Two weeks on . . .

Obama has had two weeks now since the election. So far there's not much indication of what his response is going to be. Screaming headlines from Huffington Post (which tends to sensationalize, much as I like it as a general source) proclaimed yesterday that he was going to try to make amends with the Chamber of Commerce. My question is: Why?

There's more talk of bipartisanship -- didn't we go that route? Haven't the Repubs already said it loud and clear that their #1 priority is to see that Obama is a one-term president?

On the other hand, there are some hopeful signs -- and I hope I'm not just being wildly idealistic, as I've been known to be.

1. According to Eric Alterman writing in The Nation: Obama is still the most popular practicing politician in American, and his polls remain roughly where Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagen were during their mid-term elections.

2. A New York Times poll shows that while Obama's approval rating is around 43%, about 60% say they are optimistic about the second half of his term, and almost 70% predict that the current downturn will be temporary.

3. A new poll released yesterday of voters in that uber-swing state Virginia give Obama an 11% advantage in 2012 matchups with Palin and Gingrich and a 5% advantage against either Romney or Huckabee. And that is Virginia !!

4. John Podesta of the Center for American Progress (and former Clinton aide) lists 10 things that Obama could do that will not require action by Congress, including: (a) using the new consumer protection agency to go after the banks; (b) focus on implementing provisions in the health care law (polls show that, although they think they are opposed to the reform, when asked about individual provisions, people actually favor them); (c) use the Small Business Jobs Act to create more jobs; (d) stop enforcing DADT by executive order, even if it is not repealed; (e) refocus the mission in Afghanistan on diplomatic progress; (f) promote automatic mediation in home foreclosure; and more.

5. My general feeling is that we have had a catharsis and that the sting is rapidly leaving the divisive rancor. People didn't so much elect Republicans or Tea Partiers as say: enough of this mess. Get something done -- jobs, jobs, jobs. High unemployment at mid-term is almost always an insurmountable factor.

Sure, the GOP leaders have to posture and the Tea Party/Constitution Party crowd have come with a mission. But the GOP leaders will have to face that problem for their future, and it seems to be as much a priority as stopping Obama. After all, if 3 more senate seats had flipped, they would control the Senate -- and you can count at least three cases where Tea Party candidates beat out more mainstream Republicans in the primaries, only to be beat by the Democrat in the general election. So some are saying they cost the GOP control of the Senate.

An early indication that the GOP leaders are not going to cave to the fringe is that Michelle Bachman's bid for a leadership position fell as flat a flatiron.

Of course, the crucial difference is going to be what Obama does and whether he can seize the moment. I am only very cautiously hopeful. What he does now will truly define his presidency.

Ralph