Hopefully the last of the Obama-thon

...at least until the man's inaugurated.

Long, fascinating article here.

So much of the press has focused on Barack's paint-by-words ability, and many critics have wondered what's going on underneath all the speechifying. I find I like Mr. Obama more and more when I read things like

So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f–––ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'.

I do wonder about U.S.-Canada relations with an Obama administration in place. It's a truism that Canada gets along better with Democrats--but it was a truism for many years in Canada that "heil Harper" was the proper and correct greeting when facing the stern and cold visage of our current Prime Minister. I find it very interesting that opposing political factions in each country tarred Harper and Obama as extremists, when both of them are closer to the center than anywhere else. 

What will be the reaction from Obama when Canada pulls out of Afghanistan in 2011? Do Canadians even recognize that Obama means to concentrate his forces there?  What will Conservatives in Canada say when Harper makes his overture--very soon, now--to Obama about a shared greenhouse gas emissions policy? Although most people discount Obama's earlier promise/threat to tear up NAFTA as electioneering, there's little doubt Democrats are more protectionist than Republicans, and Obama will be under significant pressure to at least tinker with trade agreements to make them (even) more U.S.-friendly. And Canadians will...???

Obama will have to walk numerous balance beams, blindfolded en pointe, to maintain anything approaching the adulation he has now. If he can somehow fulfill any of his grand promises, while unifying America and avoiding terrorist attack, he'll go down in history among the greatest presidents who ever lived. I hope--there's that word again--people are prepared to be disappointed.