All of them err, Craig. I wasn't thinking of any president when I wrote how badly the US looked when Katrina swept across Cuba, where there was little loss because of preparations, and the consequences of FEMA mismanagement.

The president can't spin the current impasse and deteriorating economy into anything different from what it is, and he'd be a hypocrite if he did. As for the Gulf spill, no amount of federal regulations can prevent results of concealed short-cuts.

Sure, I favour Obama over Bush but I'm also disappointed in his first term when he thought he could soft-talk to reconcile differences. Leaders need attitude, arrogance if you like, to get things done. They're elected to do things.