Obama Discusses his Coming Presidency; Meanwhile, Media Already Musing on the Challengers-in-Waiting?

by Damozel |  Barack Obama is good television. I like the way Obama makes it clear in this interview with Barbara Walters that he's all too aware of the way that the Bush administration's policies are bleeding the taxpayers dry and his own inability to a damn thing about it. 

"One of the concerns I have is that the economy is so weakened that the next 60 days are going to be difficult because we've got a president who, even though he may mean well, is now sort of in lame-duck status [and] Congress isn't in [session]." (HuffPost)

"And I don't have the reins of power," Obama added.

I thought he was especially good on the subject of the big three automakers and the other executives who created the current EPIC FAIL.  

Well, I thought maybe they're a little tone deaf to what's happening in America right now. And this has been a chronic problem, not just for the auto industry, I mean, we're sort of focused on them. But I think it's been a problem for the captains of industry generally. When people are pulling down hundred million dollar bonuses on Wall Street, and taking enormous risks with other people's money, that indicates a sense that you don't have any perspective on what's happening to ordinary Americans.

When the auto makers are getting paid far more than their counterparts at Toyota, or at Honda, and yet they're losing money a lot faster than Japanese auto makers are, that tell me that they're not seeing what's going on out there, and one of the things I hope my presidency helps to usher in is a, a return to an ethic of responsibility. That if you're placed in a position of power, then you've got responsibilities to your workers. You've got a responsibility to your community. Your share holders. That if -- there's got to be a point where you say, 'You know what, I have enough, and now I'm in this position of responsibility, let me make sure that I'm doing right by people, and, and acting in a way that is responsible.'

Huff Post has the transcript

I still can't quite get my head around the fact that he's actually President.  At Ambinder's blog Mike Memoli remarks:

As Barack Obama prepares for his third press conference in as many days, it is still remarkable even as we head into the holidays to think that just four years ago, the president-elect was a senator-elect, heading from Springfield to the Senate. Yes, it's become trite, but what a difference four years makes.

Yes, it does, doesn't it?  And what a difference 60 days can make as well.  Think back to this time in September when we still didn't know.  As Obama implies, 60 days is still plenty of time for Bush to do yet more damage. 

Meanwhile, Memoli speculates on the GOP successors who are now preparing to rise up to challenge him.  Will it be Huckabee?  Romney?  Palin?  Pawlenty?  Jindal?  Gah.  Not that Memoli's remarks aren't interesting in themselves, but....do we have to do this now?  Already?  Obama hasn't even been sworn in.  Can't we have a little time to enjoy the election of our first African-American president.  I certainly never expected to see it. 

Musing on these musings--which are, of course, far from unique---Mark Casey Online raises a couple of good points:

People who claim the media is madly in love with Barack Obama haven’t been paying enough attention to the oddly incessant stories about what GOP warriors will rise to challenge him in 2012....

Who says there will even be a world to run in 2012?

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