The Absurd and a Little Testy Gabfest
Listen to Slate's review of the week in politics.
Updated Friday, Jan. 30, 2009, at 11:25 AM
See all of Slate's inauguration coverage.
Posted on Jan. 23 by Dale Willman at 11:30 a.m.
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On Inauguration Eve, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz talked politics before a live audience. They discussed the festivities, expectations for the first year of Barack Obama's administration, and the Obama BlackBerry.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned in the show:
The new president arrives on a wave of goodwill. John points out the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, in which even 58 percent of those who voted for John McCain in November say they are optimistic about the country under an Obama administration.
John says Obama will focus on a new era of responsibility for the nation. He will ask people to do more for their communities and to be prepared for some level of sacrifice. Among the potential sacrifices could be cuts to some entitlement programs. Obama has announced a "fiscal responsibility summit."
Emily says Obama must balance pragmatism with principles. Many on the left worry that Obama may be compromising too much in his attempt to appeal to a broad group of people. David suggests it's possible that Congress may push Obama to the left.
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Emily Bazelon is a Slate senior editor and writes about law, family, and kids. Her forthcoming book, Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Empathy and Character. Find her at emilybazelon@gmail.com or on Facebook or Twitter.
John Dickerson is Slate's chief political correspondent and author of On Her Trail. He can be reached at slatepolitics@gmail.com. Read his series on the presidency and his series on risk. Follow him on Twitter.
David Plotz is the Editor of Slate. He's the author of The Genius Factory: The Curious History of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank and Good Book. He appears on Slate's Political Gabfest.