Why_RRQ Obama_NP1 Will_NP1 Need_NN1 to_II Show_NN1 He_PPHS1 Is_VBZ a_AT1 Fighter_NN1 Obama_NP1 is_VBZ a_AT1 conciliator_NN1 ,_, but_CCB sometimes_RT a_AT1 president_NN1 must_VM come_VVI out_RP swinging_VVG to_TO get_VVI his_APPGE way_NN1 in_II Washington_NP1 Over_II the_AT course_NN1 of_IO the_AT campaign_NN1 and_CC during_II his_APPGE transition_NN1 ,_, Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 showed_VVD that_CST he_PPHS1 is_VBZ a_AT1 thinker_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 motivator_NN1 ,_, and_CC an_AT1 inspirational_JJ speaker_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 has_VHZ also_RR become_VV0 clear_JJ that_CST he_PPHS1 wants_VVZ to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 conciliator_NN1 and_CC move_VV0 beyond_II the_AT sulfurous_JJ political_JJ atmosphere_NN1 of_IO recent_JJ years_NNT2 ._. 
The_AT big_JJ question_NN1 is_VBZ whether_CSW he_PPHS1 will_VM be_VBI a_AT1 fighter_NN1 ,_, an_AT1 essential_JJ trait_NN1 in_II an_AT1 effective_JJ president_NN1 ._. 
In_II his_APPGE inaugural_JJ address_NN1 ,_, Obama_NP1 emphasized_VVD the_AT need_NN1 for_IF conciliation_NN1 ._. 
"_" On_II this_DD1 day_NNT1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, "_" we_PPIS2 gather_VV0 because_CS we_PPIS2 have_VH0 chosen_VVN hope_NN1 over_II fear_NN1 ,_, unity_NN1 of_IO purpose_NN1 over_II conflict_NN1 and_CC discord_NN1 ._. 
On_II this_DD1 day_NNT1 ,_, we_PPIS2 come_VV0 to_TO proclaim_VVI an_AT1 end_NN1 to_II the_AT petty_JJ grievances_NN2 and_CC false_JJ promises_NN2 ,_, the_AT recriminations_NN2 and_CC worn-out_JJ dogmas_NN2 that_CST for_IF far_RR too_RG long_RR have_VH0 strangled_VVN our_APPGE politics_NN1 ._. 
We_PPIS2 remain_VV0 a_AT1 young_JJ nation_NN1 ,_, but_CCB in_II the_AT words_NN2 of_IO Scripture_NN1 ,_, the_AT time_NNT1 has_VHZ come_VVN to_TO set_VVI aside_RL childish_JJ things_NN2 ._. "_" 
In_II a_AT1 revealing_JJ episode_NN1 during_II the_AT transition_NN1 ,_, Obama_NP1 publicly_RR threatened_VVN to_TO veto_VVI any_DD congressional_JJ resolution_NN1 designed_VVN to_TO block_VVI the_AT flow_NN1 of_IO $350_NNU billion_NNO to_TO help_VVI the_AT financial_JJ industry-the_AT second_MD half_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 "_" rescue_NN1 "_" package_NN1 approved_VVD several_DA2 weeks_NNT2 ago_RA that_CST has_VHZ become_VVN unpopular_JJ with_IW many_DA2 Americans_NN2 who_PNQS consider_VV0 it_PPH1 an_AT1 unfair_JJ giveaway_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB what_DDQ actually_RR made_VVD the_AT difference_NN1 in_II securing_VVG approval_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 congressional_JJ sources_NN2 ,_, was_VBDZ not_XX saber_NN1 rattling_VVG ._. 
It_PPH1 was_VBDZ Obama_NP1 's_GE behind-the-scenes_JJ pledges_NN2 to_TO work_VVI with_IW legislators_NN2 ,_, make_VV0 sure_JJ the_AT funds_NN2 are_VBR wisely_RR spent_VVN ,_, and_CC provide_VV0 a_AT1 full_JJ accounting_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ the_AT Bush_NP1 administration_NN1 did_VDD n't_XX do_VDI to_II many_DA2 members_NN2 '_GE satisfaction_NN1 ._. 
