From the We’ll Never Know Department:  If – had he understood that the nation’s capital is not just geologically a swamp but ideologically too, meaning that all kinds of bothersome things grow and thrive here and cannot be eradicated – President Obama would have ditched the post-partisan, can’t-we-all-just-get-along approach and pulled out all the stops on the progressive agenda he promised in the campaign.

We’ll never know because the president was apparently blindsided by the realities of top rung politics. He may have overestimated the power of his own charm and reasonableness while underestimating how deep and wide partisan opposition is and how unmerciful it can be.

With a few notable exceptions – some of his appointees; the lifting of the stem cell research ban – Mr. Obama has favored the middle ground, seemingly more mindful of the ones that hadn’t brung him than those who did. Time after time, the sad sighs of disappointment have emanated from the Obama base camps.

The good news is that he still has three years to redeem himself and revive that anticipation, those great expectations, the giddy relief of a year ago.

The bad news is that, starting with Wednesday night’s State of the Union address, he will probably disappoint again. He will be eloquent and intelligent, no doubt. But, daring initiatives that offer some long overdue justice or fairness or parity to people who have been on the losing end for too long, whether we’re talking race or taxes or schools or what have you? Fuggedaboudit.

Thanks to drooping approval ratings, the Democrats’ losses in the New Jersey and Virginia governors’ offices, last week’s melt-down of the Democrats’ freeze on the “Ted Kennedy seat” in Massachusetts and a convoluted health care bill, the president has learned the hard way that it takes two to do the tango of post-partisanship. Surely he realizes now that there are plenty of folks who will slap you on the back, eat your food, dance to your music and kiss your kids tonight, only to call you everything but a child of God and stab you in the back tomorrow.

Faced with such nastiness and spinning wheels to boot, some folks would have abandoned the genteel approach and come out swinging. What a wonder it would be if Obama had just enough of George W. Bush’s intransigence and arrogance to shove a few things through. That would have cemented his base, no doubt, and, who knows? He may have won over some straddlers on chutzpah alone.

Alas, that’s not Obama’s style. From all indications, he is preparing to hit the “reset” button on his presidency and will go after the bird in the bush with even more determination than before, hoping to convince the Tea Party crowd that he feels their pain and will carry their standard on the battlefield.

Rather than harden his position and fortify his forces, Obama is going to try to make nice with the very folks who have questioned his legitimacy, his patriotism, even his citizenship.

Why?  Because our president is not just an elected official, he is a politician. There is a difference. 

A politician is, above all things, obsessed with power – getting it, keeping it and growing it. No other concern trumps it. So the idea of making the most of the power he or she has now is overpowered by the drive to keep that power later.

There’s nothing we can do about that. It’s the nature of the beast. It’s what distinguishes them from the rest of us. It takes a politician to crave the presidency even when the country is broken while most of us wouldn’t want the job in the best of times.

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“SCAM” by: Jesse Lee Peterson
Passage:
“It is a dangerous thing for a person to blindly put himself under the leadership of any man or woman. Blacks who allow themselves to be led around like sheep by the likes of ------- are forfeiting their independence and free will. These leaders almost inevitably exploit their followers. These current black leaders tell blacks how to think, whom to vote for, and how to live their lives.

by   
Sharran0412
January 25, 2010, 8:41 pm
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Wow; amazing that posters view this article as critical of Obama. Typical of Deb, she takes a mouthful and swallows whole in her Obama worship. Obama is having problems mostly because his governing approach is 180 degrees from his campaign prescriptions; he hasn’t attempted bi-partisanship, he hired lobbyist, he catered to special interest, and hasn’t negotiated openly, Guantanamo is still open, and troops are at war. You Kool-Aid drinkers where had; yet cling to this dysfunctional pairing…similar to happenings in domestic abuse relationship.

by   
WhatIThink
January 25, 2010, 7:42 pm
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Well I’ll be dang! Finally something re: Obama on which Deborah and I can agree…Obama’s a politician with the same motivations as other politicians (POWER Maintenance!!!). We differ however on all other stated points (he’s typical); the between the lines message is that Obama is blameless for his condition. Anonymous others are at fault…as though the opposition to his disastrous liberal leanings are not legitimate ...that he is a victim. Obama’s liberal prescriptions suck; most Americans NOW realize it. Deb, wipe your lips; back off of dude’s sack, least Michelle become suspicious.

by   
WhatIThink
January 25, 2010, 7:25 pm
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Debra, I think you should take President Obama's place since you have all of the answers. This man does not have the answer to all of our problems. Problems that we created for ourselves because of the choices we have made. Why do you think he should be more to us than we are to ourselves? He has to deal with fools everyday. The only thing you do is add to the critical noise he has to hear.

by   
Angelapron7
January 25, 2010, 4:20 pm
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You know,it's ridiculous how people expect President Obama to work a miracle and accomplish all these deeds within a year of his presidency.I SAID IT BEFORE AND I SAY IT AGAIN,HIS NAME IS BARACK OBAMA NOT JESUS CHRIST.I you think that you can do a better job then RUN FOR PRESIDENT AFTER HIS FOUR YEARS ARE UP.

