A Month in the Life

I was actually surprised at Obama's restraint in this regard. Bush is a polarizing figure whose post-Katrina presidency has left a bad taste in the mouth of nearly all Americans. Obama's entire platform ("change") is constructed in contrast to the previous 8 years of governance. In all honesty, he should have been hitting Bush/Cheney even harder than he did. Obama showed restraint in criticizing McCain, but he has no reason to restrain himself with regard to the current administration.

Did you notice how many times McCain derided the Bush/Cheney Administration?
 

I would feel better about Obama's change message if he had the courage to stand up to the dreadful abuses in his own party. Congress is a cesspool of special interest, incompetence, and corruption (yes, in both parties). I haven't heard a peep from Obama about change in Congress. Remember, the Democratic Congress is less popular than Bush. Even Clinton, with his considerable political skills, couldn't get a health care reform bill passed by a Democratic controlled Congress. Bush will be gone in 2009. Charlie Rangel, Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Ted Stevens (perhaps), William Jefferson, et. al. will still be there. That's a problem.
 

1) Don't forget that this is about winning an election, not governing. Bush is a much more prominent target than Pelosi. Obama also doesn't want to alienate his base.

2) And when it does come down to governing, Bush will be gone, but the new president will have to work with Pelosi, Reid, etc.