Secretary Palin? No, not that kind of secretary!

After his hopey-changey hangover, perhaps Senator Obama will push away the fog and see one of his best potential cabinet members standing across the aisle.

Yes, in the spirit of bringing the country together, Obama should ask another Republican to join his merry band of men and women. How does Secretary of Energy Sarah Palin sound? According to wiki (and what isn't these days?), the only President to actually reach out to the other party to fill this position was Jimmy Carter. (OK, he was also the only one fired. It's not a perfect analogy, after all, since Palin is a woman and is not a former Secretary of Defense.)

Palin's would-be predecessors would include Hazel O'Leary, the first woman and first African American, Federico Pena, the first Hispanic, and perennial presidential candidate -- and a man better known as Judas to James Carville -- Bill Richardson, the second Hispanic and New Mexico's outgoing governor.

Granted, my quick and dirty review of previous Energy Secretaries' was neither exhaustive nor scholarly. Nevertheless, recent candidates seemed to have combined less energy expertise than Gov. Palin.

So, there you go. If Obama really wants a cabinet that reflects America, selecting Governor Palin as Energy Secretary is a three-pointer with nothing but net. She's a Republican, has extensive experience, and hails from underrepresented but vitally important Alaska.

Yeah, giving the governor a real portfolio could do a lot to undo her airhead image. That's not good for the Dems. But, this is a critical post. He needs her to succeed. Besides, unlike his appointments to fellow Dem primary foes, this one would show that he's serious about burying the hatchet not the political bodies.

Palin is very popular with women who feel she was trashed by the misogynistic media. Married woman and mothers adore her. Her appointment would speak volumes about her gravitas on energy and that he's serious about having a bipartisan cabinet.

And, as an added bonus, who else can whip up some moose burgers at Camp David?