On_II January_NPM1 15_MC ,_, the_AT Senate_NN1 voted_VVD 52_MC to_II 42_MC to_TO release_VVI the_AT funds_NN2 ,_, a_AT1 testament_NN1 to_II Obama_NP1 's_GE persuasive_JJ powers_NN2 that_CST could_VM be_VBI a_AT1 sign_NN1 of_IO greater_JJR comity_NN1 ahead_RL ._. 
"_" He_PPHS1 believes_VVZ he_PPHS1 can_VM persuade_VVI anyone_PN1 if_CS he_PPHS1 makes_VVZ his_APPGE case_NN1 ,_, "_" says_VVZ Mike_NP1 McCurry_NP1 ,_, former_DA White_NP1 House_NN1 press_NN1 secretary_NN1 for_IF President_NNB Bill_NP1 Clinton_NP1 and_CC an_AT1 informal_JJ adviser_NN1 to_II the_AT Obama_NP1 team_NN1 ._. 
"_" He_PPHS1 's_VBZ not_XX a_AT1 confrontational_JJ guy_NN1 ._. "_" 
But_CCB there_EX are_VBR times_NNT2 that_CST require_VV0 a_AT1 show_NN1 of_IO presidential_JJ muscle_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT campaign_NN1 was_VBDZ very_RG inspirational_JJ and_CC motivating_VVG ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 's_VBZ not_XX enough_RR ,_, "_" says_VVZ Princeton_NP1 historian_NN1 Julian_NP1 Zelizer_NP1 ,_, adding_VVG ,_, "_" At_II some_DD point_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 is_VBZ going_VVGK to_TO have_VHI to_TO tell_VVI people_NN what_DDQ he_PPHS1 's_VBZ going_VVGK to_TO fight_VVI for_IF and_CC show_VV0 exactly_RR where_CS he_PPHS1 will_VM put_VVI his_APPGE presidential_JJ power_NN1 ._. "_" 
Zelizer_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 student_NN1 of_IO Congress_NN1 and_CC the_AT presidency_NN1 ,_, says_VVZ congressional_JJ Republicans_NN2 wo_VM n't_XX treat_VVI Obama_NP1 with_IW kid_NN1 gloves_NN2 for_IF very_RG long_RR ._. 
Neither_DD1 will_VM the_AT Democrats_NN2 ._. 
Already_RR ,_, some_DD are_VBR raising_VVG concerns_NN2 about_II his_APPGE economic_JJ recovery_NN1 package_NN1 ,_, about_II some_DD of_IO his_APPGE choices_NN2 for_IF his_APPGE cabinet_NN1 ,_, and_CC about_II his_APPGE plans_NN2 to_TO deal_VVI with_IW rogue_NN1 nations_NN2 such_II21 as_II22 Iran_NP1 and_CC North_NP1 Korea_NP1 ._. 
Among_II his_APPGE friends_NN2 ,_, there_EX is_VBZ rising_VVG concern_NN1 that_CST he_PPHS1 will_VM delay_VVI implementing_VVG some_DD of_IO his_APPGE campaign_NN1 promises_NN2 ,_, such_II21 as_II22 his_APPGE pledge_NN1 to_TO win_VVI congressional_JJ passage_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 massive_JJ overhaul_NN1 of_IO the_AT healthcare_NN1 system_NN1 and_CC to_TO immediately_RR begin_VVI pulling_VVG out_RP U.S._NP1 combat_NN1 troops_NN2 from_II Iraq_NP1 ._. 
Instead_RR ,_, the_AT deteriorating_JJ economy_NN1 has_VHZ pushed_VVN Obama_NP1 into_II focusing_VVG on_II the_AT financial_JJ crisis_NN1 above_II all_DB else_RR ._. 
Geoff_NP1 Garin_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 veteran_JJ Democratic_JJ pollster_NN1 and_CC strategist_NN1 ,_, argues_VVZ that_CST Americans_NN2 are_VBR so_RG sick_JJ of_IO the_AT battling_JJ in_II Washington_NP1 that_CST they_PPHS2 will_VM welcome_VVI someone_PN1 who_PNQS does_VDZ n't_XX see_VVI success_NN1 in_II31 terms_II32 of_II33 hammering_VVG and_CC defeating_VVG the_AT opposition_NN1 ._. 
"_" His_APPGE orientation_NN1 is_VBZ toward_II results_NN2 ,_, and_CC for_IF Obama_NP1 it_PPH1 's_VBZ not_XX about_II how_RRQ you_PPY get_VV0 there_RL as_CSA it_PPH1 is_VBZ about_II getting_VVG there_RL ,_, "_" Garin_NP1 says_VVZ ._. 
