One of the remarkable things about the Obama presidency is how
he's never made much of a transition between campaigning and
governing. In a way, this makes sense, given that he had hardly any
experience when he launched his candidacy and in essence the
campaign was the only thing he ever ran in his life. When he's
asked about troubles facing his presidency, he'll routinely
cite tough times in his campaign -- trailing in Iowa, dealing
with the Jeremiah Wright story.
This struck me today when I received the following Election Day
email from Obama to supporters of his Organizing for America
(emphasis mine):
This movement has never been about me. It has always been about
you.
Three years ago, when we launched this campaign
on a cold day in Springfield, Illinois, much of the political
establishment wrote us off.
But you made a commitment to work for a future that you would
shape, and we defied all the odds and expectations.
From that very first moment, the success we've achieved -- and
the promises we fulfilled -- have always come about because of
you.
It's hard to see in any starker terms how Obama has really
viewed his entire presidency as an extension of his campaign.