Charles M. Blow

@ jim, you are right he is one that I take time to watch when I can.

Just finished the appearance. Had a blast. Topics were all over the place.

Voltaire said, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." You, Charles, embody the essence of his statement more than most. I wish more commentators--both right and left--would tone down the rhetoric. I believe, as the ancient rabbis did, "if you take a path and stray too far to the right, you will ... Read Morefall into a raging fire and be consumed; if you stray too far to the left, you will plunge into a raging river of ice and freeze to death; the best way is to walk in the middle."

I'm also very pleased that you're getting so much media exposure. I just hope it will catapult you into the upper strata of writers--unless, of course, you're already there.

I think he was better looking black. Then again, he doesn't have to please me, does he.

It's creepy and as far as I'm concerned this is just another statement being made by another self-loathing black man. Him saying that there is shame in being black.

Obama is doing what he can - we can not sit in his chair. He may have an idea and have to try to pull it thru Congress, etc. where, no matter what - there will be dessent. All of these people want to be re elected, everyone has ties to industry and at this point it is very hard to find people who really do not have conflict of interests. Obama is ... Read Morea smart guy and doing the best he can. He inherited a mess that probably only Bubba can a few othes can fix(tho he may have started it). Nothing can be done rapidly in the U.S. Encouraging and suggesting ideas, I think, is the way to go. I wonder why a CCC or similar could not have been established rapidly, something for the arts- putting artists in schools, etc.

trying to achieve universal health coverage and encoutering so much opposition speaks for itself. As one of the NYT columnists mentioned the USA may be the only country where people need to work in order to be insured.

the spirit, excitement and the PUSH of the Presidential campaign should be reignited -it has been spoken about but people do not seem to have the same energies as they did before the election. A few strong people can make a lot of noise and create change - even in the Amurika.

Charles, I read your piece. I do not believe it presents 2 important factors. One being that this inherited mess that was handed off to Pres. Obama, was at the time of his inauguration, much bigger then anyone realized, and nobody at the time knew, and the second factor I believe is that this new President of ours has faced the type of opposition ... Read Moreto everything that he attempts similar to the opposition you might receive while mountain climbing in the Rockies during a large avalanche.
I think that the health care reform is a strong attempt to make this financial crisis mend, in the short term by providing jobs and in the long term by cutting costs to medicare, and the inflationary pricing that plagues the entire medical field. We will see what happens.
But mostly my reaction to your piece is the same reaction I had during Jimmy Carter's term and during Bill Clinton's term which is, why can't we let them be President for awhile. Why can't we, and mostly journalists, give the this elected official a little help with precisely the promises and the policies that you, in your piece examine. I think your piece is so well done, I just wanted to make my comments.

Then Rush Limbaugh must have an eidetic memory.

These findings ring true to me. The catch is, when I'm down, I remember a bunch of really painful stuff I don't WANT to remember! Stuff I'd be *much* better off forgetting, since there's nothing to be done about it now anyway.

Jealous may have found his voice..prior to this, he has struggled badly...good for Ben

Senator Jim Webb is working on an investigation of our entire criminal justice system, with the objective of restructuring it to make it work. The drug laws are a big part of the problem, as are race and class bias.

That would make a good column---where his project stands at this point.

Thanks, very good job, I don't have t.v. hook up so I appreciate the link!

You're right on!. I am still waiting for the change that I can believe in. The Obama Administration highlights the difficulty in bringing about real change in America. The special interests have such a stangle hold on policy makers and doers that protection of the status quo becomes a goal in itself.

I also reiterate what Barbara said...

I think America has had a pretty remarkable run of smart first ladies who were tremendous assets to their husbands. While I didn't like Barbara Bush much, I'm sure her astute political sense was a big plus for George HW. Hilary, pretty obvious. I was very impressed with Laura Bush, a very intelligent woman who just exuded grace and represented ... Read Moreour nation well, and I doubt George would have ever been even a governor without her counsel. And now, a first lady who has had one very impressive educational and career background, and is serving as a great role model for girls. If only our Presidents all had the same quality of character as our first ladies, we'd be a better country for it.

Really like the commentary Mr. Blow.

if that's true, Tony, I would say that either you voted for the president for the wrong reasons (to magically turn around the inept & entrenched ways of Washington in his first year) or you're not really paying attention to what President Obama has been accomplishing since his election.

Whatever President Obama has done so far, he is light years ahead of his predecessor.

Likely the fall was only in the Rasmussen poll and we know who runs that.

Here is my clip from the show http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#33404680