The time after our Presidential election and the inauguration is a strange time in America. The sitting President is a lame duck. No one cares about him anymore. Everyone is eager to move on to the new administration. To savor new blood and fresh ideas. If Bush were to try to actually do anything important in these last few months, there would be plenty of eye-rolling. Lot’s of heavy sighing. I mean, Let. It. Go. already. Jeez…
And yet, if we were attacked tomorrow, it wouldn’t be Obama tasked with leading us through the crisis. The truth is, even if Obama were ready and willing, even if he were chomping at the bit to do it, even if we begged him to do it, it wouldn’t be his job, yet, to do. And if Obama were to, God forbid, die before January 20th, would he even be considered the 44th President at all? After all, he never took the oath of office. Would he be any more than an asterick in the history books? A curiosity? A tragic thing that has never happened before and we hope will never happen again? I must admit, that thought has never crossed my mind before with our other President elects, and I find it sad that so many people seem to be thinking it now.
I remember when Bill Clinton was the lame duck. He was so wistful. You could read it on his face how much he was going to miss being President. It was understood that if he could have run for a third term, he would have done it. And he would have won. He always seemed to be thinking, “Awwww… this is the last time I’ll ever do this. This is the last time I’ll ever hold this meeting. This is the last time I’ll have so much power…” He seemed to savor each and every last. You wondered if he were storing up memories to remember fondly by the fire in his golden years. …Or to share in an autobiography. Ya know, whichever.
And he revels in being a former President. Absolutely revels in it in a way that I don’t think Bush will. In Bush’s face I sense a longing for this all to be over and done with. I can see him moving back to his Texas ranch and never giving politics a second thought for the rest of his life. Maybe the difference in the two men is that one Presidency was filled with war and attacks and recession and financial crisis’, and the other Presided over 8 years of wealth and balanced budgets and peace. (And an impeachment and humiliation in front of the American people, but we’ll just overlook that little sordid detail). Clinton claims credit for his good fortune and Bush accepts no blame for his bad. I think the truth is more in the middle. Clinton was smart and had some good policies and enormous luck, and Bush was … not as bright, made some bad choices and had a string of bad fortune.
When Obama addressed the nation the other day, he seemed eager to lead. While still being respectful of President Bush’s postition, you still got the sense that Obama cannot WAIT to take office. I find this thrilling. America has so many terrible problems right now, that I can’t imagine being happy about inheriting them. About sorting them all out. And yet, he IS eager. Obviously. And that makes me glad. Makes me certain that we chose the right man for the job.
And it makes me wish that there weren’t about 2.5 months between the election and the swearing in. Time’s a wastin’. Let’s get started!
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November 9, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Kate
Yeah, Obama can’t wait to overturn more than 200 executive decisions Bush made, including the harvesting of stem cells from days-old embryos (too bad it’ll kill the babies that those embryos were developing into , but that’s the price we pay for science, right?) and overturning the ban on partial-birth abortion.
Yeah, the guy is chomping at the bit to get started, but I don’t think his “change” is going to be all that so many who voted for him expect it (or want it) to be.
November 9, 2008 at 1:31 pm
clearbluewatercomic
You know I love you, but our ban on talking politics with each other should probably still stand even though the election’s over. We aren’t going to agree (just like I don’t agree with your entire first paragraph, and you don’t agree with my post in the first place) and that’s okay. Viva la difference! Besides, there are plenty of other things (and people) for you and I to talk about! 😉
November 9, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Kate
Oh…. all right. Just remember, it’s your fault I ever started getting interested in politics in the first place! 🙂
But you’re right… we’ve got lots and lots (and LOTS) of interesting people and things to chat about. It won’t be a loss to ignore Obama. LOL
November 9, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Kate
One last thing, though… the 1st paragraph that I wrote came straight from an article on MSNBC.com this morning. I’m not hallucinating it.
And for the record, I agreed with everything you wrote in your post except for the last part about Obama being a great choice for president. You know I agree with you a lot more than I disagree!
November 9, 2008 at 11:19 pm
BJMallory
Karen…AMEN SISTA!!! I can’t wait until I never have to look at W again and think he’s our leader. Or in the leader’s house and everything but not so much a leader. Oy.
November 10, 2008 at 12:23 am
Leslie Helwig
Karen you are not for that horrible stufff are you, I mean it is one thing when there is no chance a baby could survive out of the womb, but partial birth abortion, that is barbaric, please say it isn’t so Karen please?
November 10, 2008 at 1:12 am
clearbluewatercomic
Leslie, it isn’t so. I think partial birth abortion is absolutely vile and I am absolutely against it. However, Obama stated in one of the debates (if I am remembering correctly) that he is against it too. I’ll just have to take him at his word here.
BJ, yes Cheney will need a nice long vacation after leading the country the way he has for 8 years. Sigh. January 20th can’t come soon enough for me.
November 10, 2008 at 10:56 am
Libertarian
[quote]However, Obama stated in one of the debates (if I am remembering correctly) that he is against it too. I’ll just have to take him at his word here.[/quote]
His past record shows otherwise. But, I suppose, we can have hope that he has changed his position.
Call me jaded, but I have yet to see a politician representing me who didn’t turn out to be a massive disappointment in office.
November 10, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Ted Seeber
I’d also point out that at least until Obama gets a chance to appoint new judges, the right wing still has a Conservative supreme Court.
Too bad for the pro-life movement that doesn’t mean very much. Conservative courts don’t want to cut RoeV.Wade down- it’s a primary decision affecting the whole idea of federal power over states.
We’re better off working towards a living wage for every mother and a Constitutional Amendment affirming the Declaration of Independence, which included a right to life.
Oh, and on those stem cells- Bush was pretty bad at science, but equally bad at theology; those fetuses that are leftovers of fertility treatments are *already* products of an immoral process by Seamless Garment of Life ideals (under which, only *God* is supposed to create life- sex just helps. If sex alone isn’t creating life for you, perhaps there’s a reason you haven’t thought of).