Change in the tone of Leadership in America

Could we finally be seeing a change in the tone of leadership in America? Let's hope so. Recent examples of inclusiveness and cooperation across party lines have been popping up everywhere. And the rejection of the exclusionary behavior of the past 8 years has been in retreat. Let's look at a few examples:

Inclusiveness Examples:

Executive Branch Republicans?--Putting Bob Gates and Ray LaHood into the Cabinet shows an effort from the incoming Obama administration to get input from all sides. Additionally, advisers like Jim Jones as National Security Advisor show an effort to present a united front from America to the world.

Hillary Clinton Hearings--this was the most heart-warming of all. Republicans have held out Hillary as the demon seed of all things Liberal and Democratic. "Hillary-care" is still a bad word in most GOP circles. Yet despite years of taking slings and arrows from the Right, the hearings really were pretty complimentary, mostly courteous, and the only real challenges came on Bill's financial dealings with the Clinton Global Initiative. To see her pass out of the Senate Committee with 16 of 17 Senators expressing their support shows that the tide has definitely turned here. Could we be seeing the end of the Clinton-bogeyman syndrome in the GOP?

Pastor Rick Warren--The pick of Rick Warren to give the Invocation at the Presidents inauguration was a curious one initially. The subsequent selection of Gene Robinson (the first openly gay Episcopal Bishop) to deliver the Lincoln Memorial Invocation this Friday sends a signal that to the gay community that the time for partisan fighting will NOT be during the inauguration ceremonies. Perhaps putting differences aside, even for a week, and enjoying the ceremonies could lead to a re-visiting of old issues, but with cooler heads. It couldn't hurt.

George Will Dinner--So, what is a Progressive agent of change like Barack Obama doing, having dinner with the likes of Larry Kudlow, Bill Kristol, George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks, and Peggy Noonan? For starters, open dialogue with the media, and more importantly, the Conservative Media helps the dialogue in a few ways. Obama has shown a willingness to consider alternative points of view (which he almost certainly received an earful of at dinner). And, Obama has paid lip service to the notion that good ideas will be implemented, no matter the source. The dinner was an olive branch to the other side that their ideas will be considered seriously. I think that's all a minority party can ask.


Exclusion Examples:

Rejection of Dick Cheney's recent commentary--As Dick Cheney has finally come out of hiding from his undisclosed location, we are starting to realize why we all hate this guy. He is so partisan, so divisive, and so delusional as to think that Guantanamo has been a well run facility, and a good idea, generally. That the Iraq War was justified, and that their terms in office have been free of any real mistakes. It's probably a sign of good things to come, that the American people so soundly rejected his party.

Rejection of George W. Bush's farewell tour--Like Cheney, Bush has also been trying to sell the public on his legacy of good steady leadership, and sound judgement. Only I don't see anyone taking the bait. It's a little sad and pitiful to watch, truth be told. But we can be sure that President Bush's farewell address tonight will include at least one or more reference to the following:

• 9/11
• "we haven't been attacked since 9/11"
• "Saddam was bad"
• 9/11
• "we liberated 50 million people"
• 9/11
• "52 months of uninterrupted growth in the economy"
• Did I mention 9/11?
• "No Child Left Behind"
• "I was a Wartime President"
• Oh, I almost forgot, 9/11

If we can all get through 8:30 tonight, we can start to focus on the idea that America can once again have an honest debate and dialogue. One where the rights of the minority are protected from the tyranny of the majority. It's an interesting concept. You may have heard of it, sometime before...wait for it....9/11 (ARGH!!!!).