“The Glass Half Full”

There are two stories that have dominated our news coverage the past two weeks: President Barack Obama, and the Super Bowl bound Arizona Cardinals. To be blunt, while generating ideas on what to write about for this post I was extremely reluctant to discuss President Obama. However, due to the enormity of the inauguration, as well as an argument I tend to hear somewhat consistently from people, I’ve capitulated…

If there is one coherent theme that ought to be associated with the newly inaugurated President, and the NFC Champion Cardinals it’s optimism. The analogy of a glass being either half “full” or half “empty” is often used to describe either optimists, or pessimists. Many people would say that fans of the Arizona Cardinals are unequivocally “glass half full” people; how else could a fan base inanely support a losing effort for so long? Cardinals fans are notorious optimists however, that’s the beauty of it all – that optimism has finally paid off! The question becomes, why can’t that same blind faith, that same awe-inspiring glass half “full” optimism be expressed towards a new President? To be honest, you’d think it’d be prudent… after all, he’s only running the entire country, and his decisions impact each and every one of us. It’s my belief that we ought to, with every President, follow that perpetual cliché of, “hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” It’s unfortunate former President Bush was not given what I’ll call “Cardinal-like optimism,” and was arguably demonized by partisanship… but that shouldn’t be an excuse for those, like myself, that disagree with President Obama on a litany of social issues, to continue the trait of pessimism and disparagement.

For example, many people ridicule Mac and Gaydos for calling Obama “the first African-American President.” The argument I receive all too often is, “he’s not the first African-American President because he’s only half.” By that logic, he’s not the 44th Caucasian President either (although the swearing-in appears to be an issue, but I digress)… so is he nothing? Of course he’s not. Whether the glass is half “full” or half “empty,” it’s still a glass of water. Meaning, simply, he’s both: he’s the country’s 44th Caucasian President, AND he’s the country’s 1st African American President; it’s as simple as that, and it’s absolutely a time to celebrate how far we’ve come. To think that this country can turn from segregation after 50 years, within a person’s lifetime, is certainly something to celebrate.

Now this doesn’t mean that President Barack Obama is immune to political criticism, but it’s important to perceive the glass as being half “full.” The glass has been half “full” for Cardinals fans for many years, and now they’re taking their first trip to the Super Bowl. If that amount of optimism can be expressed for a football team, imagine what it can do for a country if expressed for a President.

Producer Sean

Bush Leaves Town

How much did the media want George W. Bush to be gone from the White House and outside of the Beltway forever?  If you paid attention to Bush’s sendoff and the coverage of his arrival in Texas, you would know. 

Bush handled his exit from eight years in the White House with class and dignity, which was lacking in the previous administration.  He called the transfer of power “A great day for America,” not mentioning himself or holding a press conference or parade.  He knew that Inauguration day was Obama’s day.

But when Marine One took off from the White House lawn, taking Bush to Andrews Air Force Base where the President and First Lady would transfer planes to be taken to their new life in the Lone Star state, the press was strangely absent.  We saw video of Marine One take off but that was it.  For the press, the whirling chopper blades and a turn to the left into partly cloudy skies, was the final scene…the reign of the GWBA was already just a memory.

The press covered Barack’s day with 35 times more coverage than the Inauguration of President Bush in 2004.  Okay, I understand why there was more hype and coverage to this Inauguration, but what was more telling to me was when Bush landed in Texas, only one major news source was there to cover the event: Fox News.  There were local Texas papers there from Midland, Odessa and some local TV outlets, other than that, the focus was clearly on Barack and the new era, the new day dawning for America.  And, of course, what Michelle would be wearing to all those balls.

I hope we don’t forget George W. Bush as quickly as the media.  And I hope history doesn’t push him aside or turn him into a quick and stilted punch line like Richard M. Nixon.  You may not have agreed with many of his policies or decisions, but you cannot deny that at the end of the day the man had convictions and brought back class and dignity to the Office. 

