A Mandate For Change

CBSNews.com Analysis: President-Elect Obama Has Achieved A Historic Victory And Set High Expectations For The Future

(CBS)  This analysis was written by CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs.

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As far as epochal moments of a nation are concerned, the election of Barack Obama to be the forty-fourth President of the United States is virtually certain to rank near the very top. While the historical, sociological and political meaning of campaign 2008 will be written about and analyzed for a generation or more, the immediate impact of the election results is this: A sweeping mandate for Obama’s campaign mantra of change.

Indeed, Obama’s election arguably represents the most dramatic break from the status quo ever in presidential politics. The first black president, one with a less-than-familiar name, is in so many ways a complete repudiation of everything about the presidency of George W. Bush.

The once-improbable Democratic candidate has ridden the twin themes of “hope” and “change” into the White House, and that, combined with his juggernaut of a campaign operation fueled by unprecedented fundraising, has helped his party extend its advantages in Congress to the point where there is a real possibility of sweeping changes in the country’s direction. The sheer size of the victory would be mandate enough, but Obama’s is a promise of fundamental, radical change, not incremental adjustments, giving even more impetus to his agenda.

Throughout the course of the election, Obama became a symbol for the frustrations, anxiety and concerns of a country in the midst of economic crisis and war. He systematically sought to connect himself to transformational leaders and moments from the nation’s past - Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and the Civil Rights movement were among those most commonly referenced - he even spoke kindly of Republican icon Ronald Reagan.

Now, with an election victory the size of which has been unseen in presidential election in decades, this young President-elect has the expectations of that lineage to fulfill.

“All of us running for president will travel around the country offering ten-point plans and making grand speeches,” Obama said in his announcement speech in February of 2007. “But too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.”

Democrats would be smart to listen to the warning issued by their new leader at a time when his election appeared an outside shot at best. There is a great deal of pent-up frustration among many segments of the party after eight years of the Bush Administration, most of which saw Republicans with control of both houses of Congress. There will be pressure to not just reverse Bush policies but to exact a measure of revenge along the way.

Such an approach would not just be unwise; it would run completely counter to Obama’s promise to reach across the aisle for Republican support for his agenda and to end politics as we know it all together.

“Part of what has been lost these past eight years can’t just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits,” Obama said in his speech accepting the Democratic nomination. “What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that’s what we have to restore.”

Cynicism about politics and the governing process was a constant target for Obama throughout the campaign. Destroying that and inserting confidence in government won’t be easy, as candidate Obama often acknowledged throughout the campaign.

Americans have voiced their displeasure with the direction of the country on a number of levels. In the beginning of this, the longest presidential campaign ever, the unpopularity of the war in Iraq provided Obama his initial lift. His early opposition to the war contrasted with Hillary Clinton’s vote to authorize it - and her refusal to apologize for that vote.

As the campaign wore on and the war faded as the issue driving the campaign, the economy became the dominant question. The crisis that hit Wall Street in the midst of the campaign combined with the edge Democrats traditionally hold on the issue put Obama in a commanding lead heading into the election homestretch.

The very dynamics which propelled the Illinois senator into office threaten to undermine him as president, however. Obama has made a lot of promises in this campaign that don’t necessarily square with reality. Whether it’s on foreign policy, the economy, jobs or health care, Americans come out of this election with a heightened set of expectations of ending war, enlarging the economic pie for all and expanding the social safety nets provided by the government. He’ll have precious few resources with which to do it all.

Those lofty aspirations were set and encouraged by the candidate himself, leading to criticism by his opponents that Obama was merely a celebrity, given to sometimes over-reaching rhetoric. Rather than shy away from the hype, Obama methodically used it, telling supporters on the campaign trail that, together, they would change the world.

Even before he takes office in January, Obama will begin to learn more about the situation he has inherited, both at home and abroad. Then he will have to begin making the hard choices about which of his promises can be pursued and which will have to take a spot on the shelf. Massive federal deficits, a two-front war, increased government intervention into free markets and huge guaranteed outlays for programs like Social Security hang around the government’s neck like so many anchors.

How he will square his promises without breaking others, particularly the promise to avoid tax hikes for 95 percent of Americans, will be a difficult proposition. Doing so with a Democratic congress with its own ideas, will make it even more difficult.

As for his pledge to change the politics of the nation and bring Americans of all stripes together will likewise be a trying challenge. Politics by its very definition is about the airing of differences on issues where both sides often have deeply-held beliefs. While John McCain and other Republican leaders sounded conciliatory notes when the results came in on Election night, there remains a full plate of issues where real differences exist.

