Q: How do you know Barack Obama's presidency is succeeding so far?
A: The right-wing's most influential minds (?) are engaging in hysterical slapfights with each other.
You surprised people last year when you said you were impressed with Obama so far. How do you feel about him now, after several weeks in the White House?
He hasn't been as skillful in a number of areas. I think he's showing partisanship. What I said on CNN is that if he's not partisan and doesn't swing out at the left, he has the potential to be a great president. But look at his cabinet appointments. And the stimulus package is a disaster. He let [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi write the bill. He should have exerted more leadership about what went into the stimulus package. It's not over, but I still want to give him the benefit of every doubt, and I definitely hope he succeeds. It wouldn't be good for Americans for him not to. We don't want a president who fails at domestic and foreign policy.
So you don't subscribe to Rush Limbaugh's "I hope he fails" school of thought?
That was a terrible thing to say. I mean, he's the president of all the country. If he succeeds, the country succeeds. And if he doesn't, it hurts us all. Anybody who would pull against our president is not exactly thinking rationally.
I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but Pat Robertson is right: Like it or not, Barack Obama is our President. If he fails, America fails; the two are inseparable. Rush Limbaugh revealed a whole lot about his brand of "patriotism" when he made those ridiculously bone-headed remarks. It really is quite amazing that the GOP has turned so enthusiastically to him as their savior.
