Obama has packed his staff with so-called “Third Culture Kids”—people who grew up outside the U.S. New research suggests this group shares common psychological traits that could shape his administration…………

Top 10 most annoying Americanisms

Hillary?

By PHK

By Patricia H. Kushlis

That’s right. Hillary’s nomination for Secretary of State raises a huge question mark in my mind. It’s unclear to me why Obama offered her the appointment or why she accepted it. I would have much preferred to see her on the Supreme Court where she could have been counted on to weigh in on issues for which her expertise is well suited, and where she could and would make a major difference on issues near to her and my heart.

But Secretary of State?

Does she realize how shrunken the State Department has become and will she be willing to spend the capital to turn the situation around? Does she understand how demoralized its professional staff is?

New face, new policies — or new face, same old habits? by FAİK SAĞKOL

In Op-Ed

Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America. A fresh new face in the history of American politics.

Turkey believes Obama to be advised not to use “genocide” term

Turkey believes aides of U.S.-president elect Barack Obama would advise him to refrain from using "genocide" in defining the 1915 incidents. The impression came after Turkish officials held their first contacts with the new administration.

The 2008 Democratic Shift

By Reflection Cafe

David Brady, Douglas Rivers and Laurel Harbridge
Policy Review, December 2008
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After the 2004 presidential election, Republicans appeared to be in good shape. They had won the presidency, had a 30-seat margin in the House of Representatives and 55What caused the Democratic shift?

What caused these voters to switch their party identification between 2004 and 2008? The increase in Democratic support was not limited to independents, who typically exhibit more volatility in their partisan loyalties than voters in each party’s base. These are, for the most part, voters who supported George Bush’s reelection in 2004 and voted for Republican congressional candidates, but who have subsequently become more Democratic (or, perhaps more accurately, less Republican). One can think of any number of reasons for them to have moved in this direction, but most explanations fall into two broad categories: dissatisfaction with the performance of the Bush administration or estrangement from the Republican Party on ideological grounds. An obvious answer would appear to be President Bush’s unpopularity.