“There will be setbacks and false starts,” Obama cautioned in his victory speech early Wednesday morning. “There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.”

Obama will have time. Americans traditionally afford their new presidents a honeymoon period. Considering the massive problems his new administration will face, it can’t possibly be enough. And after all the confetti is swept away, Americans will not let the promises Obama made fade. They elected him to fulfill those promises, and they are many and big. But he has a mandate to try.

[dalokster70]

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[Marc Bennett]

A test

[Marc Bennett]

Another test

[Marc Bennett]

This is only a test.

[Marc Bennett]

This is only a test.

[benfrenchnyc]

Check.

[thelastvoter]

A Message to Governor Palin: As a Conservative Republican, I do not like the way you were treated by both the media and those bums inside the Republican Committee and McCain Campaign -- no reflection on Senator McCain himself -- and when those bums are identified publicly, and they will be identified, I can guarantee you that they will no longer have a place in the Republican Party. Why? Because those bums, along with that corrupt crowd on Capiol Hill and Wall Street, have sold out America, and they have no business advising any candidate, period. I hope that once they are identified publicly, Americans give them the same treatment that they gave Governor Palin. She has thick skin -- they don''''t. This is a message from a Republican who in hindsight thanks the Democrats for helping clean out those Washington politicians who have strayed from Republican principles, and this includes most of the Bush Administration.

[thelastvoter]

Congratulations to the Obama Campaign Team! As a Conservative Republican, I voted for Senator McCain. Your campaign was well organized, focused, and though you had most of the press and media with you, Senator Obama was able to handle himself with class throughout the campaign and the debates. If the Bush Administration and those Republicans in Congress had shown your discipline when it came to government spending and Conservative ideals, including oversight of the Congressional banking and finance committees when they were in charge between 2000 and 2006, this election might have turned out differently. %u201CMy Republicans%u201D, with a number of exceptions, did not deserve to be re-elected, and it was ashamed that the McCain-Palin ticket got caught in the %u201Ccrossfire%u201D, because both McCain and Palin were two decent candidates who could have helped our nation. I hope that the Obama supporters recognize that our nation is nearly %u201Cbankrupt%u201D and therefore, they should not push the president-elect to keep promises that might have to be delayed for some time. Give him time and let him lead at his own pace. Again, Congratulations to all of those Obama supporters that I gave a rough time to on this blog. It was a fun campaign.

[ajmarine111]

You are comparing the intelligence of Caribou Barbie with The former editor of the Harvard Law Review!!!??? The Magna *** Laude Harvard Law School graduate!!!??? The Scholar and College professor of Constitutional law!!!???

Posted by joezap5 at 01:46 AM : Nov 06, 2008


Yes, I am comparing her to a Junior Senator who has never run anything and done nothing but run for President.

I wish Obama all the luck in the world, but I still say if people say he is qualified to run for President, so was Sharah.

[megawhy]

You voted for Socialism and you got it. Just a matter of time for Obama to reveal who he really is.

Now you will have to live with confiscation of your 401k, the rush to take money out of the market to survive ObamaNation, higher taxes in every area (Expect to pay 70% of your income in various taxes - we pay about 50% now.

We will get the "change" you voted for...cancer of our once great country. It is sad to see.

[kevnkar]

I used to have some respect for Republicans, but now they seem to be a bunch of draft dodging, AM Radio conspiracy theorist, spoiled rich kid, self-hating closet ***!

I am a republican. There is no draft to dodge! I don''t listen to AM radio. I definitely am not rich nor a kid. I don''t hate myself and I am straight. If you can''t speak intelligently, get off!

[kevnkar]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06expect.html

NY Times article saying Obama camp trying to dampen expectations. They are already setting up the out for Obama not to keep his promises and to go ahead and persue his real agenda instead of the false, close to center position he campaigned and won on.

[onarollagain]

Wall Street is continuing to pull out...serious investors know to take the profit now and only pay 85% cap rather than what Osama wants to increase the tax to on cap gains...the middle class has been duped and are going to get seriously hurt under this socialist.

So hold on to your hats; history was really made...the worst ever loss after a presidential election continues today....wise American investors know what he is going to do to them so they are getting out!! The facts speak for themselves....suckers!! America has been duped!!

