Closer

Almost there. 5 more days and the world changes forever. As it should. A few minutes ago I was reading a short news item about the fact that President Obama had dinner with some prominent conservatives the other night. That's a good thing and perhaps indicative of what we will see more often from his administration. What was disappointing were the comments from the usual malcontents that saw a plot behind the dinner; that, somehow, Obama was breaking with liberal ideals by breaking bread with conservatives. What idiocy!

I'm thinking, and I could be wrong, but we have a chance to have a presidency that unites us. Our president. Left and right, liberal and conservative alike are making a big mistake if they allow themselves to wallow in the rhetoric of hatred. I've been there; I don't like conservative thoughts or ideas and I'm always tempted to say exactly what I think about them and I've just spent the last eight years in frustration.

I already know that I'm not going to be happy with everything that Obama does. He's already frustrated me by indicating that it will be at least a year before the prison in Guantanamo is closed. And he hasn't given a clear signal about the possible prosecution of the Bush administration for 'war crimes'. I think he should.

But, everything is really speculation until the 21^st of January. And if Obama wanted to signal a clear change in direction, he could rescind the first executive order that W gave, back in 2001; the order that sealed all the papers of the past presidents. When W did that, 8 years ago, I knew right then just what kind of person we were dealing with and nothing he did ever surprised me from then on.