BEFORE OUR very eyes, Obama I morphed into Obama II.
“A couple of great communicators, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, were standing at this podium two years into their presidency, getting very similar questions,” Mr Obama noted, explaining his midterm defeat.
“This is something that I think every president needs to go through . . . Now, I’m not recommending for every future president that they take a shellacking like I did last night. I’m sure there are easier ways to learn these lessons.”
The substance of the president was unchanged. He stood before the press corps in the East Room, still tall, thin, elegant, unflappable and proud. Rather, it was his relationship with the American people that had altered.
“There is an inherent danger in being in the White House and being in the bubble,” he admitted. It was different on the campaign trail, when “folks” could “lift the hood and kick the tyres”.
No longer was he Super Obama, the adored one. Icarus’ wax wings had melted. Reporters asked aggressive questions. It had been a long night. “I can tell you that some election nights are more fun than others. Some are exhilarating; some are humbling.” Tuesday night had reminded him that “power rests . . . with the people”.
The god-become-mortal was most human when he talked about the pain of calling loyal allies, Governor Ted Strickland in Ohio, Representative Tom Pierrello in Virginia, who put themselves on the line for him, and lost.
“It feels bad. The toughest thing over the last couple of days is seeing really terrific public servants not have the opportunity to serve anymore . . . There is not only sadness about seeing them go, but there’s a lot of questioning on my part in terms of [asking] could I have done something differently . . . so that those folks would still be here. It’s hard. And I take responsibility for it in a lot of ways.”
His fallen comrades “have been incredibly gracious”, Mr Obama said. “What they’ve told me is, you know, we don’t have regrets because . . . we were doing the right thing. They may be just saying that to make me feel better, which, again, is a sign of their character and class.”
A journalist brought up the president’s favourite campaign allegory, about the US economy being a car in a ditch, and the Republicans standing by drinking Slurpees (iced drinks) while the Democrats heaved and shoved.
Harking back to the White House “Beer Summit” that settled a dispute between a black Harvard professor and an Irish-American cop, a reporter suggested a “Slurpee Summit” with speaker-elect John Boehner.
“The Slurpee Summit – that’s good, Chuck. I like that,” Mr Obama said. And he grinned that 1,000 watt smile for the only time in an hour.