What a refreshing difference. He handled a wide range of questions quite well, including issues about the intelligence briefings, the new puppy, the limits of his position as President-Elect, to sounding sincere in asking one reporter what had happened to her arm.

What a chage--reading Obama's news coference in Chicago is more informative that anything Bush has presented in the last 8 yrs.

I enjoyed listening to Obama(as opposed to hunkering down into my Bush cringe). Makes you realize how deprived we have been for eight years when a few general comments from a dog tired Obama is a cause for celebration.

I'm a huge Obama supporter, but I thought the Nancy Reagan comment was in poor taste. He needs to be a little more careful.

Agreed. That stuck out like a sore thumb.

Poor attempt at humor, although Nancy did say she seanced with dead presidents.

Okay, so did we read/see the same news conference??? "Immediately after I become president, I'm going to confront this economic crisis head on by taking all necessary steps to ease the credit crisis, help hardworking families, and restore growth and prosperity."

Did he tell us HOW he was going to do that? Dang, it drives me nuts that this guy can just say whatever will make the masses feel good and everybody gets goose bumps. Sorry, I'm not one of the everybodies, I want some specifics and this guy is painfully short on them. Again, I will grant you that he isn't president yet and he's got 4 years to prove himself. But seriously Jack, this speech and his speech the other day are just words with no specifics.

I want some specifics and this guy is painfully short on them.

As he said at least twice, he's not the President yet. We can have only one President at a time. If he announced a bunch of specifics three days after the election, you'd criticize him for interfering with the government that we still have for another two and a half months. And in that case, you'd be right.

Compared to the drug-addled drivel coming from our current President, today's press conference was like waking up from a bad dream.

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got Obama.

Jack, I feel that using "drug-addled drivel" is just as demeaning (and what proof do you have?) as the Nancy Reagan comment. What purpose do these kinds of remarks serve?

I hear what you're saying about the Nancy Reagan crack, but I say right on. Part of getting out of this Reagan trickle-down BS is going to be deconstructing the myth.
And it is a myth - one that has led to many of the problems we have today.
The thing that is most annoying is that these people tried to destroy the Middle Class - not realizing that America's greatness is driven by these layers of society. Not some billionaires on Wall Street.
Obama clearly took note of the irony that this hero of the Religious Right was making decisions based on what "Mommy" was told by some fortune reader in California. That's reality.
This is a golden opportunity to get past the mountain of BS conservatives have hoisted onto America these last decades, and that starts with Uncle Ronnie.
Personally, I didn't like the "Mutt" crack as it could be used against children of mixed race, and they don't need that.

Some, including me, would argue that his use of the term "Mutt" in reference to himself is a self-empowering reclamation of the term. His prerogative.

What purpose do these kinds of remarks serve?

The truth.

When Bush opens his mouth, drivel usually comes out.

And he's on some sort of drug half the time. His speech is slurred and he can barely get a sentence out.

If you can't handle the truth, turn on Fox News.

I didn't like the "Mutt" crack

I didn't mind it so much. One thing that I hope happens in the next four years is that the hypersensitive PC types among us calm down.

This press conference was interesting. On the one hand, Obama appearsed to present a lot of information to the public; however, when pressed, he continued the current executive's policy of refusing to answer. Of course, there are multiple reasons for it, but I've gotten the feeling that Obama isn't about to create a touchy-feely administration and undo all of the Bush changes.

Sidenote: TPM has one of the best jokes regarding the new administration's planned radical changes .

"Did he tell us HOW he was going to do that?"

I don't think he or McCain had any real solutions during the campaign unless I missed something.

The main thing about Obama is he'll have a great learning curve. Everything he does, he will get better at. That's because he works hard, and has a brilliant mind.
Our best hope with the current Prez is that he'll lose interest and stop screwing up so much. But I can't think of anything he's gotten better at over these last 8 years.
Wait, I take that back. It's been quite a while since he fell off his bicycle.

