Barry Obama won't let go of the millions and other stories

President-elect Barack Obama and the Obama for America team raised oodles of money during the protracted 2008 presidential election campaign.
Reportedly Obama had a cool $750 million in donations with which to fund his run for president.
Now the $30 million which was left over is causing some concern - will he sit on it until his bid for a second term or will he allow the Democratic Party to use some of this cash during mid-term elections?
I'm betting Barack finds a novel way to sit on it. The second time around he won't have quite the same electoral charm and the current surplus would allow him to hit the ground running come 2012.

Outgoing president George Dubbya is leaving the White House at the beginning of 2009 for Sleepy Hollow er Preston Hollow in Dallas and that ranch in Crawford, Texas.
The new home "has a market value of just over $2 million, according to property records, was built in 1959 and sits on 1.13 acres. Amenities of the brick house include a wet bar and a fireplace. There is also a cabana, a detached garage and servants’ quarters. The records show that unlike the White House, the couple’s new home does not have a pool."
He's also likely to be buying the house next door for his security detail.
At least the International Criminal Court will know where to find him in future.

Official presidential race loser John McCain is continent hopping this month as he offers his on-the-spot opinion to leaders and officials in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. 'Bout as useful as.........well you know the saying.

Failed vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin may be deciding to lower her public profile and manage her PR better now it seems that she may be a contender for the next republican round of presidential nominations in 2012.
Whatever the reason, she appears to be giving talk-show host Oprah Winfrey a wide berth.
Perhaps because that ever growing list of wardrobe and grooming expenses is getting kinda embarrassing.
It's now reached a whopping $180,000 give or take a designer pair of shoes or two.

Joe the Plumber aka Samuel Wurzelbacher ended his part in the US presidential campaign by promising the world a book on his 15 minutes in the spotlight as the typical American and victim of digital spying.
It looks at though this book is delayed and subscribers are a tad unhappy.