Not a landslide

This post states the case more clearly than I have time to that BHO's win was NOT a landslide.

Obama managed to move the needle far enough to gain a solid victory, but there is little evidence of any permanent effect. In fact, given the daunting array of factors working against McCain - an unpopular incumbent, an unpopular war, a declining economy, a financial crisis, a charismatic opponent, his own advanced age, and being outspent 2:1 -- his performance says more about the strength of conservatism than its weakness.

I believe the election was very much a MANDATE for the government to get its sh*t together. By historical standards there was no landslide - or even a realignment. Obama flipped some states that were close to flipping or go back and forth.

Bush has ruined conservatism for a season or two - but it will be back.

Obama must appear competent as the chief executive at all times - or the backlash will be swift.
And it will have elements of racism. After a year of race bating by Obama- the irony is that one of the places race remains a factor in American life is in standards of performance. Whites are still given more room to screw up than blacks. Blacks in power tend to be held to a higher standard than whites. This remaining racism is also evident at the opposite end of the societal spectrum: black killers get the death penalty at a much higher rate than white killers.

Racism is still very much alive - and conscientious liberals will have to work much harder to perceive what is real racism and what is Obama Machine race baiting.