First, Barack Obama has already given more press conferences this week than George Bush has in two years. Wait, does that sentence make me angry? In response to a reporter's question (yes, this president will actually get to be asked questions from the "gottcha media"), Obama responded:
"We had, I think, a decisive win, because of the extraordinary desire for change on the part of the American people. And so I don't think there is any question that we have a mandate to move the country in a new direction, and not continue the same old practices that have gotten us into the fix that we're in."
A mandate to do whatever he wants? Certainly not. But a clear mandate for change and not to continue the path of the last 8 years, absolutely.
"I think what the American people want more than anything is just commonsense, smart government. They don't want ideology, they don't want bickering, sniping, they want action and effectiveness. When it comes to the budget, people don't want to continue argument about big government or small government, they want smart government and effective government."
Very, very true.