But_CCB if_CS Republicans_NN2 try_VV0 to_TO obstruct_VVI his_APPGE economic_JJ recovery_NN1 package-his_APPGE No._NN1 1_MC1 legislative_JJ priority-Garin_NN1 predicts_VVZ that_CST Obama_NP1 will_VM "_" take_VV0 them_PPHO2 on_RP ._. "_" 
Others_NN2 are_VBR n't_XX so_RG sure_JJ ._. 
Al_NP1 From_II ,_, founder_NN1 of_IO the_AT centrist_JJ Democratic_JJ Leadership_NN1 Council_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 former_DA informal_JJ adviser_NN1 to_II Clinton_NP1 ,_, says_VVZ ,_, "_" What_DDQ will_VM he_PPHS1 fight_VVI for_IF 'til_NN1 the_AT last_MD dog_NN1 dies_VVZ ,_, '_" as_CSA Bill_NP1 Clinton_NP1 used_VMK to_TO say_VVI ?_? 
People_NN who_PNQS were_VBDR down_RP and_CC out_RP knew_VVD Clinton_NP1 would_VM fight_VVI for_IF them_PPHO2 ._. "_" 
And_CC Bill_NP1 Galston_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 political_JJ scientist_NN1 and_CC former_DA adviser_NN1 at_II the_AT Clinton_NP1 White_NP1 House_NN1 ,_, recently_RR wrote_VVD :_: "_" Much_RR depends_VVZ on_II Mr._NNB Obama_NP1 's_GE reading_NN1 of_IO the_AT current_JJ moment_NN1 ._. 
If_CS he_PPHS1 is_VBZ right_JJ ,_, the_AT partisan_NN1 ,_, polarized_VVN ,_, and_CC often_RR petty_JJ politics_NN1 of_IO recent_JJ decades_NNT2 can_VM be_VBI made_VVN to_TO yield_VVI to_II a_AT1 higher_JJR ,_, bolder_JJR politics_NN1 of_IO common_JJ purpose_NN1 ._. 
If_CS he_PPHS1 is_VBZ not-if_CS the_AT major_JJ parties_NN2 remain_VV0 divided_VVN on_II matters_NN2 of_IO principle_NN1 and_CC by_II memories_NN2 of_IO past_NN1 quarrels-he_PPHS1 may_VM have_VHI to_TO choose_VVI between_II accomplishments_NN2 based_VVN on_II partisan_JJ majorities_NN2 and_CC a_AT1 futile_JJ quest_NN1 for_IF common_JJ ground_NN1 ._. "_" 
In_II his_APPGE inaugural_JJ address_NN1 ,_, Obama_NP1 showed_VVD toughness_NN1 toward_II America_NP1 's_GE foes_NN2 around_II the_AT world_NN1 ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 will_VM not_XX apologize_VVI for_IF our_APPGE way_NN1 of_IO life_NN1 ,_, nor_CC will_VM we_PPIS2 waver_VVI in_II its_APPGE defense_NN1 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, "_" and_CC for_IF those_DD2 who_PNQS seek_VV0 to_TO advance_VVI their_APPGE aims_NN2 by_II inducing_VVG terror_NN1 and_CC slaughtering_VVG innocents_NN2 ,_, we_PPIS2 say_VV0 to_II you_PPY now_CS21 that_CS22 our_APPGE spirit_NN1 is_VBZ stronger_JJR and_CC can_VM not_XX be_VBI broken_VVN ;_; you_PPY can_VM not_XX outlast_VVI us_PPIO2 ,_, and_CC we_PPIS2 will_VM defeat_VVI you_PPY ._. "_" 
This_DD1 was_VBDZ a_AT1 clear_JJ demonstration_NN1 of_IO backbone_NN1 ._. 
And_CC it_PPH1 's_VBZ the_AT kind_NN1 of_IO emphasis_NN1 that_CST Obama_NP1 needs_VVZ to_TO repeat_VVI in_BCL21 order_BCL22 to_TO show_VVI that_CST he_PPHS1 can_VM be_VBI a_AT1 fighter_NN1 as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 an_AT1 accommodator_NN1 at_II home_NN1 ._. 
