So I was watching an episode (Season 12, Episode 12) of South Park recently and was wondering about its conclusion. By the end of the episode, the hysterical McCain-Palin supporters peek out of their post-apocalyptic bunkers and finally come to terms with an Obama presidency:

Steven: It's still here, ih... it's all still here.

Mr. Garrison: Does that mean... maybe we overreacted?

Steven: No, no, I wouldn't say that. It's just maybe... well, uh... maybe Obama will be all right.

Meanwhile, Randy (Stan's dad) wakes up to find his life ruined in the aftermath of a drunken, post-election Obama victory party in which he was a more-than-willing participant:

Randy: Uhh... [sits up and tries to rub his eyes, but he's got a headache] Oh ow. [walks forward...] Hey, where are my pants? [looks at the table the TV is missing from] Where's our TV?! Where are my pants and where's my TV?!

Stan: Dad, your boss called. He said that you're fired.

Randy: [surprised] Oh! [is pissed off again] Ugh, Goddamnit! Obama said things would be different! That sonofabitch lied to us! I knew I should have voted for McCain! [kicks a side table away and walks off] *

Which compels me to ask: is South Park right? Have our expectations for Obama been so high that he will inevitably end up disappointing his supporters and inadvertently pleasing his detractors? Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, but what if the South Park episode is a prognostication of Obama's upcoming term as president? I have already grown disillusioned with the man on two points, namely

A.) His appointment of hawkish figures like Hillary Clinton to the cabinet, as well as his decision to keep Robert Gates as Secretary of Defence. Appointing Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff was not the wisest choice, either. Seriously, if you wanted a firm timetable for Iraqi withdrawal, why would you appoint Gates and Emanuel?

B.) Reneging on his campaign promise to end the Bush tax cuts (which, if you want to put it in perspective, has a much worse projected total shortfall for the nation's GDP than entitlement programs like Social Security—in fact, three times worse).

So there we have it. It appears Obama has already proved to be a disappointment. Maybe I am judging the man too harshly. As it stands, however, we might come to live in a country where vulgar cartoons like South Park give us a more honest picture of reality than the rhetoric of our politicians.

--Elmo Blatch

*Transcipt courtesy of SPS Sciptorium.