Blogocentric Formulations

Christmas at the White House

Right now, I'm watching the Christmas at the White House, Oprah's holiday special on ABC. Despite my usual policy of not watching or listening to Oprah, I got sucked into it since my wife wanted to watch. Despite what is thought about President Obama's effectiveness and policies since taking office in January, I have to admit that they've brought a certain dignity back to the presidency. The Bush Administration (again, without trying to get into a political policy debate) had a standoffish feel to it and was marred by a president with countless bloopers, blunders, and bungles in everything from press conferences to casual conversations.

What I'm grateful for this year is a President that people can look up to again. Obama (and his wife) are well-educated, well-spoken, and seem to have a desire for at least some level of transparency and interaction with the public. It's nice to have someone in office who isn't seen as a punchline and who inspires people to achieve great things. Only time will tell whether his policies - and therefore his presidency - are worth remembering... but for now, I'm content to have our country led by someone who inspires people to try harder and achieve more.