Hail to the chief?

Who said this? “We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.” Answer? The same man who said: “There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president – and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.”

Both quotes come from the acceptance speeches of president-elect Barack Obama: the first when accepting his nomination as Democratic presidential candidate; the second on winning the election in November. Clearly, his awareness of his image as a leader, as both a unifier and a heralder of change, has remained constant during his long march to the White House.