Let’s hope that trait continues at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Mac

     How will Barack Obama’s inauguration be remembered?  Well, it was different than George Washington’s.  He had the shortest speech ever on March 4, 1793.  Only 135 words.  In March of 1841, William Harrison had the longest speech.  Almost two hours!  BORING!!!!  Then he dropped dead of pneumonia a month later serving the shortest presidency ever.  Andrew Johnson showed up drunk at his inauguration.  The seventeenth President of the United States was a boozer!  In 1969, Richard Nixon had protestors throw smoke bombs and rocks at his presidential limo on its way to the Capitol Building.  Obama’s inauguration obviously went much smoother.

On to the speech!  It was the most unremarkable speech to date for Obama.  What line do you remember from the speech?  That’s what I thought….  I think the enormity of it all hit Obama on Tuesday.  He had an “oh crap” moment.  It almost looked as if George Bush took Santa’s red bag, filled it with all the problems of the world and handed it to the new president.  It seemed the bag was weighing Obama down.

OK…The speech was lame!   So what!  Obama didn’t need a great speech at the inauguration.  I won’t remember Obama’s speech, but I will remember millions of people on the Mall huddling together in blankets and sleeping bags in the predawn hours when the temperature was in the low 30s.  I will remember that grown adults actual put diapers on because they didn’t want to miss a second of history in the making.  I will remember the thousands of people waving American flags.  I will remember the roar from the crowd before and after Obama took the oath.  I will remember that a black man stood before the entire world and became President of the United States of America.   The speech may have been unremarkable but the day was truly remarkable.

On a side note, Aretha Franklin was terrible singing My Country Tis of Thee.  She sounded like William Hung after he got hit in the back of the head with a shovel.  She would have been voted off American Idol immediately after that lame performance.

Finally, a tip of the cap to George W. Bush.  Say what you want about his policies, he was a class act down the stretch.  There is a warm relationship b/w the Bush’s and Obama’s.  They embraced each other many times on Tuesday.  The Bush’s are decent people.  Obama even thanked Bush in his speech!  I saw something wonderful during the transition of power between these two families.  It was very different when the Clinton’s handed power over to the Bush in 2000.  Clinton had rallies and parades and going away parties on Bush’s inauguration day eight years ago.  It was not cordial.  Today, Bush went to Andrews Airforce Base and gave a private speech inside the hanger to his supports.  No media!  Clinton had the longest goodbye ever!  Bush let Obama have his day.  I think this says a lot about the Bush’s.

Gaydos

Wait For the Legacy

The hype surrounding the Inauguration of Barack Obama has gotten to the point of farce.

There was the pre-inaugural party that happened on Sunday.  Scores of celebs turned out in the cold and grey at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial; then today’s Inauguration which is expected to eclipse LBJ’s inauguration in attendance, followed by 10 formal balls and scores of celebrations in and outside the Beltway.

Two to four million people are expected on the Mall of Washington DC, roads will be shut down because the area cannot deal with the inundation of cars, two states and the District have asked the Federal government for additional money to handle ramped-up security measures - - oh and don’t forget all those porta-potties.

Now I understand that there needs to be some celebrating, something to look forward to as the GWBA comes to a close and Dubya leaves with a lower approval rating than Satan at an Evangelical convention, but there is already talk about Obama’s “legacy.”  What should it be, what will it be and what it can be?

Barack takes office today as the 44th president in United States history.  He’s got much to accomplish as the American people are eager for him to fix the economy, allow our troops to have a graceful and respectful exit from Iraq and close down Gitmo without compromising our security or our Constitutional principles - and don’t forget he has to smooth over our tattered reputation as the bull that’s wrecked havoc in the international china shop.

It’s a heady and prodigious list.

Can we at least wait until he moves in the mother-in-law and learns the layout between the east and west wings?

I want Obama to succeed, I truly do.  But the party hasn’t even started and already people are talking about Barack’s “legacy.”

There is one dynamic about the term “legacy” that is unavoidable:  no matter how hard anyone tries, HYPE cannot trump REALITY.   Ask Bill Clinton.

I hope Obama’s true “legacy” is dictated by what he accomplishes and not what shoulda, woulda or coulda been.

Mac