ANALYSIS/OPINION:

The mainstream media’s coverage of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has been largely unfair.

“Trump Transition Shake-Up Part of ‘Stalinesque Purge’ of Christie Loyalists,” NBC News wrote.

“Firings and Discord Put Trump Transition Team in a State of Disarray,” the New York Times’ headline read.

“Key figures purged from Trump Team,” The Washington Post wrote, above the fold, on Wednesday.

OK, time to calm down folks.

Is it any surprise that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s transition team has been replaced? After two of Mr. Christie’s aides were convicted in a scandal involving the closing of of lanes at the George Washington Bridge, phasing out Mr. Christie seems like a good move. Putting Vice President Mike Pence — a calm, steady hand — in charge of the transition team is a solid move.

Reports are Mr. Pence has already purged the transition team of lobbyists — a key move in helping Mr. Trump maintain his promise in draining the Washington DC swamp.

All transitions are messy. Mr. Trump needs to appoint 4,000 staffers by January 20. Moreover, we’re moving from a Democratic administration to a Republican one. There can be no holdovers.

Mr. Trump has 70 days to name his cabinet, yet the press is treating it as if decisions needed to be made yesterday. Every speculative naming — Rudy Guiliani or John Bolton as secretary of state, Laura Ingraham as press secretary — has been met with vast criticism by the mainstream media.

Joe Scarborough said Wednesday that Mr. Trump shouldn’t put “crooked” Guiliani in the state role. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said neither Mr. Guiliani or Mr. Bolton were qualified for the job. CNN’s Brian Stelter wrote on Twitter: “Ingraham, a vocal critic of the press, could become the Trump administration’s liaison to the WH press corps.”

Can we let these people be named before we try to vet them as a press corp? Everything is so speculative right now, and changing by the day.

It’s as if the press believes Mr. Trump should name his Cabinet by the end of the week — and let President Obama approve them.

It’s insane.

Mr. Trump — unlike Hillary Clinton, or George W. Bush for that matter — doesn’t have a group of loyalists ready to take their place in governmental positions. He’s an outsider, seeking to build his team for the first time.

It will be messy. That’s to be expected.

Let’s all just take a deep breath and let Mr. Trump’s team work out the details. Once everyone is named, Congress will have to approve a large majority of them, and the vetting can begin.

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