A Bumpy Start

While I am not a Bush fan, any person with common sense and intelligence about the vital role our ocean has in giving life to this planet, from the air we breathe, the fish we eat and the economies that depend on the ocean's resources, would not make such stupid remarks about "visiting a seabed". If we do not protect the ocean using one of man's best tools, through national marine sanctuaries, than we are all in trouble. Bush did something right during his Presidency, let's hope Obama will do more for ocean conservation. Fineman should get out of DC sometime and smell the saltwater. Maybe he can learn something new for a change.

Grear Article. Everyone seems to think that they have elected a saviour, but we are in line to see history repeat intself. I watched an interview on the today show concerning an author who had written a book on how the democrats are always the victim. Matt Lauer never gave her a chance to epress herself. He was very rude and kept over talking her. I won't waste my time ever watching any NBC news including the lodal stations, since they have to try and shove their agendas down everyone's throats. We'll see what great rewards we reap out in the upcoming 4 years. I would bet that the wars, rumors of wars and allo the other pestilence will increase, because of our greed. Maybe some of you monguls out there should go into the Holy Bible and see how prophesy is fulfilling and will not be denied. Then just maybe you will have an idea of what you are talking about. You say Bush this and Bush that, but did you ever stop and think you had a Congress that was also involved in this.

Well, I thought Obama was gonna get me laid. Here it is, January 8th, and that hasn't happened yet. Sorry I voted for him. Funny, isn't it, how Howard laments the fact that college teams have too much time to engage in mischief after the end of their seasons, and then goes on to do the SAME mindless thing.

While I am not a Bush fan, any person with common sense and intelligence about the vital role our ocean has in giving life to this planet, from the air we breathe, the fish we eat and the economies that depend on the oceans resources, would not make such stupid remarks about a "visiting a seabed". If we do not protect the ocean using one of mans best tools, through national marine sanctuaries, than we are all in trouble. Bush did something right during his Presidency, let's hope Obama wil do more for ocean conservation. Fineman should get out of DC sometime and smell the saltwater. Maybe he can learn something new for a change.

Roy Warm is a condescending idiot. "inintelligent people listen to Fox".......right.

Howard, why don't you investigate the subprime mortgage fiasco and Wall Street scandal and see where it leads. You can't do it, because it leads to Schumer, Frank, and Dodd. Why is the economy totally tanking and the housing market in shambles? Come on, really! Clinton made the banks lend to people with no money, let's talk about it.

Now brace yourselves everyone, including Roy Scrawn, Chicago politics is coming to Washington. Obama is not the President, Richard Daley is. See how Reid and "Nazi Pol Pot" Durbin caved on the Burris deal? Daley called Obama and said make it go away.

God help us!

Like others below, I like Mr. Fineman, but agree that he and the otherwise interesting MSNBC crowd stand on the threshold of holding Barack Obama responsible for failing to resolve the ineptitudes of the Bush Administration from a suite in the Hays-Adams Hotel. Rather than being picked apart for not doing this exactly as these commentators would have like, the President-elect should be given recognition for his apparently historically unprecedented forray into the policy and leadership vaccuum created by a predecessor who, with all due respect, left office months ago. Mr. Fineman, again with all due respect, Barack Obama is not off to a rocky start on that which he has not yet started but, rather is doing his best to fill a leadership void unseen in modern times. Would you like to be responsible for your editor's misteps after he announces his retirement but before he leaves?

Roy Warm is a condescending jerk. "Unintelligent people listen to Fox"..........right.
Howard, if you really want something to sink you teeth inot instead of President Bush and the seabeds (Admit it, if he even remotely tried to do ANYTHING of substance before Obama is inagurated you'd absolutely scewer him!), look into the subprime lending and wall street mess, it all leads to your budies Schumer, Frank and Dodd.

You can't do it, can you? And now, brace yourselves everyone! Chicago politics is coming to DC. Did you see how Reid and Durbin backed down on the Burris issue. Obama got a call from Daley, and that's that!

God help us.

Bumby? He's doing the best anyone could be expected to do after the mess he's been handed.

How could you call this a bumpby start. He is President-Elect Obama , has not been sworn in as President, and already he's pounced on. President-Elect Obama has been done a tremendous job of keeping America informed on the issues that are impacting our lives -- economy, jobs, and health care. One thing you are right about are the Democrats giving him a hard time. I believe he's done a tremendous job in the selection of his cabinet . The Feinsteins of the Congress need to sit back and let him move forward without a lot of whinning from them. He has the economy, two wars and a whole host of other issues when he takes office January 20. He can't be held responsible for the outcome of Richardson and Bullis. Why don't you applaud President-Elect Obama for what he is doing under these trying circumstances with a lame-duck President in office. Let's write on some of the positives please and support him!!!

The problem here is that the media, Howard Fineman included, have little of significance to talk about after the election. These are trivialities. Spare us the need to stop, in bored disgust, reading or listening half-way through. Take a vacation. Talk about the new White House dinnerware. Visit Fox News, where intelligent people won't be listening. But spare us from trivial issues..

We are ALL guilty of looking through the prism of perfection when judging Obama. Actually, his transition has went smoother than any in recent history. The Richardson story is a given. There will always be one or two cabinet members you have to replace. The Burris story was NOT his fault. Obama can't account for a dishonarable governor who uses others to get what he wants. I'll give Barack an A- for how he has conducted himself through the transition. He has to staff a new government (7000+ employees) plus the presidency is changing from republican to democrat. Give the guy a break! You will have plenty of time to criticize down the road.

I think it is premature to say Obama has started out bumpy. Until January 20, Obama is in transition, with all the confusion, mishaps and uncertainties that come with transitions. I think Obama is the first President-Elect I have seen that is being judged as if he is President before he has actually sat in the Presidential chair at the Oval Office. It would be great if the media would at least let the man get swore in before making him responsible for the ridiculous people and situations that are around him.

The problem here is that the media, Howard Fineman included, have little of significance to talk about after the election. These are trivialities. Spare us the need to stop, in bored disgust, reading or listening half-way through. Take a vacation. Talk about the new White House dinnerware. Visit Fox News, where intelligent people won't be listening. But stop creating issues from nothing out of the ordinary.

Howard, you are the most insightful and incisive of commentators, essential reading for me and many for a long long time.

And now you have made the wise choice to abandon the bottle of Kiwi black and let your hair go distinguished, Bravo, sir.

If you are going to be a "writer", please endeavor to write something substantial, informative, inspirational, or at least questioning --- with some "meat" on the bones of hyperbole. Were I your Poly Sci teacher, I would grade this as C-, as it is more fitting for the National Enquirer than something from a respected journalistic source like Newsweek. I can only hope you move on to another profession.

It's January 8th for God's sake. Give the man a chance. He isn't even the president yet and you're criticizing him. Nicely done.

People who cover political figures in the press, are sort of like Movie Critics. They are not able to do the job the politician is doing, so they criticize. What a JERK.

Only you and other conservatives call this a bumper start. Maybe you and your little group, who gave us * more than BUMPY years, should take a look at what America thinks of our newly elected President and you will ALL see your opinions do not jive with the rest of the 350,000,000 plus Americans. Stop sucking on your sour grapes and do what any GOOD American does...support the President of the United States!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Americans have just enough British genetics to enable us to push ahead despite our imperfections. As Sir Winston Churchhill would put it even today, "this [may be] [their] finest hour." Let us join together in celebration of the things we did and do get right, and for the rest of it, well every president as nothing more to offer than "blood, sweat and tears", we the people now need to stand up together and make the same offer. As President Kennedy said, "Now is the time for all good men [and women] to come to the aid of their country."