Obama's Press Night

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/us/politics/10obama.html?scp=3&sq=press%20conference&st=cse

Dear President Obama,

It isn't your fault that the Republicans have decided to use the stimulus as a way to politic their way back into power. However, your first press conference was a good one, at least better than the previous guy. Here are three reasons you should be happy.

1. Admissions of truth:

“The plan is not perfect,” Mr. Obama said in an eight-minute speech before taking reporters’ questions. “No plan is. I can’t tell you for sure that everything in this plan will work exactly as we hope, but I can tell you with complete confidence that a failure to act will only deepen this crisis.”

Obama admitted that his plan was not perfect. While he believes strongly that only a dramatic stimulus package will work to stop the economy's slump into oblivion, this admission was in sharp contrast to the Bush adminsitration's policy of "see no wrong, do no wrong", while overseeing and committing some of the worst policies in American history (Gitmo, Iraq, Katrina, surveillance).

2. Distinctions with the previous administration:

As he has since the outset of his presidency, Mr. Obama sought to draw sharp distinctions between himself and his predecessor, on both domestic and foreign affairs.

He took a swipe at the economic policy championed by George W. Bush through good times and bad, saying that “tax cuts alone can’t solve all of our economic problems.” He also criticized President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, a close ally of Mr. Bush. Yet he echoed Mr. Bush when he said the most “sobering moment” of his adaptation to the presidency has been writing letters to families of fallen troops.

Mr. Obama’s tone was for the most part serious and businesslike, and he was pointed in rebutting Republican criticisms of his economic plan, saying he was not willing to take advice from “the folks who presided over a doubling of the national debt.”

We must continue to remind ourselves that Obama's problems now are largely because of the failed policies of the Bush administration. With this distinction in mind, Republicans actually should feel as if they have much, much, much less leverage. Hopefully the American people understand that Obama is trying to fix the problems that were not caused by him or the Democrats, but by the loose regulation and lack of oversight during the six years of Republican power.

3. No more nicknames!

President Bush was famous for his nicknames, calling the members of the press corps a variety of things instead of their actual name. President Obama has gone from kindergarten to Harvard in this sense then, calling on people in a professional, business setting in a professional, business manner. Well done.

Also of interesting note: Sam Stein of The Huffington Post asked a question. I was surprised that a blog was included and wonder if blogs were invited in the past.