Obama Advisers To Public: Temper Expectations, page 1
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Topic started on 21-11-2008 @ 09:37 AM by jibeho

Obama Advisers To Public: Temper Expectations


cbs2chicago.com
CHICAGO (CBS) ― President-elect Barack Obama and his inner circle fear that some voters expect him to turn around the economy, wind down the war in Iraq and, perhaps, cure cancer -- all by the Fourth of July.

They know they must manage and lower those expectations, CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports.

A top economic advisor to Obama had a glum warning for the rest of us Thursday morning: Neither the job market nor the stock market will be turning around any time soon.

"This might be a long haul," said Robert Reich, who was President Bill Clinton's secretary of labor. "2009 is going to be a very hard year. Some economists say we won't be out of this for two years, others are saying it may be three, or four, maybe five years."
(visit the link for the full news article)


reply posted on 21-11-2008 @ 10:14 AM by Benevolent Heretic
Originally posted by jibeho
Obama's supporters have very high expectations.


I don't think you can accurately speak of Obama supporters as a group that thinks with one mind. Surely there are many who have unrealistic expectations, but from my experience, those people are, for the most part, his detractors.

The first sentence in the OP's excerpt says it all. Some people expect him to cure cancer and create world peace before he's even gotten into office!

But these expectations were created by the people, not by him. If you listen to what he said (which I know a lot of people don't) he was very clear that this isn't going to turn around on a dime. In fact, he said it would take a long time to see the change and it wasn't going to be easy and we'd have to sacrifice.

If people thrust his actual words aside in favor of their own starry-eyed hopes that he's going to "fix" their lives, that can hardly be blamed on him. After all, many of his most ardent supporters (moi) have no such lofty ideas.

One of the most important messages I got from listening to Barack Obama over the past year is that this isn't about HIM. HE cannot save us. He will do his part, but we must take the responsibility ourselves! He will help us where he can, but this isn't up to him. It's up to US.

So for those people who are sitting back, whining about how they don't yet see change yet and about Obama not filling their expectations for this country, I invite you to check his message again. And listen this time instead of having hope that some savior is going to come along and make your life easy.


The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
...
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
...
I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
...
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.


Transcript


reply posted on 21-11-2008 @ 10:49 AM by jibeho
reply to post by HunkaHunka



I am glad that you are so optimistic. We certainly need optimism right now. Just remember to spread it around with your fellow Obama supporters when their feelings get hurt and their hopes get crushed.

Intellectuals don't always make the best leaders. Highly intellectual people often lack common sense, wisdom, social skills and street smarts. Book and classroom knowledge can only get you so far. My younger brother is a chemical engineer and computer software developer with a rapid photographic recall. He can barely tie his shoes or ride a bike and he could burn water if you gave him the chance. He is a great lecturer but a poor teacher. Teachers lead, lecturers speak. Obama is a great lecturer and speaker.



reply posted on 21-11-2008 @ 11:50 AM by HunkaHunka
Originally posted by jibeho
reply to
post by HunkaHunka



I am glad that you are so optimistic. We certainly need optimism right now. Just remember to spread it around with your fellow Obama supporters when their feelings get hurt and their hopes get crushed.

Intellectuals don't always make the best leaders. Highly intellectual people often lack common sense, wisdom, social skills and street smarts. Book and classroom knowledge can only get you so far. My younger brother is a chemical engineer and computer software developer with a rapid photographic recall. He can barely tie his shoes or ride a bike and he could burn water if you gave him the chance. He is a great lecturer but a poor teacher. Teachers lead, lecturers speak. Obama is a great lecturer and speaker.


See, the issue is, you are generalizing. My issue isn't intellectuals, it's anti-intellectualism. Those are two completely different things, It's like the difference between conservatives and anti-liberals, they ain't the same.
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