dear mr president...

if i could have 10 minutes with president-elect obama, here is what i would cover:

1. for the love of all that is great, PLEASE DO NOT PICK HILLARY CLINTON FOR SECRETARY OF STATE. she is clearly not the best person for the job. her comments about nuking Iran during the primaries should say a lot. clinton is very qualified to stick to domestic issues, such as health care. this is where she belongs. i have no doubt that she is a great woman and that she'd get along with obama well, but a key characteristic of the secretary of state must be a diplomat. this means negotiating, and i just don't see her doing this very well in the international realm. and while i'd argue that we need to stop compromising on domestic issues such as health care reform, the environment, and social rights, negotiation must be at the forefront of our foreign affairs in the future. we've seen what happens when it's not.

2. please, please read "hot flat & crowded." i know i've been harping on it a lot, but as i'm getting through it, i really think friedman is right! he provides such a clear and powerful outline of what we must do to save the environment and in the process, grow, innovate, help fight poverty and topple petrodictators. it would work!

3. do not let the government bail out the auto industry. i actually had mixed feelings about this, and to be fair, i still kind of do, but especially after reading mitt romney's editorial today in nytimes, i can't help but agree.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html?ref=opinion
i have no doubts a move like this would really hurt a lot of people, but i think in the end, it's for the best.

4. after reading all of this, you must be certain that i should in fact, be a top adviser to you. and i accept.