The GOP's John Boehner Not Ready To Play Nice

So, the election is barely two days old, and it looks like at least one notable member of the GOP didn't catch the unsubtle message sent by voters that we want a new direction in Washington, a President who will buckle down and get to work on the myriad complex problems created by the outgoing administration.

Almost any Presidential staff pick has the potential for controversy, and Barack Obama's will be more scrutinized than most. So it's not a surprise that his pick of Representative Rahm Emanuel raised a few eyebrows. What are Washington insiders saying about him?

"Rahm knows the Hill, and he knows the White House. He is a brilliant strategic thinker and someone who knows how to get things done."

"Rahm understands politics is the art of compromise. He's got a deeply held set of views, but he also understands to get things done you have to compromise."

Knows the Hill, knows the White House, brilliant, strategic, thinker, knows how to get things done, understands to get things done you have to compromise? Sounds like the perfect guy, doesn't he? I mean, we want Obama to get things done, compromise...surely everyone can get behind that, right? And anyway, even if you're not crazy about the pick, surely this is the time to start working on that bipartisanship Washington is always paying lip service to?

Uh, well...maybe not. None less than House Minority leader John Boehner had this to say in a statement: "This is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil and govern from the center."

Maybe. But you know what's not ironic, or surprising at all? That some members of the GOP are so very eager to play us vs. them just a few days after the most historic election in American history, an election in which disparate segments of the American population, many of which have never been on the same page before, came together with a common goal: to elect a President we can actually believe in. For some members of the GOP, partisan politics seems to be their be-all and end-all.

Boehner does have some more forward-thinking colleagues. Republican Lindsey Graham called Rep. Emanuel a "wise choice".

"Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together. He is well-suited for the position of White House chief of staff," Graham said.

Lindsey Graham won re-election this year, so he'll serve through Obama's first term. At least there's one member of the Republican party with his priorities straight. John Boehner was re-elected this year too. Here's hoping he spends the next two years working with Obama, not against him, or maybe his constituents will send him packing in favor of someone who can put ego aside and do the right thing---for a change---by the American people.