Nancy Reagan? Who cares about her? Obama did great. Nice to see a president that can actually put a sentence together in english and understand what he is saying. Haven't seen that in 8 years. Also not having PLANTS in the crowd like Geo Bush Jr the idiot.

It was the wrong thing to say. Obama later called Nancy Reagan to apologize. I give the guy credit for making the phone call. It was no big deal except to those who hope to see him fail. Still hoping for more detail on Afghanistan and his economic plan.

Letterman had it right (as he often does): "Honestly, would anybody really mind if he started a little early?"

Jack wrote: "One thing that I hope happens in the next four years is that the hypersensitive PC types among us calm down."

Amen. It's funny, we're chasing our tails over this nonsense while Bush is trying to steal the last few spoons with his midnight rule changes.

Italian PM (and serious crook and Bush patsy, along with semi-fascist) Berlusconi is in hot water for a fairly innocuous joke re: Obama been young, handsome, and well-tanned. The Left got its knickers in a twist and he said:

“If you want to get a degree in idiocy, I won’t stop you,” La Repubblica quoted him as saying. “I say whatever I think.”

He said the Italian left was wrong about everything, “including their lack of a sense of humor.” He added: “Too bad for them. God save us from imbeciles.”

Probably the only thing he's ever said that was worth it.

Me too Gibbles.

As for the press conference I thought the questions were pretty bad and the answers had no more than the campaign bromides.

The gap between the loyal and the rest of us could not be wider.

Bill M. is already declaring, ahead of time, that everything Obama does, he will get better at.
Quite the conveniently prememptive observation.

Then Bill says Bush hasn't gotten better at anything.
Commander in chief with winning in Iraq is better. Is it not?

And of course it seeems the mean and nasty remarks aimed at all things Republican are not so bad because they are the truth.

I think the lingering trashing of Palin and Bush may be a bad sign.
I mean how are we all going to come together for those happy days ahead?

Yeah, like that's what you guys really want. Turn on the right wing hate stations today and listen to all the love and harmony pouring out.

"Our best hope with the current Prez is that he'll lose interest and stop screwing up so much. But I can't think of anything he's gotten better at over these last 8 years. Wait, I take that back. It's been quite a while since he fell off his bicycle."

Hilarious. Bill, if I had your wit I would be selling these to Jay Leno, et al. rather than giving away for free here.

Uhh.

"Uhh."

Nice observation of an Obama verbal tic, similar to McCain's "my friends", Reagan's "uh, well" or the Beavis-like "heh-heh, heh-heh" the current occupant engages in.

The difference is Obama's "uhh"s are flanked by refreshingly articulate and intelligent and complete sentences.

He sounds like a constitutional law professor instead of the pseudo-folksy spoiled sons of more-accomplished fathers and grandfathers that Bush and McCain are.

The Nancy Reagan remark cracked me up. It was probably the best thing about the press conference. Otherwise, he sidestepped about every question. He had good reason to be vague and fall back on campaign rhetoric since he still is not president. I'm hoping he gets more candid after 1/20/2009.

"Bill M. is already declaring, ahead of time, that everything Obama does, he will get better at.
Quite the conveniently prememptive observation."

Ben,
I'll take a preemptive observation over a preemptive strike any day.

I base the comment on two things. First, that's the way learning always works when there's brains and drive working together.
Bush had neither. I think he was already on his 2nd vacation by now.
But I also observed Obama's progress from when he was only filling up half of one big room at the Convention Center to the night of the Iowa caucuses. He had clearly grown mighty on the trail.

He also improved from the rally of 75,000 here to the election night speech.

Did you hear him searching for a funny line about the woman who hurt her arm? Wait a few months until he grows into the job. He won't be startled when everyone stands up and he'll be more relaxed. When that happens the humor will be brilliant such as it was when JFK used to give press conferences.

The potential here is staggering.

How long will it be before all the cute ticks, jokes, and misspokes wear on us like a Connecticut Yankee with a Texas accent.

