Fretting Democrats

“I’m worried. I mean, everyone, absolutely everyone has put Obama on such a high pedestal and he’s bound to make a big mistake, and then everyone is going to hate him, and everything will be AWFUL.”

I hear worried speeches similar to this over and over again, generally from people who voted for Obama, but who have now decided that fret is the new hope. Optimism? I mean, that’s just so three months ago.

Based on the number of times I’ve heard this same speech, I can promise at least this to you who are worrying: you aren’t alone. In fact, if just those people who I’ve talked to about this in the past few weeks would give me your names and phone numbers, you’d probably already enough have members to wait list part of your new support group.  

Yes, yes, I’m horribly biased towards presidential optimism. I was just seventeen in 2001, so this is the first time in my adult life that I’ve had a president other than Bush. It still blows my mind on a daily basis that when I hear the president has ordered this or that overturned I’m elated, not disappointed. Starting to close Gitmo? Excellent. Rescinding the gag rule? Fabulous. Reaching out a friendly hand to other countries? Amazing.

I suppose I still share some of your worries. Of course he’s going to make mistakes. Of course people will jump on those mistakes as proof that Obama is too inexperienced, too elitist, or too liberal. Yes there will be plenty of political drama. However, this new political beginning strikes me as similar to the beginning marriage. It’s good to understand there will be rough patches down the road. On the other hand, if you begin your marriage imagining your divorce, you’re probably subscribing yourself to unnecessary misery.

Oh, this isn’t to say that we shouldn’t look forward: planning for the future is essential to any relationship, president-to-supporters or otherwise. Yet, I think we can look forward while still savoring the honeymoon. There will still be plenty of time to argue over whose turn it is to do the dishes, take out the trash, or reduce the national deficit.

In the end, my sustained optimism comes down to this: when I look Obama’s plans and policies, his ideas and ideals, I see a country I want to be a part of. For me, that’s enough to keep the early glow of this relationship fresh for quite a while.

Obama calls for halt to Gitmo prosecutions

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (CNN) -- In one of his first acts in office President Obama has ordered the U.S. government to suspend prosecutions of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay for 120 days, military officials said Tuesday.

-Obama calls for halt to Gitmo prosecutions

I am thrilled. Bush, maybe not so much. From the same article:

At his final White House press conference on January 12, Bush was asked whether the military prison and harsh interrogation tactics have damaged America's standing in the world.

"I strongly disagree with the assessment that our moral standing has been damaged," he said. "It may be damaged amongst some of the elite. But people still understand America stands for freedom; that America is a country that provides such great hope."

Yes.  Such great hope.  Like the hope that if you were a non-citizen, you wouldn't be held in Gitmo for years and years without charge.  Oh, and maybe tortured.  Yes, that is a reason for hope.

Also, the word "elite" has apparently been once again redefined.  Now it includes not just those who eat arugula, but also those who oppose torture.  Or, maybe it's just been redefined to include any qualities that a certain prominent Democrat might possess.   

No worries on my part. That elitist, arugula eating, torture ending guy is now my president.  My president.  Now THAT is a reason for hope.

Free Doughnuts > Abortion on Demand

This week’s This American Life included a segment where cute children read cute letters to Obama. In a quest for more cute kid recordings, I randomly stumbled upon clear evidence that Krispy Kreme is pushing Obama’s EXTREME PRO-CHOICE AGENDA by, horrors of all horrors, using the word ‘choice’ in their inauguration-day free doughnut campaign. (swoons from shock)

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is honoring American's sense of pride and freedom of choice on Inauguration Day, by offering a free doughnut of choice to every customer on this historic day, Jan. 20. By doing so, participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide are making an oath to tasty goodies -- just another reminder of how oh-so-sweet "free" can be.

Just an unfortunate choice of words? For the sake of our Wednesday morning doughnut runs, we hope so. The unfortunate reality of a post Roe v. Wade America is that "choice" is synonymous with abortion access and celebration of 'freedom of choice' is a tacit endorsement of abortion rights on demand.

President-elect Barack Obama promises to be the most virulently pro-abortion president in history. Millions more children will be endangered by his radical abortion agenda.

Celebrating his inauguration with "Freedom of Choice" doughnuts only two days before the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to decriminalize abortion is not only extremely tacky, it's disrespectful and insensitive and makes a mockery of a national tragedy.

- KRISPY KREME CELEBRATES OBAMA WITH PRO-ABORTION DOUGHNUTS

So…. Choice of Free Doughnut > Pride and Freedom of Choice > Obama > Tacit Endorsement of Abortion Rights > Mockery of a National Tragedy?

Even with my occasional (okay, frequent) misuses of the transitive property in the pursuit of being ridiculous (and linguistically yoga-like), I don’t think I can stretch that far.

Regardless, while I failed to find further recordings, you can still celebrate tomorrow’s inauguration (!!!) by reading some of the letters (just imagine the cute kid voices in your head as you read), ordering the full book of letters (it’s by and for a good cause!), or listening to the This American Life episode that inspired my original search.

Or, like Krispy Kreme, you can further ruin the world with free doughnuts. Shame. Shame!