I wonder if Obama sleeps.

[Raven]

Imagine being the person that millions of people are depending upon to get them out of this nightmare. Obama's work has not even begun yet. It is amazing to me that anyone would have the courage to take this awful mess on! Once in a lifetime...someone comes along like him...once in a lifetime!

[trof]

1. I cannot even begin to imagine the pressure that man is under.

whew

[calmblueocean]

2. I'm K&Ring this because I've been thinking exactly the same thoughts. So much is on his shoulders!

First, he's got this huge burden of getting elected. It's been going on for-EV-er. So many months of day after day grueling campaigning. Speech after speech, crowd after crowd, interview after interview, fundraiser after fundraiser, always on, never off. He's going to have spent 2 years of his life just running for office.

And if he's lucky enough to get elected, Inauguration Day will be a celebration, but then he has to assume an even bigger burden. The economy is a shambles and ready to collapse, leaving our country and others in a terrible economic depression with pensions wiped out, homes foreclosed on, and huge unemployment. And then there are the wars we're fighting. And the angry Republicans working to undermine him at every turn, just as they did under Clinton.

I wonder sometimes why anyone decent would want this responsibility. It's just insane the pressure Obama is going to be under.

We've already sat through the worst president. Now we're ready for the best.

[kimmerspixelated]

3. You do have to be extraordinary not to buckle

in his position. But what keeps him going is the extreme high of all these people that adore him. He probably just falls asleep totally exhausted every night. But, yes, it will be an amazing and pressure-cooking change, to actually get down to work, instead of constantly, constantly selling himself! I hope during the time he is selecting his cabinet he really enjoys the breather!

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. His stamina and vigor has impressed me since his European/ Middle East trip

That's when it struck me.

[Frustratedlady]

5. It would be bad enough to run as a white, protestant, handsome father of 2.5 children.

For Obama and Michelle to have gone through all they have to get to the point they are, is amazing. Even more amazing is that they have done it by traveling the high road, for the most part. I was just listening to a clip from tonight's Larry King Live show of Michelle explaining her feelings of the "That One!" statement from last night's debate. She aced it by taking the high road, as usual.

People should be ashamed for the horrible things they have said. I hope these "kids" make it all the way to the White House and show "them" what a wonderful job they can do. Just look at the organization of their campaign. My goodness. If they can do the same with this messed up country, it won't be long at all before we start seeing progress.

[TygrBright]

6. Yes. Not to say he doesn't have "lord help me" moments...

...when he's alone and the lights have just gone out-- everyone does, and he's carrying a bigger weight than most. And he's intelligent enough to know just how big and how important that weight is. So he probably has jittery times, needs to deep-breathe and refocus.

But I have never in my life seen such a laserlike focus, sustained for so long, so successfully. He has contingency plans inside of contingency plans. He's got the art of picking good people, delegating stuff to them, and making sure they have what they need to do the job down pat.

And in spite of his very healthy self-esteem and clear assessment of his own value and capabilities, he's also got a big slug of humility and a HUGE dose of pragmatism to leaven his idealism. He will adjust his expectations of himself and have no hesitation in communicating those adjustments, even if he has to take a lot of crap for them. He doesn't rely on the approval of loud voices to sustain his energy and commitment.

I think he can do it. Maybe not as much as we'd hoped, but he will make a good start and ensure that the most important things are moving in the right direction.

This is why I think the GOPpies are tacitly giving up, even while engaging in their usual juvenile poo-flinging antics. They don't WANT to win.

Would YOU want the task of cleaning up a government that's been run by (essentially) autistic toddlers on crack for eight years?

I'm immensely grateful that Obama is willing to take it on.

thankfully,
Bright