Cool the hope jets

Barack Obama might consider ditching the whole "Hope" theme.

After all, whether it's him or John McCain who takes the oath of office in January, the new president will really be able to do little but try to repair the damage the previous office holder left behind.

Consider the honey-do list:
Fix a ballooned budget that needs slashing, a debt that needs paying off, a murky war in Iraq, a forgotten war in Afghanistan, compromises to the country's values and Constitution, a diminished standing abroad, a fractious political landscape at home, a dangerously depressed economy.
The next president will have to be a Repairman-in-Chief.

So how about a new slogan: "Fixing the Mess the Last Guy Made"

That's about as much as we can "Hope" for.