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Mutts Like MeNo news at Obama's first press conference but a little sparkle.

By John DickersonPosted Friday, Nov. 7, 2008, at 5:45 PM ET

President-elect Barack ObamaBefore Barack Obama arrived at his first press conference as president-elect, it looked like it was going to be a dour sequel to his somber acceptance speech. Seventeen economic advisers lined up before an official-looking blue curtain. Rahm Emanuel, his new chief of staff, stood with arms akimbo, already looking like the administration's bad cop. If anyone had any fun, he'd punch them out.

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But then the president-elect showed up, and he was smiling. He nodded approvingly to a few members of the press. Obama was grave during his opening statement about the dismal economic situation, but during the interaction with reporters, he let a few jokes flash through. When asked which presidents he'd consulted since winning, Obama said he'd talked to the living ones. He immediately realized the unnecessary distinction but said he "didn't want to get into any Nancy Reagan thing with the séances." When asked about the puppy he'd promised his daughters, he said the decision was complex. "With respect to the dog, there are two issues that have to be reconciled," he said, almost mocking his penchant for nuanced answers. The dog had to be hypoallergenic and therefore specially bred, but the family also wanted to get a shelter dog, and "a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me."

Maybe Barack Obama enjoyed winning the presidency after all. As he approached Election Day, Obama had grown more constricted. Perhaps, despite the challenges that face him, he's bouncing back into his earlier, looser shape.

Obama is a mutt, but not just because he has parents of two different races. At the moment, he is neither president nor candidate. The country is turning to him expectantly, but he can't do much right now. He said he intended to have a big and immediate impact as president ("That's why I ran") but pointed out that "we only have one president at a time."

So, if Obama would risk a joke, that was about all he would risk. He's doing the crossword in pen now. His words carry a lot more weight than they did three days ago, not just because they teach us about the policies he would push but also because they send messages about his governing style. During the campaign, Friday's dismal unemployment report would have been an opportunity to attack John McCain and George Bush. Now it's a problem he has to deal with.

So, he took no bait, and he went out on no limbs. He said he would not pressure the president on policy matters, and he would ponder how to respond to Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who had just congratulated him on his victory. "How we approach and deal with a country like Iran is not something we should do in a knee-jerk fashion, but it's something we should think through," he said.

In the end, it was a short, news-free press conference and therefore a success for Obama. Even in calm times, a president is successful when he makes only the news he wants to at a press conference. The message Obama is trying to send the country right now, as it faces what he called "the greatest economic challenges of our lifetime," is that he's not rash. The change he offers is thorough, deliberate change, which means he wanted no big news, just the appearance of confidence and command.

The only substantive mistake Obama seems to have made was his crack about Nancy Reagan. It's a little unseemly to joke about the widow of an ex-president—especially when you're reaching out to the GOP—but he was also factually off-base. Nancy Reagan consulted the astrologer. It was Hillary who tried to commune with Eleanor Roosevelt, and it was Mary Todd Lincoln who held séances. All of this makes me wonder about Michelle's spiritual proclivities. The matter was not discussed, but given the difficulty of selecting the right first dog, intervention from the spirit world might be the only solution.

Slate V: Watch highlights from President-elect Obama's first press conference

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John Dickerson is Slate's chief political correspondent and author of On Her Trail. He can be reached at . Follow him on Twitter.

Photograph of Barack Obama by Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images.

COMMENTS

Did Honest Abe sparkle every time he spoke ? Didn't he often make lame jokes?

We remember and revere Lincoln, not because he sparkled every time, but because he could speak to us with a compelling vision and held our Republic together despite the handicap of several years of awful generals.

The way this economy is unraveling and the sickening downward direction its headed suggests we, as a nation, are in for a very tough ride and perhaps as dire as the one Lincoln faced when he assumed the Presidency.

--revrick

(To reply, click here.)

Let's look out for Obama's swagger over the next few years. During the recent press conference the comments about Nancy Reagan and tax rebates were, to me, awkward attempts at presidential gravitas that were only hinted at during the campaign. I think it can easily be attributed to nerves and the tasks at hand.

We like you the way you are, or rather, the way you campaigned Mr. Obama. Pleasantly crushing your opponents with good will and superior intelligence. Rarely forced but appropriate when. Maybe I'm overly sensitive from years of bad jokes in awkward situations from a president who was both. It's something I could do without and still be very happy with my and our president. I hope.

--madmonq

(To reply, click here.)

I think you missed a few points. In speaking about his first intelligence briefing, Obama made the point that intelligence could always be better (implying he was less than impressed.) A reporter asked if there were any unexpected surprises. Obama said he chose not to respond. It's now that he didn't respond – he chose not to respond.

Meaning: there was more to it that he wouldn't divulge at this time.

Indeed, the President-elect chose his words carefully. He signaled that the intelligence briefing was less than what he expected. And he was obviously disturbed by at least some of the intelligence assessments he did hear.

Jeez! Who cares about Nancy Reagan and séances. You claim Obama was cautious? Nonsense! He was deliberate. The media, however, seems intent on burying It's head in the sand. The first press conference was much richer in substance than what you say.

--Squeek

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(11/08)

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