“Advisers to President-elect Barack Obama say one of his first duties in office will be to order the closing of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. That executive order is expected during Obama’s first week on the job – and possibly on his first day, according to two transition team advisers.”

Here was Olbermann’s take on this – and Obama’s ‘looking forward’ policy – last night, with great commentary from constitutional law scholar Jonathan Turley:

Obama plans Guantanamo close

“WASHINGTON — President-elect Obama’s advisers are crafting plans to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and prosecute terrorism suspects in the U.S., a plan that the Bush administration said Monday was easier said than done.

Under the plan being crafted inside Obama’s camp, some detainees would be released and others would be charged in U.S. courts, where they would receive constitutional rights and open trials. But, underscoring the difficult decisions Obama must make to fulfill his pledge of shutting down Guantanamo, the plan could require the creation of a new legal system to handle the classified information inherent in some of the most sensitive cases.”

Despite the slightly ominous-sounding requirement of a “new legal system” (wasn’t the usual American legal system good enough for trying those involved in 9/11?), this is great news. Guantanamo Bay has been a national (and international) disgrace – and his swift move to close it is yet another sign of the different values and priorities of an Obama presidency. You know, like ‘rule of law’, ‘habeas corpus’ and ‘upholding the Constitution’. Stuff like that.

Three little words, folks: Hit. Ground. Running.