The Opinionator

Feeling Good About Obama

I was not one of the early supporters of Barack Obama; I came to him late after dealing with my disappointment over what the media had managed to do to Senator Hillary Clinton. I thought the Kennedy's were crazy when they lined up for Obama, agreed with Carville that Richardson was a betrayer, and said that I'd be damned if I turned Oprah's pick into my candidate. Then the primaries ended, Obama beat Hillary and the McCain-Palin ticket was formed. I grew tired of McCain calling Obama a socialist, the most liberal senator and a tax raiser.

McCain's tactics became shallow and desperate. I also got a little fed up with talk radio types like Monica Crowley dwelling on Obama's middle name and apparently trying to convince people that he might be a Muslim. The Sarah Palin decision cemented it for me, since I prefer my potential presidents to be able to utter coherent thoughts in English.

I voted for Obama, sent him a little money, and wore his pin on my coat. I didn't get as active as one of my daughters who wore an Obama T-shirt and tried to pick fights with people whom she thought might be leaning toward McCain.

I have watched the President-elect in television press conferences and in interviews. As he begins to wrestle with some of the biggest problems of our times, his cautious and centrist moves are impressive. His appointments so far have seemed to favor moderate and highly effective managers and visionaries. He's staying away from old cronies, unlike Bill Clinton and George Bush. He seems to be lining up an economic team with impressive credentials. He favors bailing out our cherished automobile heritage but with many strings attached. He's not afraid to back down a bit on Iraq by keeping on Secretary Gates. I like to hear him speak in that halting and reflective way which consistently defers to the reality that simplistic answers and slogans are not enough. He won't be saying, "Bring em on."

I like his family, although you've got to wonder about moving in your mother-in-law. His beautiful wife and daughters fit my stereotypes of the ideal first family. I suppose the media will do their best to discredit him in the best traditions of dissent and loyal opposition. The comparisons to Lincoln and FDR are a bit much. It's annoying to listen to commentators describe his early moves as Bill Clinton 2.0.

I hope he wins his battle with quitting cigarettes. It would be a shame to lose him to lung cancer.

He is in the back seat now as he prepares for the oval office, but he will hit the ground running. Obama campaigned on his personality and judgment and won. Now, like it or not, he isn't beholden to anyone. In the meantime I am with him 100%. He will navigate the ship of state through this mess and we will all be stronger for it.