SHEESH!!!!!

by   
Tgn222
January 25, 2010, 3:53 pm
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and to champion the interests of Blacks (almost exclusively) towards the end of his presidency. Carter was President when I became aware of a US President. It was Reagan before I really paid the slightest attention. That’s four since I’ve been paying attention. I have NEVER seen Black people expect SO MUCH, SO FAST from ANY of the others. The Brother gets in & it seems people want him to hang Malcolm’s picture in the oval office & govern, as would Malcolm, Jessie, Stokely or me. He’d be impeached if he did what you guys seem to want, as quick as you seem to want it.

by   
Sevennotrump
January 25, 2010, 2:36 pm
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Debra, I USUALLY agree so completely with your articles, I have to check my notes to see if I wrote them myself. I DISAGREE with this one. One thing I’ve learned as a gang member, a gang leader & now a corporate leader is, people HAVE to be themselves, because they can’t be anyone else –not for long. ANY posters who claim, “Obama has a paper-thin-resume”, ARE NOT from Chicago & they are too dumb to read. I BELIEVE his strategy is to be centrist at the beginning of his presidency

by   
Sevennotrump
January 25, 2010, 2:33 pm
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I believe our President is a good man with good intentions, but the fact is that lobbyists determine this country's policies. As long as lobbyists have that kind of power, no true reform is possible.

by   
CAmira
January 25, 2010, 11:16 am
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My bad.
BEFORE or AFTER.
HE has NOT accomplished anything BEFORE or AFTER his historic election....................................

by   
BigBlackW
January 25, 2010, 10:39 am
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Obama is a great motivational speaker who tells audiences all over the world what they want to hear. He has a paper thin resume and HE has NOT accomplished anything BEFORE of AFTER his historic election. Obama is eloquent and intelligent and empathetic, BUT struggling and displaced Americans ( especially in the Midwest and South )
need more than nice talk (reset)...................................

by   
BigBlackW
January 25, 2010, 10:36 am
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Everyone has a right to their opinion, but I wish people would stop criticizing President Obama, so early in his administration. One year? Really? He cannot be expected to do everything within a years time. I still believe he will get our nation back on the right track, in every way with time. Stop complaining and dwelling on what he hasn't done and focus on the good he has done. Some people will never see any good that he does because they don't want to and would rather see him fail, but it shouldn't be his own people! Pray for him and GIVE HIM TIME!

by   
Tgluvsgod
January 25, 2010, 10:13 am
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Why all the negativity? It has only been a year since President Obama was inaugarated. He is not Jesus Christ. We need to support one another instead of tearing each other down. That is what the white man want us to do.

by   
PHIL74
January 25, 2010, 9:46 am
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Nothing Obama has done is a reinforcement of "hope" and certainly not "change". He is no different than all those before him.

by   
Fj1200
January 25, 2010, 9:41 am
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OBAMA UP TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENT, HE HAS NOT LIVED UP TO WHAT HE SOLD US, HE DOE'SNT HAVE THE BALLS TO STAND UP FOR WHAT HE SAID.......DON'T BE DISAPPOINTED WE SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS CRAP.......

by   
Wreeves
January 25, 2010, 9:15 am
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Amazing that Ms. Mathis and others were so convinced that Obama was the "second coming" who could perform greater miracles than Jesus that they didn't realize he was a "politician." A politician dumps his pastor of 20 years. A politician says he's FOR transparency during the campaign but had no intention on actually delivering. A politician says what the audience he's speaking to wants to hear. A politician trashes the previous administration to get elected, then continues many of the policies of the old administration once in office. That's right, I said it. Let the name calling begin.

by   
Itsinhim2
January 25, 2010, 9:03 am
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Ms. Mathis sounds soooo disappointed that Obama is indeed human. After a solid year of "blame Bush", she has switched to "be like Bush". That will never happen. Bush has class, President Obama has a lot of style but no substance at all. This need to "reset" is the best indication that he and his administration have failed.

by   
Uncletom
January 25, 2010, 6:27 am
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