Year Dow S&P Nasdaq President elect
2008 -5.05 -5.27 -5.53 Barack Obama
2004 +1.01 1.12 0.98 George W. Bush
2000 -0.41 -1.58 -5.39 No decision: G.W. Bush v Al Gore*
1996 1.59 1.46 1.34 William Clinton
1992 -0.91 -0.67 0.16 William Clinton
1988 -0.43 -0.66 -0.29 George H. W. Bush
1984 -0.88 -0.73 -0.32 Ronald Reagan
1980 1.70 1.77 1.49 Ronald Reagan
1976 -0.99 -1.14 -1.12 James Carter
1972 -0.11 -0.55 -0.39 Richard Nixon
1968 0.34 0.16 --- Richard Nixon
1964 -0.19 -0.05 --- Lyndon Johnson
1960 0.77 0.44 --- John Kennedy

[ken3331]

You voted for higher taxes. You%u2019re going to pay them too%u2026 just like me. You voted for more government and less freedom. You voted for cuts in military spending as we fight 2 wars against a committed enemy. You voted for the same people and policies that have devastated the housing market and our economy. You have given the reins of power to the most under qualified, inexperienced and dubious candidate in our lifetime. This is not debatable. You chose an unknown quantity over a giant who has spent his life in service to America and who in the words of your own standard bearers has the right stuff for the presidency.

All that being said, what is done is done. Enjoy your victory, but as the euphoria fades, remember the ball is now in your court. There will be no George Bush or any republicans to blame now. It%u2019s now time to put up or shut up. I for one will give President elect Obama and this new administration the benefit of the doubt but I and my conservative brethren will be watching closely and if and when things go awry we will know exactly where to lay the blame.



Congratulations. Good luck and God Bless

[grumpas]

It would be nice if there were some sane person out there rather than a right wing whack job theblackman9! It''s that sort of sickness is why they are no longer in power. People are growing tired of all the venom and hate!

[worstever2]

By the long faces around the office you would think Satan himself had been elected. I guess they belived that GOP self serving propaganda, but thats another story.

For the most part these long faces belong to some good people, who truely have the best interest of America at heart.

Not to dismiss their concerns, but be aware that on other side of the aisle we have existed for the past eight years.

We too love our country deeply, and I personally knew that Bush was going to be a trainwreck before he took office. Anyone who could read, with an open mind could have come to that conclusion.

But we have lived with your same anguish and dispair for the past eight years ....... so grow a spine ....... learn to live with it.

We have.

You are disparing about what MAY happen.

We have witnessed the winds of war grow, when the world said leave it alone. Now, all but the most stupid know this was a huge mistake.

[dredigga]

Most of the news stations were liberal. So they did what their bosses told them to do. DON''''T INVESTIGATE OUR ONLY CHANCE TO GAIN CONTROL AGAIN, PEOPLE MIGHT WISE UP.

Posted by insite4u

I am at a loss why the GOP faithful continue to blame the media and the DEMs. The fact-of-the-matter is that you guys and your views are out of touch with most of mainstream America. Instead of looking at yourselves internally, you continue to bash the media for perceived bias against your party. You folks need to wake up and accept that soon you are going to be a permanent minority party unless your conservative platform becomes more inclusive. I saw during the conventions that you were going to lose simply by observing the demographics in the respective audiences. The GOP''s consisted of mainly ederly whites while the DEMs had a broad representive audience. They looked more like America and reflected the diversity of this great nation.

[pony1225]

VOTE FOR CHANGE! IMPEACH OBAMA!
VOTE FOR CHANGE! IMPEACH OBAMA!
CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE,
IMPEACH OBAMA!!
IMPEACH OBAMA!!
IMPEACH OBAMA!!

[joezap5]

Sarah did not even know Africa was a continent -- care to try again?

Posted by misha128 at 10:17 PM : Nov 05, 2008



Obama said there were 57 states,.....I think they are even.




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Posted by AJMarine111 at 10:39 PM : Nov 05, 2008

You are comparing the intelligence of Caribou Barbie with The former editor of the Harvard Law Review!!!??? The Magna *** Laude Harvard Law School graduate!!!??? The Scholar and College professor of Constitutional law!!!???

AJMarine111, Did you get all, or just part, of your education from AM Radio?

[joezap5]

The first mandate will be more stalls and less urinals.
The liberals are feeling empowered.
Now they can squat and not feel intimidated by real men.



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Posted by onagros at 12:35 AM : Nov 06, 2008

I used to have some respect for Republicans, but now they seem to be a bunch of draft dodging, AM Radio conspiracy theorist, spoiled rich kid, self-hating closet ***!