Respecting the Office of President

With less than a week to go before Barack Obama takes office, it's time to mention some things that some may want to hear, some may ignore and some may outright laugh at but must be said anyway.

The inauguration of Obama will be an historic time for this country; a time that many never thought would come. For those men and women who suffered under the oppression of outright racism and bigotry it will be a time to begin the healing process and gain a sense of closure perhaps. We have elected an African-American to the highest office in the world and it was done through democratic means that in some minds may have been shady in some respects but the cleanest democratic system the world has ever known. Remember when the liberal blogosphere was talking about Bush suspending the 2008 election and naming himself President for Life ala Hugo Chavez? They look even more stupid now than they did then.

You may recall that when George W. Bush was elected in 2000, the left of this country went nuts and they swore to make his job as difficult as possible. In concert with the media they made every success a failure and every failure a catastrophe. It became a sport to them and they weren't stopping until the man was destroyed. They never once gave him the benefit of the doubt; even in the horrible days following 9/11. They accused him of planning and carrying out the September 11th events as a precursor to invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan and acted as though he watched--voyeur-like--while torture was taking place. In short, they hated the man and disrespected the office he was rightfully elected to.

I don't want to see that happen with us on the right. We are too smart and too moral to allow things like this to occur. The left allowed themselves to be infected with Bush Derangement Syndrome and it ate them up to the point that there was barely anything that could be recognized as human remaining. The allowed the hate to corrode their souls and it's left them a bitter group.

We, on the other hand, know right from wrong and know that regardless of what we think of Obama, he's generally a decent man and not a dumb one at that. He does have the best interest of the US at heart but sometimes his ideology (or advisers) may take his heart to the wrong place. He will take office as a president at war in two nations (although one has essentially been won by his predecessor for all intents and purposes) and facing a dire economic situation. He's looking at major corporations tanking daily and whole industries disappearing overnight. Tough times indeed.

I'm hoping Obama can get this thing fixed as I'm sure Bush would have if he'd had the time. It's good if people are working and making money because that's what is good for the nation and keeps us strong. If Obama gets the credit than so be it. If we capture bin-Laden or Zawahiri a week from Friday, that's fantastic and I'll give Obama his props.

What I'm getting at in my typical long-winded fashion is that as Conservatives and Republicans, we want America to be great. We want our nation to be a beacon and an example for the planet. It really doesn't matter if it is Obama leading us there or Bush. In the near term, the media will credit Obama for every good and Bush for every bad, we know that and will comment on it accordingly. History will judge Bush and I believe that it will vindicate him for a great many things. Look at how history is already relegating Bill Clinton to the dustbin of mediocrity only eight years removed from office when he was hailed as an outgoing saint on inauguration day 2001.

Let's be better than those liberals and Democrats on the left. Sure, I'll continue to be Obama's biggest critic and will slam him when it's rightfully deserved. But I won't play that game of getting into personal attacks on him, his children (as the media and liberals did with Barb and Jenna) and his wife. Let's remain the side of ideas and not the side of hate and misery. We saw what it did to the likes of the Kossacks and the half-brains at Arianna's snooze-fest, we should police ourselves and not let it happen to us. We lost, we accept it and we move on and try to get ourselves viable again.

You will never see me blaming President Obama for the deaths of our soldiers or instantly believe every vile thing written because it would make me exactly like them. I go to their sites and feel like I need to spray my laptop with Lysol. Their collective soul is dead.

Remember, respect the office even if you don't respect the office holder.