McCain for Service Czar

McCain and Obama are meeting today. I expect they'll mostly talk about how they can work together with McCain on the hill, but if both of them are open to the idea of McCain taking an actual job in the Obama administration, here's my proposal: make John McCain Service Czar.

No one is more associated with Service to Nation than John McCain. He has credibility with the military and, just as important, shares Obama's desire to dramatically expand civilian service.

There are several practical ways you could do this. You could create a new White House job that coordinates the service programs scattered throughout the government -- the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and the military. Or, you could make him CEO of the Corporation for National Service (the agency that runs AmeriCorps, the National Civilian Community Corps, Fostergrandparents, Vista, school-based service learning programs), or chairman of the board of directors.

Obviously Obama would have to have confidence that McCain wouldn't knife him, and McCain would have to have enough respect for Obama to want to help his administration. Perhaps neither of those pre-requisites exist.

But if they do, this move could help Obama, McCain and the nation simultaneously. McCain could restore his reputation by focusing on the positive values of service and patriotism. Obama would gain through the ultimate gesture of bipartisanship.

Most important, it would that civilian service is patriotic, noble and important for all Americans, whether they come from red or blue families. Not only would an energized national service movement help solve the country's pressing problems, but with McCain leading the way, it could also draw Americans from a wide variety of backgrounds -- not only black and white side by side, but also lefty tree-huggers side by side with Army brats.

It would enable them to achieve their mutual goal of making national service an important force in our nation.