The Best President that Money Can Buy

Before we get too caught up in sentiment over Barack Obama being elected President of the United States, we need to keep two considerations in mind:

Point 1: Our President-elect won this campaign by promising a whole lot of goodies to a whole lot of people, and they will be demanding immediate returns from him. Will he live up to the unbelievably high expectations? I suspect that we will have some inkling of his priorities even before he is inaugurated. What will the Warriors against Wealth do when Senator Obama declares that he will have to delay his tax increases because of the faltering economy? What if he doesn’t bring the troops home from Iraq within his first year in office? How will the virulent anti-war left react then?

Many of the political pundits were declaring this morning that President Obama might keep Robert Gates as the Secretary of Defense. While that would be a smart move on his part, how would he reconcile that Bush hold-over with his base? I thought that Obama’s presidential campaign was entirely based on his opposition to the Iraq war and the policies of the Bush administration. Secretary Gates has turned that war around much to the chagrin of liberals, and he presided over the surge in 2007. Barack Obama opposed the surge at every opportunity, and he still has not even acknowledged the success of the surge. His supporters want change, and if this President-Elect chooses to retain Bob Gates at the Pentagon, he will anger and alienate his base.

Obama has talked at length about bipartisanship and how he will have both Democrats and Republicans in his cabinet, but the liberals that he represents have been deprived of power for far too long in their estimation, and they are thirsting for blood. I would also surmise that Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barney Frank are not interested at this point in working to build coalitions with Republicans. They have the keys to the cars now, and they are going to pummel their opponents with every legislative advantage that they now possess. And yes, these guys will do whatever they can to ensure that they stay in power. These are not the hapless Democrats of 1993, these are cutthroat, relentless, power-hungry politicians, and they will not be caught off-guard with another "Contract with America" Republican revolt.

Our President-Elect is a cutthroat politician himself, despite his lofty rhetoric, and I am profoundly concerned as to what he intends to do about freedom of the airwaves and stifling his opposition. But what is truly remarkable about his election is that for the first time in his adult life, Barack Obama will have to actually achieve results. He will have to make decisions as President; you can’t just vote "present" when you’re in the Oval Office. He is a blank slate, which renders him enormously popular thus far, but let’s see what happens when he actually signs legislation or sends our troops into Pakistan. One rule of politics still holds clear—the more that the voters learn about a candidate, the higher their negatives go. The Mainstream Media worked furiously to keep the American people uninformed about the true beliefs of Barack Obama, but once he starts amassing a record as President, I am sure that many Americans will be shaking their heads in disbelief at how this man could have been elected.

Point 2—In reneging on his promise to accept public financing for his campaign, Barack Obama has single-handedly destroyed the campaign-finance reform system for eternity. While the reforms are justifiably criticized for suppressing First Amendment freedoms, the legislators had laudable intentions in seeking to cleanse the system of big-money special interests. Well, Senator Obama had some big money in his steamroller campaign--$600 million! And don’t tell me that the majority of his donations were less than $200 each—as he has refused to release his list of donors, I am highly suspicious of the true identity of his contributors. It is still amazing what this man has been able to get away with! When the next presidential campaign heats up in a couple of years, no self-respecting Republican or Democrat will commit political suicide by agreeing to limit himself or herself to those measly funds.

It is a profound understatement to say that the Obama campaign has set a new standard for fundraising. I have heard all morning how the President-elect has shown honor, grace, and judgment in his race to the White House, when in fact he simply overwhelmed John McCain with a financial tsunami. Does anyone else find it disturbing that while most Americans are experiencing great hardship in this economic downturn, Barack Obama is breaking fundraising records at an exponential rate? At least John McCain played by the rules. But now, thanks to Obama—there are no rules! Candidates will focus only on getting as much money as they can now in any way possible. I believe I share the opinion of many Americans when I express my disgust at the obscene amounts of money it takes to run for office in this country, and Obama has made the problem much, much worse. His legacy will be that he was the best President money can buy.

But as someone who has idolized Martin Luther King, Jr., throughout my life, I am touched by the historical significance of Obama’s election, and it is a good thing that we will look beyond the color of one’s skin in choosing our leaders. I also know that when I see Barack Obama’s precious daughters, my heart just melts. This man is "Daddy" to these little girls, and that wins points with me.

I know there will be a lot of finger-pointing with the Republicans now, but I am warning them all that it would be a grave error for Sarah Palin to be blamed for McCain’s downfall. The economic disaster in September most likely sealed McCain’s fate, but it was McCain’s erratic and inconsistent response to the disaster that turned American voters irrevocably toward Obama. Sarah Palin was the only bright spot for John McCain’s campaign, and he was fortunate to do as well as he did in the battleground swing states. Now we are hearing about the behind-the–scenes hostilities from the McCain staff toward Sarah Palin. These staffers need to be flushed from the Republican Party immediately—they are the cancer on the GOP, not Sarah Palin.

The 2008 presidential election has been thoroughly exciting and exhausting, and I love this nation with all of my heart. I cherish our democratic process, and most of all, our peaceful transition of power. I listened to President Bush’s statement this morning regarding Obama’s election, and I continue to be amazed at what a class act and a gentleman this man is. I am convinced that history will judge him differently than the press corps, and I for one appreciate him keeping us safe here at home for over 7 years.

God bless you, President Bush and Laura, you have served your country well. My prayers are with you as well, President-elect Barack Obama. John McCain, thank you for your ultimate sacrifice for all of us Americans, and Sarah Palin, I will be in fervent prayer for you as you contemplate leading our party in 2012.

And God bless the United States of America…