David Gergen: Obama Is a Leader of Enormous Potential, but He Can’t Do It Alone
Reader Comments
lick, lick, lick,lick
just more of the liberal media licking the boots of the far left liberals who are after nothing more than power and prestige for themselves at any expense, even our countries. We are wathching the economic ruin of America at the hands of Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the media. For what? An elitist class, where the masses won't be judged "smart enough" to know what is in their own best interest, and will need the Liberals to do all our thinking for us. That will come at the expense of our liberty, our property, our freedom, and justice. Good-by America, hello the new age of liberalism, inequality, and perversion of truth.
What about the Press?
Mr Gergen,
While you are quick (and partially correct) to describe the vacuum of leadership we have in our country, you fail to mention our most glaring gap - the American press. Our "news" reporters have become laughably partisan and biased and have dropped the ball completely on what used to be their chief deliverable - unbiased news and commentary. Here's a challenge for you: Read your article then ask yourself if this sounds like the work of a fair and impartial reporter or that of a partisan, narrow-minded person looking to push a particular view. C'mon, give it a try!
350 billion bailout
Saw your comment on the bailout which has no oversight and accountability.
Do you this is justifiable just because it was needed as an emergency measure?
We seem to be making the same mistake again
Don't forget over regulation
Mr. Gergen,
I enjoyed your article and agree about the need for leadership, but please don't view the past with a "head in the sand" approach. If so, we will fail to learn from the mistakes of our past. Your observation in the first paragraph of "congressional Democrats and Republicans who were looking the other way" is only half true. One of the key factors at the root of this avalanche of financial instability was the legislative action by congressional Democrats and Republicans, in the mid-1990s, to impose special interest social engineering through changes to the Community Revitalization Act (CRA). The impact of this acute case of over regulation and financial institution coercion became further magnified when both congress and the executive branch failed to redress that over regulation after dire warnings were sounded in the late 1990s and post Y2K. So, congress failed on two counts - at a minimum: looking away and too much hands on.
America's future is bright one
On November 5, Americans reinforce my belief that this is a unique country. By electing Barrack Obama as the first President of United States, The American people clearly demonstrated that they are willing and ready to rise to challenges that lie ahead. We have been living in vacuum of leadership in the last decade and now we come to realize that we desperately need new direction for the future of our country. And we believe that Obama has the vision and the judgment to focus our attention to restoring American economic and moral leadership in the world.
So far I have been very impressed with the team that Obama has assembled so far. However, what we are going through right now is a crisis that is on the scale we have not seen in over half a century. It is a golden opportunity to look at our capitalist system with fresh eyes and have the courage to demand radical changes
I therefore, believe that this is a unique opportunity in our life time for our president elects Obama to enlist the American people to make transformational changes to our energy, education and health care system. And if he succeed to make the changes he promised during the campaign, there is no reason why we should not be able to overcome this crisis and prosper in the future. I look at this current financial crisis as a blessing for without it, we might have not elected Obama as the first African American President. It was the sense of urgency that made the majority of the American people to transcend race and vote for hope. And as result, I feel very optimistic that Americans will overcome this crisis and emerge stronger than ever. In recent years many have been saying that American century of dominance is coming to an end. I, on the other hand, always believe that American strength has always been its ability to revamp its self. So let us rally behind our new leader and help him make changes that are paramount for our future. And if he succeeds in carrying his agenda, from fixing our health care system to establishing our moral leadership in the world, we would look at this crisis as blessing; for it forces our leaders to address the big issues that affect our daily life. I am therefore; very optimistic that America's future is bright one.
Gergen is wise and on target
I too have great respect for you, David Gergen. I did watch CNN during the election specifically waiting to hear your comments on the events of the day. You always provide thoughtful and wise commentary on what we face as we try to move past the disastrous Bush/Cheney years. Obama has a nearly impossible mission ahead of him due to the criminal negligence of Bush as he hid in the White House from his mistakes and did nothing to correct them. The Iraq War was a betrayal. It was a lie to Congress, to the American people and to the United Nations. More than 10,000 soldiers have died for this lie and many more have been maimed and mentally devastated. Bush never once attended a single funeral of any soldier he sent to their death in Iraq. He is a coward. Both he and Cheney should be tried on the international stage by the Hague as war criminals. Bush vetoed every single piece of legislation the Democratic Congress tried to pass to head off this economic disaster. He did not care about the American people. His actions were totally political. Companies have also destroyed this economy through greed and by letting go of the most basic tenets of a successful business - remembering that your employees are your greatest asset. I watched my company, IBM, turn into a greed machine and destroy the lives of their employees to make that quarter's goals so the executives would get their bonuses. No one has given any consideration to the long-term future of a business or of our economy. They only cared about grabbing momentary gain and to let the future be someone else's problem. Now these same men and companies want us to bail them out? They should all lose their jobs with no severance pay or compensation. New management should be brought in and be forced by contract to rebuild these industries with focus on long-term objectives. For example, the auto industry should be made to retool their plants to build hybrid cars and then move onto new factories that build cars that are totally non-oil dependent. We do need an Energy Technology revolution and this is a great place to start. No more dominance by the oil companies. They are the past. I do see Obama as a combination of JFK in his optimism for our nation and an FDR in his pragmatic approach to getting people back to work through WPA-like infrastructure jobs. We need to be a nation of skilled workers again not one that only consumes and produces nothing. I am so tired of the ignorant hateful Republican words against Obama before he has even taken Office. Their hatred is misplaced. They should look in the mirror and to the President now living in the White House and decide to stop the hatred and help save this country. Obama will need our support as a people who pull together, as a Congress who stops the games, throws out the special interest groups and passes important legislation quickly for jobs, healthcare, and to end this ridiculous War. We need responsible industry leadership with a conscience.God help us.
U.S Citizens need to have critical media
With respect
One very good step for United States citizens would be a healthy exchange of dialogue in your media about all the serious events that have gotten your country so deeply mired in debt and a massive amount of negative world opinion. You will not easily recover from either.
Your media only tolerates a societal unilateral approach and those who disagree are labelled unpatriotic or worse. You have lost, but you would not admit it, your freedom of speech and the ability to discuss openly before serious events happen what the consequences are likely to be.
As an aside an slightly off topic, I will mention that the United States is not American and your citizens are not the only Americans. Canada and Mexico and other Latin American countries are also Americans.
We are Canadians. Our country is Canada
Your are United States citizens. Your country if the United States. Call us Canucks. Call youselves Yankees.
Truths
The comment made my Joseph Michaels has a ring of truth.Unfortunately there are too many executives that have gone beyond greed ( for a lack of a better term) that recovery won't happen anytime soon. No human being is capable of fixing all the problems we have and see today not only in the US but around the world. Only Divine Intervention will accomplish what most humans earnestly desire; peace, justice, security, prosperity,which will result in our happiness.
Leadership
David,
You are THE BEST!!
It has been a such privilege istening to your comments during the campain and now. I have found you to be very honest, fair and so wise beyond your years. Honestly, you are the reason I start watching CNN because your opinion has been the truth that has helped me make up my mind about who I voted for. I agree with you, PE Obama has great protential, but he can't do it alone that's why I am so impressed with his team of leader is surrounding himself with.
I believe PE Obama can use someone with your expertise and wisdom in his cabinet because you 're always right on. why don't you apply? You said it yourself it will take all of us.
