Obama: I'm An Optimist -- Not A Sap

After a tough start to his Presidencey, President Barack Obama sat down for an interview with the National Journal. The National Journal makes the point that President Obama appears increasingly focused on ends, not means. My point is that this seems to be President Obama's modus operandi all along. In the interview President Obama said he is open to reaching across the aisle, but policy results matter. Here are some snippets of what he told the National Journal:

"My bottom line is not how pretty the process was."

"My bottom line was: Am I getting help to people who need it?"

He also added:

"I am an eternal optimist [but] that doesn't mean I'm a sap."

This article again points out that President Obama is open to consultation, compromise and readjusting his course to build inclusive coalitions, but will keep the results he intends to produce fixed. Not a bad plan in my estimation.

How will Obama respond?

Now that the Republicans have shown President Obama the back of their hand, and have proven to be a bunch of whiney children, what will he do? Will Obama continue to work for bipartisanship as an end in itself? Will he agree to more GOP modifications just to buy a few votes?

I really do not know.

I understand the want for bipartisanship, but at what cost? At what point should Obama push for a real progressive stimulus package, knowing that success will bring Republican support after the fact?

I just don't know.

The public overwhelmingly supports President Obama, so at what point does he have to stop waiting for Republicans to act in good faith, and instead move forward?

At the end of the day some sort of stimulus package will inevitably make it into law. But whether it passes with meaningful support from Republicans, or is a meaningful package, is the first test of Obama's administration.