After a brilliant victory and an exceptional campaign, President-elect Barack Obama must now begin to work incessantly to bring to fruition all the promises of change and unity he ran for. While some Republicans are still bitterly lambasting Obama for running what they call a “superficial campaign,” there is no denying that the majority of Americans disagree. Last night, 52% of the popular vote afforded Obama’s 349 electoral votes compared to John McCain’s 162, winning him the election. Not quite a land but not a close call either.
But what’s next for Mr. President? Well, there is no more time to celebrate. With inquiring eyes are all on Mr. Obama, questions emerge. Will he be capable of transforming his campaign-rhetoric into a governing-realism? In the coming months before inauguration, Obama is expected to work unrelentingly towards making a swift and smooth transition into the White House. Obama is expected to announce his transition team as early as the end of the week, according to the NYTimes.
During the October 15th debate, Barack Obama referenced a conversation he had with a skeptical voter, “Joe the Plumber.” Joe was concerned that Obama’s new tax plan would punish him for making $250,000 a year.
Obama’s response: I just want to spread the wealth around. Sound good to you?
But wait until you see what Fox News had to say.
Is anybody listening? Did you watch last night’s coverage of the debates? I really want to know how my generation of thinkers are feeling after the final debate.
The New York Times reported on one of the “sharpest exchanges” between John McCain and Barack Obama since the conventions. It happened when Obama, almost on cue, once again compared “McCain” to “Bush” — accusing McCain of having the same ‘ol politics.
In response to Mr. Obama’s statement that Mr. McCain had repeatedly supported Mr. Bush’s economic policies, Mr. McCain fairly leaped out of his chair to say: “Senator Obama, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush, you should have run four years ago.”
Acknowledging Mr. McCain had his differences with Mr. Bush, Mr. Obama replied, “The fact of the matter is that if I occasionally mistake your policies for George Bush’s policies, it’s because on the core economic issues that matter to the American people — on tax policy, on energy policy, on spending priorities — you have been a vigorous supporter of President Bush.”
Ouch! Obama clapped back without missing a beat. While McCain failed every attempt to come across stoic and unfazed. But don’t leave this one up to me … What do you think?
