Competent Government

Here's another take on yesterday's elections by Joel Achenbach of the WaPo. I think his take on the 'middle of the spectrum' voters also has merit:

There's nothing the Democrats can do about culture-warrior voters, the ones
who correctly perceive the Democrats as more liberal on issues such as gay
rights, guns, abortion, etc. Those folks are solidly in the GOP camp. But in the
middle of the spectrum are lots of people who want competent government that
doesn't overreach and pays for its programs. They vote on taxes, fiscal policy,
rational military strategy and government regulation that doesn't overly cramp
the free market. The caricature of Democrats for decades was that they were the
party of tax-and-spend and nosy government bureaucrats -- the Mommy Party and
all that. Bill Clinton assured the country that the era of Big Government was
over. But B.G. came back under Bush, got huger than ever during the economic
crash, and now we're looking at many trillions of dollars of red ink for the
coming decade. Obama and his allies have to persuade voters that they're serious
about reigning in the costs of their programs.

Seems to me that Obama himself is in much better shape, and there's no
compelling reason to think he won't win a second term. A double-dip recession
wouldn't help, but let's assume we'll climb out of this one and be back in
business in a couple of years. The Republicans don't seem to have anyone in his
league at the moment -- no one with the charm, intelligence, etc. Gingrich?
Palin? Ain't gonna happen; the center doesn't like smartypants politicians and
can smell crazy a mile away. Mitt Romney? Fatal authenticity problems. Pawlenty?
Um, who dat?

The presidency is unique in this era in that it is not simply a policy job.
This is the face of our nation on the world stage and in everyone's living room.
The president has to represent us in ways large and small. Whatever you think of
his policies, Obama has been graceful and dignified. Thoughtful. Presidential.
And so the people who celebrated so wildly a year ago can feel good about that.