Hoping To Fool Somebody

"Is Barack Obama really a force for change, or is he just a traditional Democrat with a patina of postpartisan rhetoric?

That question is surprisingly hard to answer. When you listen to his best speeches, you see a person who really could herald a new political era. But when you look into his actual policies, you often find a list of orthodox liberal programs that no centrist or moderate conservative would have any reason to support.

We can hope. But so far, hope is all we can be sure of."

-- David Brooks - who's been sounding pretty NewAge-y lately - discussing Barack Obama and education, in the New York Times.