The “mess” that was left for him was the long term result of economic policies that began with Carter, accelerated under Clinton, and President Bush tried, at least in part, to change. It was Obama’s party that refused to listen.

I don’t know what “great things” you expect a political neophyte with the slimmest resume in American presidential history to accomplish. I doubt it will rise to the level of liberating 50 million people from the most vicious regimes imaginable in Iraq and Afghanistan, or saving millions in Africa with anti-AIDS and Malaria initiatives. I certainly pray he’ll match President Bush’s record of keeping America safe from terrorist attack, but his nomination of a man with about much experience to be CIA Director as he has to be President is somehow not reassuring. And I doubt that Obama is capable of the sheer class President Bush exhibited throughout his Presidency, but particularly in his farewell address at his homecoming reception in Texas yesterday.

People forget how unpopular Truman was, for many of the same reasons some now hate Bush so strongly: a leader who made the tough call to take the country into an unpopular yet necessary war, that 40 million South Koreans today should be grateful for.

They thought of Kennedy as very “charismatic,” too… yet history shows that in many ways he was a mediocrity. A man of almost as little experience as Obama, he nearly stumbled the world into thermonuclear war with Russia with his disastrous performance at the Bay of Pigs and meeting with Kruschev. We may all pray that Obama does better than that, at least.

I have little doubt that President Bush will be remembered as a great President, who rose to the great challenge of our times. He valued principle and doing what was right more than personal popularity. The content of President Bush’s character will be far more important to posterity than the color of Obama’s skin.

My husband wasn’t impressed by it and neither was I. It didn’t sound any different than speeches given by previous Presidents in previous occasions, including some Inaugurals. But the point my husband kept mentioning for a good while was how stunningly different it was from all the speeches he had given during his campaign. So “patriotic”, for example. His impression was that it was a speech to impress the general public, who don’t follow the process on a daily basis, while he gives the “REAL” meat and potatoes to the adherents to his Cult of Personality.

Yep. One speech for the general public, and a different one to the followers. Singing two different tunes, with the same results. Too many simple people have been deceived today.

Heaven help us.

Let’s frame the issue this way:

“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.”

http://www.rightklik.net/

So go ahead and give him a chance. It’ll probably be more than the left did when Bush took office. I’m just more of an eye for an eye type.

Unfortunately, if today (and days previous) was any indication of the “maturity” that the people will have over Obama, then we’re headed for a long four years, because I really do believe the Left, backed by Obama, will relentlessly attack anyone who dares question the Messiah’s policies. The only way to counter that is to fight fire with fire (and no, I’m not referring to firearms). Since you are from Germany, you of all people should understand that. I personally liked John Hawkins comment about verbally “kneecapping him at every opportunity.

I’ve read some interesting reactions to Obama’s speech, and I like what the Anchoress put up…she tends to be pretty objective, in my opinion, even if it means putting her own bias aside. I am trying to do the same thing. He deserves a chance, and I think he stands a good chance of making some real needed changes for the American people.

Matt, I was born and raised in Germany, and I understand the fear of a “messiah” mentality. Believe me, I don’t want to see posters going up all over the place and a new symbol made representing him, etc. The truth is, however, that it is the people that allow a man to rise to such out of proportionate, unrealistic stance, and it is the people who, with maturity, can avoid placing someone on such a pedestal. Checks and balances with maturity. That is my opinion.

There’s always “work to be done.” The fact that Obama is now president does not mean that we suddenly have to turn Obama into a cult of personality, a la Stalin (though admittedly, he’s already got a cult following).

Yeah, I laughed when he goofed the oath. I guess the teleprompter broke down at that point, though I think the leftnuts are blaming Justice Roberts for deliberately misquoting it (after all, the messiah can do no wrong).

As for the speech, it sounded pretty socialistic to me. We’ll just do everything for the world! Woo hoo! Fantastic, who’s going to pay for all of this? (raising hand)
Not whether government should be big or small, but whether it will work? Sounds like a dodge towards big government to me (after all, government really can’t work unless it’s big, right?).

Overall, it was standard messiah crap. He’s great as an orator with his teleprompter, but he’s going to find out that the world can’t be fixed with good teleprompter speeches.

Oh well, the country is going to get the government that it truly deserves. Take that statement as you will.

It goes without saying that one must question, one must challenge, one must be vigilant. That is a completely different matter from those who can’t swallow their bitter pill of loosing and derail every small detail about the man, from the way he carries himself, to his smile, to the style of speech giving, and the lists goes on, and on, and on, and on.

There is so much work to be done and that is where our energies must be focused upon, not if we like Obama or not. That, Chalmers, is what I am saying. The ugliness is too ugly.