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Democrats lower expectations reports The Hill. Well that sure didn’t take long and the usual suspects speak up. “The country must be governed from the middle,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. Pelosi she will emphasize “civility” and “fiscal responsibility” in the 111th Congress. While for his part, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said “There is a wave of hope that swept the country … not a mandate for any hope or ideology, but a mandate to get things done.” The usual lame excuse of not having the votes in the Senate have already emerged as well. The point of politics is to find the votes. That’s Reid’s job.
And the NY Times chimes in with Obama aides tamp down expectations.
President-elect Barack Obama has begun an effort to tamp down what his aides fear are unusually high expectations among his supporters, and will remind Americans regularly throughout the transition that the nation’s challenges are substantial and will take time to address…
While the energy of his supporters could be a tremendous political asset as Mr. Obama works to enact his agenda after taking office in January, his aides said they were looking to temper hopes that he would be able to solve the nation’s problems or fully reverse Bush administration policies quickly and easily…
They said they would discourage the traditional yardstick for measuring the accomplishments of a new president – the first 100 days. Mr. Obama told an interviewer toward the end of his campaign that it was more appropriate to talk about the first 1,000 days.
The LA Times adds Downturn and deficit could hinder Obama’s economic plan. “Barack Obama was elected with a mandate for economic change on a scale that hasn’t been seen in decades… But insiders say Obama may have to mediate between opposing camps on his own economic team. Moderates are cautioning against stimulus efforts that might sharply increase the budget deficit, while others are urging the kinds of aggressive measures associated with President Franklin Roosevelt.”
But despite the challenges ahead, here is some potentially good news. McClatchy Newspapers report Big business prepares for a less friendly Washington. They’re on the defensive.
Four at Four continues with news of Iraq and Afghanistan, Sarah Palin as senator, High speed rail in California, and a bonus story about the potential for White House slumber parties.