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• Sunday, November 23, 2008 10:24 PM

  I don't get it

  Obama seems to be choosing people that are competent and get things done.

  Idealogically-driven leadership, left or right, sucks. Ideology is important, but it belongs on the side, influencing thought and debate, not running the show.

  It has been clear to me for months that Obama is a pragmatist. That's a good thing. We need pragmatism (implemented by wicked smart people, which Obama has in surplus).

  My message to progressives: Obama's the best thing to happen for progressives since, well, I don't know- LBJ? Don't get greedy. We may not be a center-right nation, but we aren't all that leftist, either.

  Also, he's inheriting a big crock of crap that he has to get through first, and doing so is going to require skill.

  I, personally, have been enormously impressed with Obama's recent stances on a progressive issue that is important to me- energy policy. His "shock and trance" characterization of US reaction to changes in oil prices was brilliant, as was his statement at Arnold's climate conference in CA- "Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response."

  So far, pretty much everyone who has second-guessed Obama on something has been wrong. The man's not going to be perfect, but he has shown an insane amount of promise over the last few months. Let him, I don't know, govern first before passing judgment.

  —syphax Read syphax's other letters
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