Preparing for Very Slow Change

By Ben Trott

If today's New York Times/CBS poll is anything to go by, many Americans are prepared to allow Obama years to bring about the changes he promised during his election campaign. The Times reported,

'While hopes for the new president are extraordinarily high, the poll found, expectations for what Mr. Obama will actually be able to accomplish appear to have been tempered by the scale of the nation’s problems at home and abroad.

'The findings suggest that Mr. Obama has achieved some success with his effort, which began with his victory speech in Chicago in November, to gird Americans for a slow economic recovery and difficult years ahead after a campaign that generated striking enthusiasm and high hopes for change.

'Most Americans said they did not expect real progress in improving the economy, reforming the health care system or ending the war in Iraq - three of the central promises of Mr. Obama’s campaign - for at least two years.'

Over 80% of respondents believed the country to be in a worse state than it was five years ago. A total of 79% were optimistic about the incoming administration, as were 58% of respondents who voted for McCain. 'His favorable rating, at 60 percent,' the paper reported, 'is the highest it has been since the Times/CBS News poll began asking about him... Over 70 percent said they approved of his cabinet selections.'