Gobsmacked? Flabberdygasted? Hibbettyschnabbered?

James doesn't understand Max's surprise over the Obama cabinet thus far. I think what we need to understand is the conservative press, blogosphere, etc--with the exception of Culture11, The American Conservative, and a few other beacons of reason and sensibility--were all raving poetic about the danger of "radical leftist" Obama, the "most liberal Senator" in the history of all mankind.

Certainly, had one remained in the insulated right-wing bubble during the course of the election (which many conservatives, alas, did) than one would suspect that Obama's choices would have consisted of terrorists, radical preachers, and Dennis Kucinich.

So Max is just a victim of a trend--intellectual isolationism--that is plaguing so many on the Right these days...