I did not expect Obama to come in and make everything sunshine and roses inside his first year. Or even that he wouldn't do things I might disagree with. Nor do I now think McCain would have the country in any better condition. The primary benefits you could have realistically expected from Obama becoming President were improved world opinion of the US (that happened), the teary-eyed joyful reaction of African Americans who lived through the civil rights era (it was beautiful and I would never regret giving them that) and, finally, keeping Sarah Palin out of the White House. Mission Accomplished banner on those three things.