Imagine this: YouâÄôve just been elected president. You spent the last two years of your life degrading the credentials and legacy of a sitting president, and now that youâÄôve won, you want to make sure you get into power as soon as possible to reverse all of the horrible things that this evil sitting president has done to you and your followers. Sure, itâÄôs a valiant request, but not a legitimate (or legal) one. Barack Obama needs to put a leash on his hounds and let the sitting president finish his legally prescribed term in office. President Bush has more than two full months until he leaves office, and although the âÄúlame duckâÄù period was created for transitional purposes, it was not created to allow the president-elect to begin governing. Besides, Obama has a mountain of information heâÄôll have to learn before he takes office, especially national security and foreign policy. Bush has made extraordinary progress on a few issues no recent president has had the courage to pursue. Clinton never went on the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, and although we have yet to confirm his death, most of his command control structure is now powerless. Two new democracies were born because of George W. Bush. In Afghanistan, terrorists no longer intimidate citizens, and in Iraq, voting is no longer done with a gun to the voterâÄôs head. Most of the public has been distracted by the violence that unavoidably ensues following a transition like what happened in these two countries, and now that huge progress is moving, the media has left us with little but a âÄúdeath counterâÄù at the top of the opinions page every day. Bush made more progress on a new Palestinian state than any recent president, and stood with a united front of western nations against Iran (which should also be ObamaâÄôs policy). As for the transition itself, many people hope that ObamaâÄôs new team will indeed be one of âÄúchange,âÄù and not just change back to the days of Clinton. With the installation of Rahm Emanuel (a former heavyweight in ClintonâÄôs inner circle) as ObamaâÄôs chief-of-staff (the virtual co-president) comes the tone of the good-olâÄô-boys club and not necessarily a new direction. Just this week we witnessed yet another increase in unemployment, and with the holiday shopping season looking like a bust, outlook for growth is not rosy either. The nation is best served by one president at a time. Obama said so himself at his first press conference last Friday. Unfortunately, Obama and his staff will be attempting to undermine President BushâÄôs legitimacy as the sitting commander in chief. This was evidenced by ObamaâÄôs recent leak of the confidential conversation he and Bush had at the White House on Monday. Can anyone even imagine if Bush had camped outside ClintonâÄôs White House with two months left in his term? It wouldâÄôve been chaos. Folks in Kansas even decided to pursue the idea of a national holiday honoring Obama, which is laughable at best. However, considering the voters are willing to sign off on just about anything these days (i.e. Al Franken), I wouldnâÄôt put it past us to create a national holiday for a president that hasnâÄôt even done anything yet. People across the world are rumored to be naming their children after Obama, and all for what? LetâÄôs calm down, take a deep breath, get off the hope and change freight train and think about solutions to our problems. Obama won the election, and he has the right to make an effective transition over a two month period. For now, he is required by law and common sense to allow the current administration to tie up loose ends instead of dedicating time to showing him the China cabinets and Lincoln bedroom. Andy Post welcomes comments at [email protected]