Even if one feels that MacKinnon's view of an Obama presidency is overly dewy-eyed, this is a principled and ethical decision. Washington, D.C. is full of people who work diligently for causes, policies and officials they don't really support, or, in the alternative, never give their best efforts because they don't believe in what they are doing. The first group is called "lawyers." The second group is called "frauds." Lawyers are commanded by their ethics rules to represent the interests of their clients regardless of their own personal views and preferences, but even lawyers sometimes find that a task is so repugnant that they can't bring themselves to devote all their talent, knowledge and energy to accomplishing it. Then they are obligated to withdraw, in the interest of both their clients and their consciences.

MacKinnon could follow the current D.C. practice of accepting a paycheck to work for a team as a trusted professional, then later write a lucrative tell-all book about how he was deceived and disillusioned, and how those around him turned out to be blackguards, liars and fools. This is called "the Scott McClellan System," and it is venal, disloyal and despicable in every way. The MacKinnon System, in contrast, is to give up that paycheck when you find that either you can't bring yourself to do your job as well as you need to, or won't like yourself if you do.

Good system. And ethical, too.