SOME OBAMA SUPPORTERS NOT EMBODYING THE CHANGE, YET
When this is all done with, so much of the current conventional wisdom is going to be re-written.
“Some people call me an Uncle Tom,” said Mr. Miller, who, up for re-election, faces an opponent next week whose literature includes a picture of Mr. Obama. “There’s a lot of pressure to switch sides. There’s a lot of emotion. All I can say is thank God it’s winter and no one is outside, because there would be more than angry words on the street.”
One cannot ignore the symbolic importance of an Obama win (done cleanly), but the hard work of race in the country will abide and need tending to. How the change in the symbolic landscape will be harnessed by a President Obama (and first lady Michelle), is perhaps a very much untold story.
OTHER CONVENTIONAL WISDOM LIKELY TO GET TESTED
One other piece of conventional wisdom that will ultimately be debunked: an improvement on the ground in Iraq will benefit the Republicans.
Somehow I doubt that the electorate is going to get all fired-up over "we were right, and the Democrats were wrong", when the result is the same: the troops are coming home. If Obama plays his cards right, this door will be open to him.
My guess is that, as soon as the troops are on the trajectory to come home, the Nation isn't up for a rehash of "yesterday's politics". It is also easy to suspect that this may be why Petreaus will request more of the same, as a possible electioneering ploy (yes, one can easily mistrust them THAT much, sorry).
IT'S HARD TO STAY MAD AT JOHN McCAIN
Meanwhile, it's hard to stay mad at John McCain, yes? Today, he vehemently called himself a "proud conservative liberal-Republican", before correcting himself with a fine bit of self-deprecating humor.
I swear, even these faux pas are more endearing than 1,000 of Bush's wry smirks and impish talk-downs.
