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The morning after Inauguration Day, Maureen Dowd marveled at “the patience that America is extending to Mr. Obama.” The day after President Obama lost two appointees to tax problems, she chastised him in a column titled, “Well, That Certainly Didn’t Take Long.” No matter how many times the president warns us that the nation’s problems won’t be solved overnight, the chattering classes are already buzzing, “But you’ve had two weeks!” Don’t let the “Change-o-Meter” get you down: While Tom Daschle’s exit on Tuesday was a deeply painful loss for the Obama White House, the new president is still off to a good start, and the long-term prospects for his agenda are as strong as ever/Bruce Reed, Slate. More here.
Question: Do you agree with Coeur d’Alene native Bruce Reed that President Obama is off to a good start? Why? Why not?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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Arch_Druid on February 07 at 8:41 a.m.
All I can say of Maureen Dowd is that she is at least consistent. She is a columnist that regularly bashed GW too. Apparently the “chattering classes” that Reed speaks of are prepared to pounce on a man ELECTED FOR FOUR YEARS, if he doesn’t turn the ship of state around in an HOUR. Sorry, but we didn’t elect Superman, nor Christ. And I do believe that the “chattering classes” could extend a bit more patience. I agree with Bruce Reed, and feel very entertained by the “chattering classes” trying to act like they are worth the pay they are getting, or their self-important egos.
misc on February 07 at 10:08 a.m.
He’s off to a HORRIBLE start. It’s been, what, almost three weeks now?
The economy is STILL tanking.
So much for Obama Fancypants.
misc on February 07 at 10:10 a.m.
And another thing. If he’d only listen to those wise republicans, and cut my boss’s taxs again, I’m sure it’ll all turn around.
JamesBond on February 07 at 2:29 p.m.
Reed is a smart man, and he’s smart enough to know that Obama has not gotten off to a good start. His nominations have been terrible, and this trillion dollar “stimulus” bill is a nightmare. He’s even resorted to Bush-Cheney-eque scare tactics on it. This is NOT the start I was expecting from the man that I voted for to be our new President. Reed knows this, but he’s spinning right now.
Charlie on February 07 at 2:33 p.m.
No, I don’t think Pres. Obama is doing as good as he expected. He wanted this stimulus bill ready to go and now is finding out how sausage is really made. To me, he is showing a bit of mean and spitefulness in his speeches. Take Nancy to the gym for some HORSE.
BethB on February 07 at 3:36 p.m.
I think he’s doing great. He’s let the Greek tragedy play itself out. Everyone needed their say on this stimulus bill, he recognized the need for process and not just outcome, and his courtesy (my opinion) gave space to the handful of Republicans who accepted his invitation to work with him. In the meantime, the Grumpy Guys are on the sidelines kvetching about how they haven’t been consulted. (Huh?). Coincidentally I wrote a longer piece about this very topic on my blog today (accid. rab. trails), called Symphony of Process (just an FYI)……
wheels on February 07 at 3:42 p.m.
Reed may need another job someday.
Bob on February 07 at 4:00 p.m.
Obama’s not had the start his flawless campaigning woulda led you to believe he might. A bit rough. A bit amateurish. But hell, unlike the Boy Chimp and his evil Uncle Dead, he didn’t inherit a still thrumming Clinton Economy, and the press hasn’t cut him slack like they did Boy Chimp and Uncle Dead at the beginning.
Just wait until he ignores intelligence and gets a couple of huge skyscrapers destroyed by terrorists, starts an illegal war, outs a CIA operative, ignores the Geneva Convention and wires car batteries to captives testicles, destroys the economy and then, tells the nation he’s a decider and he doesn’t make any mistakes.
Oh wait. He’s already been a grown up and apologized for his mistakes with bad appointments.
Oh never mind. Better change the benchmarks.
hmoffsuite on February 07 at 4:34 p.m.
Pelosi …. then and now. She and Reid are the problem, not Obama, imo.
In October 2008, Nancy Pelosi had this to say:
“Elect us, hold us accountable, and make a judgment and then go from there. But I do tell you that if the Democrats win and have substantial majorities, Congress of the United States will be more bipartisan.”
Today, Pelosi said this:
“Washington seems consumed in the process argument of bipartisanship, when the rest of the country says they need this bill.”
Change.
(as taken from the Denver Post)
Escapee on February 08 at 5:23 p.m.
Bob, you forgot to mention waterboarding! A relative few had to undergo that at the Ultimate hands of Bushy-boy, and the rest of us just underwent a more normal degree of torture putting up with him for the last 8 years.
Bob on February 08 at 6:40 p.m.
Good point, Escapee. I just have to think that in a perfect hell, where Boy Chimp and Uncle Dead will end up one day, they will be, what we might call - magma boarded.
Rotten bastards can rot in rotten hell. The ONLY good things those two evil sacks of human garbage accomplished were:
President Obama
Demo Senate
Demo House
Kage_Mann on February 08 at 6:58 p.m.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Obama is an abomination.
Bob on February 08 at 7:01 p.m.
*yawns*
hmoffsuite on February 08 at 7:15 p.m.
Bob >>
“President Obama
Demo Senate
Demo House”
In reality, that is the problem. No checks, no balances, no second opinions, no outside the administration thinking, no independent thinking. It is a scary proposition regardless of the party in control. The dems are intoxicated with their power right now and the hangover will be horrible. Unfortunately, due to his lack of administrative experience, Obama is a puppet for Pelosi and Reid and the inner workings of a government that Obama knows little about. If he could be his own man, I would feel more comfortable with the situation, but he can’t be, under the circumstances.
Bob on February 08 at 7:26 p.m.
Sure hmoff … how many Dems did you vote for in 2006? I think what is scary to you is it’s not *your* party in control.
Remember that douchewhistle Tom DeLay? Talk about power corrupting.
Tom DeLay or Nancy Pelosi. Which one Hmoff? Which one do you prefer?
Kage_Mann on February 08 at 7:38 p.m.
I’d prefer New’t Gingrich, over Pelosi any day.I’d like to see him run in 2012.
Arch_Druid on February 08 at 9:56 p.m.
Newt Gingrich had his chance in 2008 to run for the presidency. Many people among the chattering classes expected him to do so. He decided against it. If Newt Gingrich wasn’t prepared to run in 2008, I highly doubt he will run in 2012. He’s likely having too much fun with where he’s at now.