So Obama is an imperfect president – who wouldn't be?

"During the almost two years he has been in office, I don't think he's made any major missteps: the economic stimulus package might not have been perfect, but it prevented something bad from being even worse. Healthcare reform will offer better coverage – or coverage, period – to millions of Americans. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is providing billions of dollars to improve education and infrastructure. And, hell, I have no idea what Obama could have done differently with the oil spill, with the possible exception of not succumbing to political pressure by making Sasha go swimming with him off the coast of Florida.

How quickly we forget! After an excruciating eight years of George Bush, the thrill still hasn't worn off of once again having an intellectually nimble president, not to mention one who doesn't pride himself on going with his gut when it comes to foreign policy. Whenever I watched Bush speak extemporaneously, I'd feel alternately embarrassed by and for him. And whenever I interacted with someone from another country, I'd feel compelled to mention that I hadn't voted for Bush. But when I see Obama on television, I'm unfailingly struck by his intelligence and charisma, by his easygoing humour, by the magnificence of his megawatt smile."

Curtis Sittenfeld: Barack Obama - Why I still love him | World news | The Guardian