Obama Advisers To Public: Temper Expectations

Obama Advisers To Public: Temper Expectations

cbs2chicago.com

CHICAGO (CBS) ― President-elect Barack Obama and his inner circle fear that some voters expect him to turn around the economy, wind down the war in Iraq and, perhaps, cure cancer -- all by the Fourth of July.

They know they must manage and lower those expectations, CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports.

A top economic advisor to Obama had a glum warning for the rest of us Thursday morning: Neither the job market nor the stock market will be turning around any time soon.

"This might be a long haul," said Robert Reich, who was President Bill Clinton's secretary of labor. "2009 is going to be a very hard year. Some economists say we won't be out of this for two years, others are saying it may be three, or four, maybe five years."

(visit the link for the full news article)

Reality Bites. Preemptive damage control. Honesty. Call it what you will. Obama has a mighty large pill to swallow in January and his handlers are already trying calm the nerves of his passionate followers.

Obama's supporters have very high expectations. Obama campaigned vigorously on these expectations and he even brought people to tears for cryin out loud. However, reality is setting in faster for this man than he ever expected. He is already paving the way to the land of the disappointed.

I don't envy him one bit. But remember, he set the expectations.

cbs2chicago.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The excuses are coming out before he's even been sworn in...

Obama supporters really did think he was the Messiah. I mean the way they spoke of him; the way they cried when he spoke and the way they attacked anyone who didn't like him... All those are indicative of a cult of personality.

Im not surprised that his transition team is trying to calm down his supporters... they were so fanatic and expectant that they would probably be disappointed if he didnt personally discover the cure for AIDS in his first week on the job, in between straightening out the economy, imposing higher taxes on the rich, pulling out of Iraq and just generally looking cool.

I don't fear race riots as much as I fear what die hard Obama supporters will do when they realize Obama is not going to eliminate all their problems and may in fact create some new ones if Biden is any indication. They are going to be some very disappointed/mad people. It's like when you stretch a rubber band too far and it breaks if you're wrong end, it's going to hurt. There's all this talk of bubbles and what not, what are these people going to do when the Obama bubble pops?

You mean he's not going to give me a job, put gas in my car and pay my mortgage?

Seriously though, this is pretty weak. It's like saying sorry to all the sheeple he fooled.

Come on now people…we have to give him a chance before we attack him! (says the many Obama supporters here)

Seriously though, I'd like to ask you how many people you think "actually" believed he would be able to do all those things, but I know the answer is most of them.

The expectations are so incredibly high that it will be almost impossible for him to not look like a failure to a lot of people. This preemptive damage control started before he even won the election, so it should come as no surprise it's heating up now.

Honestly though, as long as he redistributes (steals) someone else's hard earned money and gives it to me for doing nothing I'll be happy.



[edit on 21-11-2008 by nyk537]

Originally posted by jibeho
Obama's supporters have very high expectations.

I don't think you can accurately speak of Obama supporters as a group that thinks with one mind. Surely there are many who have unrealistic expectations, but from my experience, those people are, for the most part, his detractors.

The first sentence in the OP's excerpt says it all. Some people expect him to cure cancer and create world peace before he's even gotten into office!

But these expectations were created by the people, not by him. If you listen to what he said (which I know a lot of people don't) he was very clear that this isn't going to turn around on a dime. In fact, he said it would take a long time to see the change and it wasn't going to be easy and we'd have to sacrifice.

If people thrust his actual words aside in favor of their own starry-eyed hopes that he's going to "fix" their lives, that can hardly be blamed on him. After all, many of his most ardent supporters (moi) have no such lofty ideas.

One of the most important messages I got from listening to Barack Obama over the past year is that this isn't about HIM. HE cannot save us. He will do his part, but we must take the responsibility ourselves! He will help us where he can, but this isn't up to him. It's up to US.

So for those people who are sitting back, whining about how they don't yet see change yet and about Obama not filling their expectations for this country, I invite you to check his message again. And listen this time instead of having hope that some savior is going to come along and make your life easy.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.
...
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
...
I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
...
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Transcript

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Surely there are many who have unrealistic expectations, but from my experience, those people are, for the most part, his detractors.

Like the lady who thinks Obama is going to pay for her gas and her mortgage? Is she a detractor?

But these expectations were created by the people, not by him.

I don't think that's true. They have those expectations because that's what he led them to believe. You can post all the quotes saying otherwise that you want, but most people listening to him talk got the impression he was going to take care of their every need.

HE cannot save us. He will do his part, but we must take the responsibility ourselves! He will help us where he can, but this isn't up to him. It's up to US.

Is it going to be left up to us whether or not to redistribute our own wealth? Because from listening to him talk, I get the impression that HE plans on doing everything for us through more government.

It's amazing how much of a difference there was in the tone of his speeches and his website.

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
Obama supporters really did think he was the Messiah. I mean the way they spoke of him; the way they cried when he spoke and the way they attacked anyone who didn't like him... All those are indicative of a cult of personality.

I'm going to agree with Benevolent Heretic here. As an Obama supporter (not an avid one, but definitely a supporter) I think he'll do a better job getting us through the next four years than McCain would have. Period.

Did some Obama supporters feel the way you claim we all felt? Undoubtedly. But don't forget that some of them just hyped up their feelings for the drama rush and will move on to the next big drama, and in general you're more likely to hear from the people who raise their voices the loudest. That's not the majority of Democrats.

Originally posted by americandingbat
in general you're more likely to hear from the people who raise their voices the loudest. That's not the majority of Democrats.

It's funny that the same line of thinking is never applied to the loudest among Republicans.

It always seems to me that we hear about the small minority of "racist" voters represent the majority of the Republicans.

