I consider myself a progressive liberal, and an avid Obama supporter.  I am sorely concerned about this nation and this planet, and look for signs every day of a turn-around, to a solid and redeeming future.  I cringe when one who I think is on my side of issues and concerns flubs, lies, or turns over in the face of the powers that be, or gets blindsided to the detriment of our fragile democracy.


Having said that, my assessment of Obama's appearance with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday was this:  He did well. He fluidly answered all questions without a "gotcha" moment, and actually did what he has been saying he would do: bring both sides together and change the divisiveness of politics as it is now.


People commenting that Obama didn't "take on" Fox in a meaningful way, and unduly "legitimized" Fox, fail to understand the strategy and tact involved in a nationwide political campaign.  Obama needs to introduce himself to a nation.  Going on Fox and pointing a Clintonian finger in Wallace's face with sniping accusations of Fox's coverage of him would have been a massive mistake.  Not only would it have been completely out of character with Obama's message of a purple nation, but it would have been fuel for drama in an already saturated political circus.


Obama scored big on Fox.


Remember that the people watching Fox everyday already legitimize Fox in their minds... Fox to them is a reliable source for news.  In that medium, Obama showed himself to be an intelligent, calm and unifying character, to some who would otherwise be painting him as a Muslim underground agent, an angry black man, a typical politician, take your choice of stereotype.


Knowledge is power. Known things are less scary.  It is more difficult to make things up about a person if you have experienced what he or she is like in a sustained setting, like an extended interview on your favorite Sunday night news show.  Obama introduced himself to a lot of people who were - and many who still are - scared of him because they don't know him.


Being a progressive liberal, and an Obama supporter, I see very little to fault him with on this interview.  He faced tough questions, retreads of Wright, his liberalism and questions about what he liked about Republicans.  Like a fish being hooked, he took the bait and flopped into the boat.  Then with his artful understanding of diplomacy, he made friends with the fishermen, and even suggested another fish (McCain) they might want instead of him. In the end, they threw him back.


Now, I know nothing about the hashing out of his interview that happened before and after this interview, which I'm sure was typical Fox noise.  But Obama won some hearts and minds tonight that he didn't have before... no doubt about it.