State Senator Kim Elton to serve as Director of Alaskan Affairs at the Interior Department.

Now, if you had never heard of Alaskan State Senator Kim Elton before, you would be in pretty good company. Nothing in Elton's biography is particularly compelling. In fact, were one to characterize Elton as a minor party hack of little to no distinction, one would probably not be far off.

However, Sen. Elton is known for one thing and one thing only. He led the Democratic assault on Governor Sarah Palin for the "Troopergate" scandal that wasn't.

You remember "Troopergate". Governor Palin spent the summer of the election campaign fighting unfounded charges that she had exceeded her authority by firing a renegade, tazer-happy State Trooper. Ultimately she was cleared of any wrongdoing.

And now one of the chief architects of the highly public and unsubstantiated smear job has been awarded a plum job in the Obama administration. Being the "Director of Alaskan Affairs" in Interior is a pretty sweet gig with no real responsibilities. You basically show up around 2:00 PM, call Juneau to make sure the pipeline is still operating, and then bail around 2:15 PM to go thank the Good Lord that you aren't freezing your ass off in Alaska anymore. All while pulling down a salary that would make the hard ass crab fishermen on Deadliest Catch blush.

Now, I don't know that anything was promised last year between the Obama campaign and Sen. Elton. Of course I don't know that anything wasn't either.

I just know that a political rival of Senator Obama's was baselessly smeared and the man who led the charge is now the recipient of a sweet, sweet Administration gig. I report, you decide.

I wonder if he's paid his taxes?

Meanwhile, as the Dow craters and the unemployment rate begins to trickle upwards, Peggy Noonan rests easy knowing that the White House chef will not be asked to learn a recipe in which "moose" serves as a prominent ingredient instead of arugula.

posted by Jack M. at 08:39 PM

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