Explaining Obama-mania to Your Kids

For those of us who have been giving the same speech to our children for the past 8 years - George Bush is our president and we have to show him respect, despite the fact that we wholeheartedly disagree with him on many many issues, it was a relief to take pride in an inauguration rather than be embarrassed. While I agree that there was some overkill and that Pres Obama is not the Messiah - you can not argue that for the first time in a long time - there is hope and optimism.

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I'd have to say (as a D.C.-area resident) and a former member of the media that, as usual, the media doesn't create the news, it covers it. What would we all be saying right now if the media had exercised its collective right to all stay home and not cover the inauguration at all? With 1.5 million people on the Mall to see the inauguration, it would have been news, no matter who it was that took the oath.

Would Sen. McCain have gotten the attention of the country the way that Pres. Obama has? Doubt it, but TV coverage is hardly to blame for that. I'm so tired of every conservative in America shrieking "Liberal media bias!" every single time a camera gets pointed at a Democrat that I could just scream.

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I mean, yeah, I probably have more money than three of you put together though I got not a penny of support from my family once I went to college at 16. And yeah, I have worked long hours and yeah, I have more education and I've done more traveling than the vast majority of Americans. And the reason I'm comfortable is the choices I've made and the grace of God. There's no other reason for it. And my memory is exceptional. That's an objective fact. I also don't tell lies. How then, could I possibly disagree with you? I can understand your profound confusion on that point.

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Blah blah blah....you could also say it was similar to the super bowl because there were lots of people...in the same place...and have faith in their team.

They're just trying to tie Obama to Islam again

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I agree 100000 precent... If McCain won there would have been that much coverage as well. Reason being that we would have had our first FEMALE vice president in history! Even if McCain won I as a historian would have been tuned into live that moment in history. Either way history would have been no matter who won

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I think you are just sore that Obama's not anti choice, or you'd be as ecstatic too! What you term as "Obama-mania" is, in my view, somewhat reminiscent of the fanfare of the Kennedy presidency. Frankly, I didn't always get what I saw when I studied that era in school. However, in this case, first and foremost, there is the historical greatness of the momentthat we must let our citizens (of all colors) drink in as leisurely as they'd like.

But it's also just this simple: If you take a nation, subject it to 8 years of a Bush/Cheney administration, a war (LIVES LOST and HUNDREDS of MILLION DOLLARS spent; much more than for one night of Obama/Biden's inaugural events), a FEMA that inexcusably failed our citizens in New Orleans, an unprecedented deficit our children will inherit, rising unemployment, thousands of layoffs, a lack of healthcare insurance for 44 million Americans, a market crash, foreclosures and 4 and 5 digit credit card debt (per family) in an era of complete greed and zero financial accountability, people are just finally happy to be happy again, to see a President who cares about the well being of all people, not just the rich ones, or just the fanatically religious ones. This is a trend that history bears out - Americans tend to vote for Democrats after they perceive (right or wrong) that Republicans have driven this country into the ground.

This week we were finally inspired and uplifted. So far our new President has rolled up his sleeves and issued significant new ethics rules for his administration and froze his senior officials' salaries. There is so much more to do but I'd say his actions speak volumes and he is leading by example. (If he stops doing that, I will be the first to complain very loudly!) And yes, you are right, it is wrong to naively think any one man or woman is the answer to our prayers, and we should always question our leaders' actions, especially when they put us at war when there is a complete paucity of weapons of mass destruction (President Obama openly opposed his predecessor on this when it wasn't politically convenient to do so). But if all this Obama-mania bothers Republicans, they should be mindful of this the next time their party is privileged to be in the White House!

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If there is a tax you can name, Obama wants to raise it, regardless of the consequences to the economy.Obama felt it necessary and appropriate to argue that it is OK to let living babies suffer and die in order to protect a non-existent threat to his support of roe .“Whiteness is the symbol of the antiChrist. Whiteness characterizes the activity of deranged individuals intrigued by their own image of themselves and thus unable to see that they are what is wrong with the world. Black theology seeks to analyze the satanic nature of whiteness and by doing so, prepare all nonwhites for revolutionary action.”..... Obama is a monster...

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Rachel--

Please continue to speak your mind! I am a Catholic, conservative, true "stay at home" mother of three (three year old twins and 1 yr. old). I am so happy to have others who share my same views of this election/inauguration. I also wanted my oldest, although only three years old (almost 4) to understand the basics of what was going on. They may actually remember this man and I want them to know our family's views on him. We value human life and will never vote for anyone who supports abortion. However, respect for the presidency was also taught. I want them to grow up to respect others and their opinion, but to also stand firm on their own beliefs. Not an easy task today!

I would love to hear your thoughts on "preschool" and all day kindergarten--

My children will stay at home with me until they are in first grade. I do not and will not support all day kindergarten. I feel that it is a sneaky way to use our tax dollars for better "daycare". (I have an education degree so I am not ignorant as to the benefits of education that young. . .however, like they say, the benefits don't outweigh the risk.) Any why is it that people can use tax free dollars to pay for daycare? What about the stay at home moms? Can we use tax free dollars for babysitters? It seems like the government is rewarding two income families and punishing those that want to raise their children themselves.

Just some thoughts.

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