All over Oceania ... (#2)

There have been spontaneous demonstrations of party workers voicing their gratitude and joy.

From today's wsj.com's "Best of the web today":

***

Accountability Journalism

It's been more than three months, but the thrill still isn't gone for the Associated Press's Liz Sidoti:

It didn't take long for Barack Obama--for all his youth and inexperience--to get acclimated to his new role as the calming leader of a country in crisis. "I feel surprisingly comfortable in the job," the nation's 44th president said a mere two weeks after taking the helm. . . .Over nearly 100 days as president, Obama has applied the same "no drama" leadership and calculated approach to governing that he did to campaigning.

As an audacious candidate, Obama meticulously built a powerhouse organization and fundraising juggernaut to engineer his victory. As a fledgling president, he similarly has mapped out a big-risk agenda that he's methodically begun to execute, keeping to the discipline that has been a hallmark of his life.

Rookie jitters? Far from it.

Sidoti also reports that Obama is "confident almost to a fault," that he has "kept that focused attitude in the White House, while exhibiting few flashes of any off-putting, self-important tone," that he has "reached the pinnacle of his political ambition," and that he seems "has seemed extraordinarily at ease as president from the day that he took office."

Oh, also, he has "made a once skeptical electorate comfortable with the notion that a black, 47-year-old, first-term senator with limited experience could take over as the leader of the free world," he speaks in "firm, yet soothing tones," he uses "a just-folks approach to identify with economically struggling citizens" and displays "wonkish tendencies, too," all the while engaging in "witty banter" while striking "a statesmanlike stance."

OK, Liz, we'll bite: Is there anything you don't like about Obama?

Well, he "has steamed with anger" at AIG executives and "gone after lawmakers who refused to support the $787 billion economic stimulus package." He has also "shown contriteness" (which we'd think was a good quality, though we suppose it also suggests he has something to be contrite about) and "shown irritation at criticism." He "has let it be known he hasn't forgotten how politics works." And despite being "careful," he "has made a few errors."

But never fear: "So far, the public has liked what it's seen." "Most people in the U.S."--and Liz Sidoti herself is nothing if not a person in the U.S.--"consider their new president to be a strong, ethical leader who is working for change as he promised in his campaign." And "most people say he's on TV just the right amount."

"Overall," Sidoti sums up, "Obama seems unflappable."

And wouldn't lesser men wither under the kind of tough-minded coverage he's received from the likes of Liz Sidoti?

***