A profound change has already come to America, even before Barack Obama officially became President. During the transition we have witnessed Obama naming several of his former adversaries for his cabinet as well as members ofthe opposition party. Perhaps of even more significance we have seen him reach out to those who have opposing views to hear their messages so that he might have a better perspective when making important decisions.
During the campaign there was talk of whether Obama”s soaring rhetoric would be matched by deeds. He has already given us the answer. I recall Mr. Bush calling himself “a uniter, not a divider!” He then set about creating the most insular, divisive administration in the history of the country since perhaps President Lincoln. Mr. Bush called himself a “compassionate conservative” while proving beyond debate to be neither. Contrast those actions with Mr. Obama”s and the contrast is already black and white. Obama invited conservative preachers speak at his inauguration, his stimulus package has huge tax cuts as a prominent feature to appeal to Republicans and in what can only be called astounding, he went to the home of George Will, a far right pundit, and had dinner with no less than 10 right wing journalists, his most vocal and influential critics. It is simply not conceivable that Mr. Bush would ever have done something like this!
Right now the vast majority of Americans have thrown their support behind President Obama. The country is facing its greatest hardships and challenges since the last depression and World War 2. It will take all of Obama”s wisdom, courage and strength to pull us out of the deep hole these past eight years of mismanagement has cast us down into, Anyone who calls him/herself a patriot is behind him, anyone who is not must be something other. We need to ask ourselves, are we “Americans” first or are we partisans? It”s fine to be a Democrat or a Republican, but first, we must be Americans and these times call for the kind of unity that Obama has demonstrated that he deserves.
Lowell Grant
Lakeport
