My Fellow Democrats

What a bunch of hypocrites we are. For weeks, which have turned into months, a cacophony of criticism and cynicism has grown to deafening proportions. HE's weak, HE hasn't done what he promised, HE's no more than another Bush, and so on and so on ad nauseam. If we don't play my way, I'm gonna take my ball and go home.

Ah, but as the fair winds blow, so do the pissers and moaners. Last night HE gave one hell of a speech and now it's all kissy, kissy. We love him when he's perfect and we abandon him when he most needs his supporters, fickle and otherwise. Politics is a game, but it isn't a ballgame where a field goal can be accomplished in a matter of minutes or a baseball player can hit a home run every time he steps up to the plate.

Last night I watched as a once very young man stepped up to another kind of plate. The exhaustion was discernible in the shadows under his eyes. The strain of the times was evident in his face. And for the first time since I've been listening to him, he hesitated and stumbled over the words on several occasions.

But in the end, it was a smart speech. It was a humble speech. It was a strong and decisive speech. Did I philosophically agree with everything he said? No, but that's the nature of the beast. Do I think he's grown in the office? Yes. Do I think he's learned and matured? Yes. Do I think he will use bad judgement or make mistakes again? Yes.

While the Democrats, including them Blue Dawgs, dutifully applauded and stood after every three sentences, Republicans were their usual discourteous and pugnacious selves. While Pelosi's face became contorted and she wiped her over-lipsticked lips, the Republicans  made a point of looking disinterested and bored until they were forced by him to look at him.

As if on cue, the Republicans nodded their heads from side to side every time the camera panned in on them. They reminded me of wooden puppets who's strings were being pulled from left to right. McConnell sneered and Grassley slept. McCain wore his usual know-it-all sarcastic expression. Joe Lieberman? Well, what can I say about that scoundrel that hasn't already been said a thousand times?

This brings me to the one big difference of opinion I have with the president. Why try to form a bipartisan coalition when the Party of No is more interested in playing obstructionist than they are in working for the welfare of the people and in the best interests of the country?

But, although I don't agree with him on everything, President Obama is still my president. I do not expect him to do everything the way I think it should be done nor do I expect things to be done overnight. He is a smart man, a man who genuinely cares about the welfare of this country, and a man who I think is fundamentally ethical and honest.