Fall of 2008 saw the U.S. in a financial mess. Many feared our auto industry would disapper. We wondered whether it was a good idea for president-elect Barack Obama to wait until his inauguration to get the ball rolling.

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Nov. 25, 2008
Where's Barack? How About a Fireside Chat?
By Kevin McCauley

Where’s Barack?

Congress has just mercifully wrapped up a lame-duck (or dodo, sniffed today’s print edition of the New York Times) session of Congress.

The fun resumes Dec. 2 with the return of clueless Rick Wagoner and the gang from Detroit with tin cups in hand. (News bulletin: General Motors is selling its corporate jets so Rick will hitch a ride to D.C. in an attempt to be portrayed a true man of the people).

Meanwhile, the financial mess continues unabated with the latest lowlight being the potential acquisition of Citigroup, which would have been laughable six months ago. The country cries for leadership and scratches its head wondering: Where in the world is Obama when we need him?

Obama has made it plain there can’t be two Presidents at the same time, and vows to get the ball rolling as soon as the Oval Office is his on Jan. 20. Fair enough. The problem: two months is an eternity in today’s fast-moving global information-based economy. Detroit’s Big 3 could be the Big 0 come Inauguration Day.

Obama’s oratory inspired millions during his campaign. The Barack and Michelle program Nov. 16 on CBS' "60 Minutes" earned ratings equal to those enjoyed during the newscast's glory days. The nation sure could use a shot of hope these days. It’s not too audacious to ask the President-elect to give the country reasons to be hopeful about the future. Nobody would accuse Obama of being presumptuous if he gave a speech or two to sketch out the bright future the country will enjoy under his leadership.

Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff, famously said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” Things are in the dumps now.

Obama sightings must be more than delivering birthday cupcakes to Joe Biden. The country needs some quality face-time from the next Commander-in-Chief.

This blogger doesn’t think President Bush would mind. He is busy making his own retirement plans these days.