Just so the progressives and Liberals here do not get all pressurized and have their heads explode, accusing Obama of being a DLCer or a DINO understand that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Obama is not going to carry the Liberal Left's water and he is not a trained cat that will at the crack of a whip jump through all the right hoops that we like on the Left. At any given time Democrats are going to be mad and disappointed with Obama, screaming that he is not doing what they think he should do because after to listening to and considering different points of he will then do what he thinks is the best thing to do for this country. The buck stops with him and we don't have a referendum on everything that needs to be decided.
I point to the latest Frontline: Deams of Obama which everyone should watch if they have already not seen it because it gives some great insights into how Obama's mind works.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dreamsofobama/ Online, part Three: Honing His Political Skills is very informative, particularly the first six minutes of part 3, but the entire show is good. The first 6 minutes of part 3 describe how he became head of the Harvard Law Review. He finally won the job with the support of the conservatives. Among the majority Liberals at Harvard it was thought that Obama, as the first African-American head of the Harvard Law Review would use his position to further "the cause" but were disappointed when he only appointed 1 AA to be a top editor, but appointed 3 members of the conservative Federalist Society to be top editors. Brad Berenson, a member of the Federalist Society, said that at the Review Obama took 10 times more grief from the left than he did from the right.
This Frontline tells about how Obama is very adept at walking the line between two different sides, two different worlds. He is a pragmatist who has the ability to see and consider more than one point of view and to choose the one he believes is best even if it does not fit neatly into what other Democrats believe he should do. This is his strength and this is why he will get things done rather than be all knotted up in continual partisan struggles that bring things to a standstill. This is why he has a good chance of getting his economic stimulus plan moved forward that will help people to keep their jobs or get new ones, that will help people to keep their homes. This is why he will have at least a chance of getting meaningful healthcare reform. He will compromise and come our with 3/4 of a loaf rather than none at all and then work from there.
So Progressive Liberals and those on the Left--be prepared to be both delighted with Obama and what he does as well as being pissed and jumping up and down about what he does, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Don't demand of him to have all things your way, nor to be your personal revenge tool to spend all of his political capital in bringing Bushco to justice that draws the partisan lines to battle and all else comes to a halt. There are millions of Americans who desperately need help and although man does not live by bread alone, without bread he does not live. Obama is faced with tough choices and may have to leave ones he would prefer to pursue, but in the end he will do what he thinks is right for this country and for all Americans.
Don't look now, but I think in Barack Obama we may very well have one of the greatest presidents, if not THE greatest president that most of us will see in our lifetimes. These are going to be exciting and trying times and I am proud to have a man who has such class and grace and intelligence as Barack Obama as my president.
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