I'm not implying that this comes from anywhere here...I'm just saying.

I tell you what, I'm just happy it's him dealing with the tough times ahead and not some anti-intellectual.


There are no expectations to temper on my side... I knew our country was going from sugar to shhhhhhoeshine, and I wanted him in there to deal with it.


-One Happy Obama Supporter

Originally posted by HunkaHunka
I tell you what, I'm just happy it's him dealing with the tough times ahead and not some anti-intellectual.

What exactly is an anti-intellectual.

Is that code word for anyone who isn't a Conservative?



[edit on 21-11-2008 by nyk537]

The above is in fact a joke. Apparently the little wink wasn't enough to give that impression.

Lighten up people.



[edit on 21-11-2008 by nyk537]

Originally posted by nyk537
Like the lady who thinks Obama is going to pay for her gas and her mortgage?

She didn't say that. As I said, some people (you in this case) put aside the actual WORDS in favor of something that meets their fantasy agenda.

You can post all the quotes saying otherwise that you want, but most people listening to him talk got the impression he was going to take care of their every need.

As I said, if they didn't listen to his words, that's not his problem and it's not his fault. He can speak, but cannot make people comprehend. I can type, but cannot make you comprehend.

Originally posted by nyk537
What exactly is an anti-intellectual.

Is that code word for anyone who isn't a Conservative?

This is so funny I just had to quote it for posterity!

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Originally posted by nyk537
What exactly is an anti-intellectual.

Is that code word for anyone who isn't a Conservative?

This is so funny I just had to quote it for posterity!

That WAS hilarious!

I had to look twice because I couldn't believe nyk said that!



Anti-Intellectualism


EDIT: Evidently that was a joke on nyk's part. In the spirit of good debate, I'll buy that.


[edit on 21-11-2008 by HunkaHunka]

reply to post by HunkaHunka


I am glad that you are so optimistic. We certainly need optimism right now. Just remember to spread it around with your fellow Obama supporters when their feelings get hurt and their hopes get crushed.

Intellectuals don't always make the best leaders. Highly intellectual people often lack common sense, wisdom, social skills and street smarts. Book and classroom knowledge can only get you so far. My younger brother is a chemical engineer and computer software developer with a rapid photographic recall. He can barely tie his shoes or ride a bike and he could burn water if you gave him the chance. He is a great lecturer but a poor teacher. Teachers lead, lecturers speak. Obama is a great lecturer and speaker.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
As I said, if they didn't listen to his words, that's not his problem and it's not his fault. He can speak, but cannot make people comprehend.

I never said it was his fault. The fact remains though, that a lot of people are expecting amazing things from him. How they reached those expectations is irrelevant at this point. What is relevant is that they have them.

I can type, but cannot make you comprehend.

Why do you feel the need to make this personal. I've seen you doing that a lot around here lately. You've quickly gone from someone I respected here at ATS to someone I don't.

This is so funny I just had to quote it for posterity!

Glad you enjoyed it.

The bottom line is that this country is going to hell in a handbasket. So far with Obama's picks for his cabinent, just looks like business as usual to me. This country is not going to improve by doing the same old thing washington style. It's ironic that Obama ran on "Change" and I agree this country does need change, but it needs it on a more fundamental level than just a facelift. By fundamental, I mean getting back to the Constitution and all of the rights in it. No redistrubting the wealth and such.

I really hope Obama can do what he says in restoring this nation to being a proud one. I really hope to read from other posters soon that "Told ya so". At the same time I'm doubtful that it's going to happen. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but there are much higher powers at work on our country in a negative way that I think Obama is more beholden to than that of the people. I think that's true of most politicians.

No matter how you slice it, this country is going through some interesting times and I think it's only going to get more interesting.

Reality check! Bush burned down 20 years work in his 8 year megalomania, It is going to take at least 10 years to rebuild from the ashes. Obama is no messiah or a wizard, he cant magically undo all the fiasko that already happened. Poor guy has to start from scratch and rebuild the whole thing, I predict a recession through all of Obama´s presidency and there is nothing he or anyone else can do about it because the damage has already been done!

[edit on 21-11-2008 by Waldy]

Originally posted by nyk537
It's funny that the same line of thinking is never applied to the loudest among Republicans.

Of course it should apply to the Republicans too. If you ever see me imply that all Republicans are racist, please be sure and give me a hard time about it.

But just because some Democrats have implied that, doesn't mean I'm going to give all Republicans a free ride for it.

And the implication that all Obama supporters are such befuddled and brainwashed dupes that the country is going to erupt into violence when they realize that everything's not going to get better right away is extremely prejudicial and offensive.

Most Democrats are reasonable, non-violent, non-criminal folk, who hope that Obama will get us out of some of the problems we're in. We're not going to turn into feral animals because he's not God – contrary to the pre-election anti-Obama propaganda, we never expected him to be.

Originally posted by jibeho
reply to post by HunkaHunka

 

I am glad that you are so optimistic. We certainly need optimism right now. Just remember to spread it around with your fellow Obama supporters when their feelings get hurt and their hopes get crushed.

Intellectuals don't always make the best leaders. Highly intellectual people often lack common sense, wisdom, social skills and street smarts. Book and classroom knowledge can only get you so far. My younger brother is a chemical engineer and computer software developer with a rapid photographic recall. He can barely tie his shoes or ride a bike and he could burn water if you gave him the chance. He is a great lecturer but a poor teacher. Teachers lead, lecturers speak. Obama is a great lecturer and speaker.

See, the issue is, you are generalizing. My issue isn't intellectuals, it's anti-intellectualism. Those are two completely different things, It's like the difference between conservatives and anti-liberals, they ain't the same.