The Obama Honeymoon is Now

Until next January 20 Obama gets to bask in the glow of his election victory. He’s not responsible for Executive Branch screwups. He doesn’t have to make difficult public decisions or publicly reconcile incompatible demands from competing constituencies. Even though he is already deeply involved in the automobile industry bailout and other important issues as the President-elect, he can operate largely out of the public eye. His predecessor will get most of the blame for policy errors made during this period. Everyone likes Obama — including Republicans, since they have not yet been punished by his policies and, like the guy who is passing the tenth floor after falling from a 50th-floor window, still have that “so far so good” feeling.

All of this changes after Obama is inaugurated and has to start making public decisions and disappointing his supporters. The media will continue to cover for him, but many members of the voting public have high expectations and will be quick to complain when he lets them down. I hope that he does a good job, but so does everyone else, and that includes a lot of people with conflicting expectations.

Interesting times ahead.

2 thoughts on “The Obama Honeymoon is Now”

  1. I guess everyone knows that joke about the guy who assumes office and gets three letters from her predecessor, to be opened only in times of crisis. The first letter says: “Blame it all on me”. The second letter says “Blame it all on the economy”. The last letter says “Write three letters”.

    With the absolute support of MSM and a very unpopular predecessor, how many times will the president elect be able to use the first letter? (Forever?)

  2. > I hope that he does a good job,

    I hope that he does a good job, too.

    Similarly, when I set my mature cat to babysitting my 6yo child, I hoped he would do a good job at that.

    Strangely, I was disappointed at my cat’s abysmal failure to properly supervise the 6yo.

    Expectations need to be aligned with rational understanding of limitations.

    My expectations of Obama are that those of us old enough to remember it will all develop a deep and abiding appreciation for Jimmy Carters’ competency as president.

    And the spoiled children of the last 30 years of almost complete successes will gain an understanding of what Failed Government truly is about.

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