Eagle staffers muse on the importance of Obama’s first six months in office ...

Much as supporters demanded the then-Illinois senator to legislate from the campaign trail and address such crucial issues as the financial bailout, voters will similarly expect President-elect Obama to begin implementing his reforms long before he’s actually president. For that reason, the biggest obstacle Obama will face during his first six months is the same obstacle he will face between now and January - voters’ incredibly high expectations.
-Tony Romm
Editor, politics@theEAGLE

He needs to work to get us out of Iraq in a way that will make everybody proud.  It shouldn’t be an immediate pullout that everyone seems to be advocating but at least a concrete timeline that sets a date for when the troops come home.  Now that he has a “national mandate” to do this, it’s time to make some progress in this country.
-Justin Hall
Sports Editor

Obama has talked about his plan for the first 100 days. Pundits will debate whether or not he can achieve these lofty goals. However, regardless of whether he succeeds or fails, President-elect Obama needs to show the country that he will lead us to prosperity. By reaching across the aisle Obama will accomplish this and unify the country as one America.
-Andrew Tomlinson
Multimedia Editor

President-elect Barack Obama needs to improve Americans’ trust in their government, which they have lost during these past eight years.  Several important things he can do to increase this trust are to expand federal oversight and stabilization of the financial markets and improving the image of the United States abroad.  He must also ensure that the youth, who played such a significant role in the election this year, stay involved in the political process.
-Rebecca Kern
Metro/National News Editor

Obama needs to use his first months in office to re-define U.S. foreign policy - the rest of the world has already expressed relief that he will be our next president. Now Obama has to follow through and restore U.S. international standing. In addition, he should make sure not to isolate Republicans - he should embrace them, not upset them more.
-Katie Litvin
Asst. Campus News Editor

I think Obama needs to redecorate the White House. I also think he’ll do a better job if he’s comfortable with his surroundings. Softer throw pillows = softer foreign policy.
-Kristen Powell
Managing Editor for The Scene

Obama’s first priority should be the economy. Sacrifices are going to have to be made, but ultimately the country will not be able to move forward with any sort of domestic or foreign policy without first stabilizing the economy and restoring trust in the market.
-Tamar Hallerman
Campus News Editor

In order to be successful in the first six months of his presidency, Barack Obama needs to keep up his biggest asset: his ability to unite the people. Our country has fallen into a divide that, somehow, Obama has managed to lessen during the past months and especially on election night. If he hopes to continue being revered as the greatest gift America has ever seen, he needs to form policies that will continue this wide support and continue to inspire. Unfortunately, once he takes office, he will have to act on his words - something that will prove to be much harder than people expect.
-Kristen Boghosian
Asst. Entertainment Editor

Obama should first focus on doing everything he can to get the economy back on its feet. Handling the current economic crisis will require the president to make crucial decisions about which programs are important and which can be cut in order to save the government money, meaning that Obama probably will be forced to break many of his campaign promises, such as tax cuts and increased health care. He needs to take a realistic approach to his first six months and avoid overspending of government dollars.
-Marisa Kendall
Asst. Metro National Editor

The Bush Administration has made many questionable decisions over the last eight years that I strongly disagree with. Hopefully under Obama these actions will be rectified. Obama needs to insure we improve our relations with many nations around the world first by respecting their basic rights like sovereignty and second by strengthening other ties in order to work with these nations to curtail the international economic recession and fight terrorism.
-Dave Stone
Managing Editor for Design

Given his youth and the campaign cries of John McCain, Obama’s biggest challenge in for the first six months will be proving that he has the experience and gravitas to lead this country. Joe Biden, his running mate and now vice-president elect said Obama will be tested early in his presidency. If that is true he will have to handle the situation like an old pro. The people of America, moderates and Republicans especially, will not give Obama a second chance if he blows it early on.
-Charlie Szold
Editorial Page Editor

First and foremost, Obama needs to restore America’s international credibility with a complete overhaul of our foreign policy. If we can regain the trust and confidence of the international community, only good things will follow. Obama needs to reposition the United States as a proactive and responsible global citizen. To do this, Obama must unite domestic bipartisan support among the American public, although he must walk a thin tightrope of appealing to both liberals and conservatives without alienating either group.
-Mike Lock
Managing Editor for Design