Comments on: No Honeymoon for President-Elect Barack Obama

By: the warrior lawyer

the warrior lawyer — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:13:41 +0000

As regards his not taking GMA’s call, this is not a good sign. Obama not even sparing a few seconds to say hello to the leader of what is supposed to be the United States’ staunchest ally in this part of the world signals his displeasure at the current leadership. He doesn’t want to be associated with Arroyo, whose reputation even internationally has hit rock bottom. This is the second time Obama rebuffed GMA, the first being during the campaign. Let’s hope things improve once he settles into the Oval Office. He will realize GMA will soon be leaving and is close to being a lame-duck president. Filipino-Americans are too big a constituency to ignore and the country itself is of strategic importance, security-wise, in Southeast Asia. Obama knows this. Just that he finds it distasteful to be dealing with GMA.

By: The Warrior Lawyer

The Warrior Lawyer — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:04:43 +0000

I agree with your assessment. He will live up to expectations. Just that mistakes are inevitable, specially during the first few months, and his candidacy has engendered so much hope (and hype) that anything less than a perfect batting average would be held against him.

By: Capolegis

Capolegis — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:58:02 +0000

President-elect Obama accepted congratulations from nine presidents and prime ministers Thursday, returning calls from world leaders who reached out after his presidential victory.

In a report, Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the president-elect spoke to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Why didn’t he return the GMA’s call? Later on maybe?

By: Capolegis

Capolegis — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:47:13 +0000

You’re right, no honeymoon for Obama. It will be action from the get go.

And I think Obama will not disappoint. Its actually looking good already. The Dems are plotting a stimulus package of $300B more or less during the remaining days of the last Congress. With majority in both houses, a party mate president-elect with an ironclad mandate and a lameduck president, the Dems could nudge the Republicans into going along.

Reports have it that an extension of unemployment benefits, a boost in food stamp funding and aid to states and municipalities are widely considered to be among the must-haves in the package along with infrastructure (for job creation). Its even probable they’ll cut check rebates for households. Hey, families need bailouts too. So there. (Spend now, tax later;-))

Bush has promised a smooth transition and Obama will bring along some White House veterans of the Clinton years and probably some choice talents from the Republicans. Obama will not exactly grope his way coming in so there’s no reason for the honeymoon.