From CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It's been one week since Barack Obama became our 44th president, and a busy week it's been–signing executive orders, meeting with his teams of advisers on the economy, national security, Iraq and the Middle East. He's also been meeting with lawmakers from both parties trying to win support for his emergency stimulus package.
How's he doing so far?
In addition to getting his feet wet, the new President is learning some things along the way.
For example, the White House press room is where the press is, and if you don't want the press to ask you questions, don't go there.
If you're going to ban lobbyists from working for you, you have to ban the one that used to lobby for Raytheon from working in your Defense Department as well.
If you're going to close Guantanamo, you have to have a plan for what to do with the inmates there. A couple of them have turned up in recent al Qaeda videos.
You can't overturn President Bush's executive order banning abortion funding for charitable groups overseas without incurring the wrath of right-to-lifers in this country.
And picking a fight with the corpulent Oxycontin aficionado of right wing talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, will mobilize a bunch more on the conservative right and begin to down your approval ratings.
But the new President seems to be weathering the storm quite well. The latest Gallup Poll, taken over the weekend, gives him a 69% job approval rating.
Here’s my question to you: How would you rate President Obama's first week in office?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Andrew in Alamo, California writes:
Jack, as long as President Obama continues to distance himself from the Bush administration like he did in his first week, he will maintain his support nationally. It is too early to grade him on his performance, but I like what I see so far.
Markel from Houston writes:
Obama has been impressive. Congress has not. Change takes time. Obama is making his mark. He is still trying to show Congress a new, involved management style. I believe that our hyper-partisan Congress should look to the youngster for guidance on how to get along with their colleagues.
Joey frpm Yankee Island, New York writes:
Personally, I would give him an F. He is doing all the things he thinks are politically correct and not what the American people want. He needs to cut the pork out of the stimulus and not try and get the Republicans on board with some sort of barter. Pork is still pork and it is the taxpayers dollars that they are spending. Plus he moved a criminal into the Treasury Department.
Susan writes:
I think his first week in office has been outstanding. Reagan use to be known as the Great Communicator. I don't have a catchy phrase to describe it, but President Obama has demonstrated through his actions and words, that he understands the basic human need to communicate and be respected. By going to the State Department to inspire that workforce that has been shabbily treated, to going to the Hill to meet with the House Republicans, to granting a first interview to the Arab media (a stroke of genius), I am more excited than ever about his presidency and the future of our country and the world.
Kay from West Virginia writes:
I give him a solid D. Comments like, "Well, I won, so I'm going to get my way" are in no way bipartisan. Signing executive orders with so many loopholes to give himself wiggle room like he did on the Gitmo issue is a complete copout. Making new lobbying rules and then immediately giving one person a waiver is a reminder of the kind of thing we've seen for the last 8 years. Where is the change?
Jeremy writes:
For a guy who has walked into hell, he seems cool as a cucumber.