Is Obama deliberately outrunning his detractors?

[Anonymous]

He seems to be shoving so many controversial decisions through the system that I wonder if it's calculated. In his first 100 days, he issued a slew of executive orders, many of which were in topics that usually get heavy coverage (global gag rule, stem cell research, SCHIP, Iraq timetable, etc.) I would have expected any one of those to create some heavy resistance. But it seemed like the news and the pundits and detractors were days later busy up to their necks in the stimulus. But that didn't last all that long (3-4 weeks), because they had to move to his foreign travel and speeches. But as soon as they started digging into Cuba or Chavez or "the bow" or whatever, he's back home releasing the torture memoranda.

Having seen Clinton get stalled very quickly in his first term over gays in the military and health care, I am surprised by how much controversial territory Obama has touched thus far, and I am wondering whether it was done deliberately to keep his opponents off balance and unable to focus a counterattack.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I was actually thinking something similar.

I think I know more about the Obama veggie garden and their new dog than I do about the Iraqi withdrawl (so, is it really going to happen...?).

The media doesn't help though - a great feel-good story (landing a plane safely in the Hudson, surviving a piracy hijacking) will bloat the media for days (don't get me wrong, I love hearing about heros) probably b/c of ratings, but it would be nice to have the analyzing coverage (and scrutiny) with the latest topics and decisions.

[Anonymous]

With Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, the fact that Obama's running at warp speed through an ambitious agenda should surprise no one. He knows he has two years with a majority in both houses, and this is the time he has to use to get as much accomplished as possible. By the mid-term elections, enough people will be upset by one Obama initiative or another that they will vote in a majority of Republicans in the House, Senate or both.

I judge the strength of his presidency on whether or not he manages to get health care reform passed. If so, he's golden. If not, he's going to be Clinton II. Goodbye, Obama. The Bush folk reversed almost everything Clinton did, but no administration would dare revoke health care for all Americans. That's why Bush was so afraid of health care reform, so much so that he wouldn't even let the government spend more money on health care for children. A shameful thing, but that's Republicans for you!