[classicman]

Interesting take:

ROOTING FOR OBAMA
THE NATION NEEDS THE HOPE

CALLS for national unity were rampant this week, as is common when the nation welcomes a new leader. But to boost our chances of overcoming the huge challenges we face, Americans - of every stripe - are going to have to take those calls seriously. And heed them long after President Obama's honeymoon ends.
Certainly, we'll have to treat our new prez a whole lot better than we did the last one. Republicans, in particular, will have to resist temptations for revenge, after Democrats savaged George Bush - and by extension, his party.

They'll have to watch the partisan attacks, cognizant of their effect on the nation's well-being. And let politics end at the water's edge, as it once did.

Republicans should admit, occasionally, when there's real progress for the country, abroad or at home. And never, ever root for national defeat, just to boost their own prospects.

Certainly the press will be kinder to Obama than it was to Bush
Think about it: When the press honestly reports America's victories, it saps the enemy's spirit and boosts our own. When folks point to light at the end of the economic tunnel, Americans gain heart, open their wallets - and indeed restart the economy. Already this month The New York Times cited economists predicting a "fast recovery." That's a welcome change, whether politically motivated or not.
He's been the media's man, too. And perhaps most important, Americans are rightly nervous about the days ahead. By now, we have little choice but to pray that he's our savior.
here may come a time when the press, the public and - who knows? - the whole world turn against Obama, as many did against Bush. And certainly, there's nothing wrong with legitimate, responsible policy debate; that's normal - and healthy.

But for now, everyone's got a big stake in the new guy's triumph. Our common fate depends on it. So watch for more bullish news. Cheer it on. And feel free to credit the new president - generously.

Root for Obama. If he wins, we all do.