Oh the delightful contrast. No "I earned capital, political capital. I intend to spend it."

[jpgray]

After a crushing victory with an -actual- mandate, humility and discretion are such beautiful things to see in a press conference. In this outcome I particularly enjoy the McCain attacks having been what they were. Is this a mandate for socialism? For redistribution? For total Democratic control of two branches of government? I wonder if GOP attack dogs realized the message their framing of Obama would send if the American people elected him so overwhelmingly.

:D

[democrattotheend]

1. Of course, Obama actually did earn political capital by winning a mandate

So he didn't need to say it. Bush said it because he knew he won narrowly and didn't really have a mandate, so he was trying to assert that he had one just by being "re"elected.

[jpgray]

2. It's sort of like how smart and attractive people don't need to self-identify as such

Obama's nailed the strategy of showing rather than telling. All the accusations that he was a dangerous neophyte seemed exquisitely hollow and false just by virtue of his performances in the debates, his speaking style, etc.