As reported on CNN this evening, the US has not enjoyed a positive trade balance since 1973 and our manufacturing numbers are now equal to what they were in 1942.

The only action any President can take is to help us embrace a new reality.

"I'll take a preemptive observation over a preemptive strike any day."

Boy that was entirely predictable.

Bill,
How is it that you are so perceptive and somehow "know" these things while I see you jumping to presumptions and conclusions that have nothing beneath them but your imagination?

IMO this is an incredible phenomenom that you can know so many of the inner motivations of the Bush administration and know for certain Obama's brilliance and future.

It is absolutely possible that Obama is and will be a rather mediocre politican when it come time for leading and implementation regardless of the confidence and leg up you extend him.

So what then? Do you create your own reality with Obama?

Ben,
If Obama screws up the comedy writers of America will be all over him. Hell, we'll be all over him anyway.
I don't profess to know what's going to happen tomorrow. These are opinions and my track record isn't close to perfect.
Yes, 18 months ago I predicted Barack would be president, but there are lots of examples where I'm wrong.
For example, back when President Bush started I thought he'd be a horrible President. I never imagined he'd be one of the biggest screw-ups in human history.
What you're doing is reminiscent of a commenter named Butch. You aren't the same person are you?
Butch loved to argue about things I didn't really say. For example, if I had started by writing that I am all-knowing of the future
then your comments would make perfect sense. But I didn't. Butch, are you Ben now?

In just his first press conf. we no longer need focus on mispronunciation. He speaks in complete sentences and responds to multi-part questions with answers which track each part in order. He even threw in some humor and was self deprecating as well. How refreshing is that? By the time he assumes the mantle, he will be even more polished. Yeehah.
Critics, be happy. You will have some real substance to work with rather than empty rhetoric and erroneous quotes.

The Exalted One mispronounced "aGH-ma-deen-ah-zsad". But he got closer than McCain.

Here's the best audio example I could find:

http://www.pronounceitright.com/pronuncia.php?id_pronuncia=1289

The final syllable sounds begins with "Zsa" as in Zsa Zsa Gabor. It is not "chad" or "jad".

"if I had started by writing that I am all-knowing of the future
then your comments would make perfect sense"

Bill, I don't know who Butch is but you said "everything Obama does, he will get better at".

Now obvioulsy that isn't you claiming you are all knowing but it's still highly presumptuous to the nth degree.

And is there any doubt you would conclude Bush to be the worst ever when you started out with the opposite presumption that he would be terrible?

Sure we all have opinions but you do take it much further in embellishing outwards exhibiting incredible talents with mindreading and knowing the inside, behind the scenes secrets and inner worksing.
And of course your versions, or rather visions, end up depicting Bush, Chaney and Republicans in general as the terrble you just knew (ahead of time) they were going to be.
Remarkable.

Almost immediately you were seemingly all knowing about Gov. Palin. A moron and liar you knew her to be. Also remarkable.

Funny how you instantly knew her better than everyone who worked with her in the Alaska capital........

genop,
Yes by the time he assumes the mantle, he will be even more polished and working on his re-election campaing.
Why not. He's already got a successful first term. Right guys? :)

Ben,
Sorry to confuse you with somebody else. I just thought I detected an old familiar tone from someone who's gone silent since his side got crushed during the elections.
This guy said over and over again, "If you've got a problem with something, why don't you win an election." Now he disappears. Darn it.
I didn't know Cheney and company were going to be as terrible as they were in advance. Frankly, I never imagined America with a policy of torturing detainees. I saw us as the Good Guys.
Look, Obama is going to disappoint on some level, plus I always turn against people in power. I'm sort of an anti-authority type. But for now I think he'll improve. I doubt if he'll be doing any more Nancy Reagan jokes.
Long before this election took shape I said, "I just want to be disappointed by someone I like this time." I like Obama. I don't see him as a Messiah, but I bet he does better than W.