The Hiller Instinct: Obama's First 100 Days

But the president isn't one of them.  In fact, he's juggling so many challenges, it's hard to keep track: the economy, energy, education, health care, the Middle East, Cuba, piracy, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

And that's not all.

Like him or not, you must give him credit:  for one hundred days he's kept a promise he made on day one:         

"The world has changed and we must change with it," he said on Inauguration Day.

Our exclusive 7News-Suffolk University Poll shows Massachusetts thinks Obama is off to a great start:

66% approve of the way he's handling his job as president.

67% of registered voters say he makes them proud to be an American.

68% think he's setting the right priorities

And 70% say the president is meeting their expectations.

"These are incredible numbers for any politician.  To be in the place that he is right now--no matter what measurement you look at--he's at top of his game." Suffolk University Pollster David Paleologos said. 

But the picture here isn't perfect for Obama.

Our poll also shows 61% disapprove of the stimulus packages he supports...54% would rather have a smaller government with fewer services than a big government and more services...41% believe big government is a bigger threat to the country than big business or big labor and, interestingly, Hillary Clinton is  viewed more favorably in Massachusetts than the president.

"People believe in the short run his heart is in the right place.  Long term, a stimulus package to solve every problem and big government are not what people want." Paleologos said.

"I bowled a 129...yes...that's very good yeah...this is like Special Olympics or something," Obama told Jay Leno.

Obama has made mistakes, particularly in his cabinet choices.

Citing "irresolvable conflicts," New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination to be Commerce Secretary.     And after tax problems forced Tom Daschle out of Health and Human Services, the president admitted he quote "screwed up."

Still, he's already being compared to some of our best presidents:  FDR and the New Deal; JFK's youth and vigor; LBJ's Great Society; and Ronald Reagan's world-changing foreign policy, and Abraham Lincoln.

But, one hundred days or one thousand days, Obama knows what they all add up to:

"If I don't have this done in three years then there's gonna be a one-term proposition," Obama said.

In addition to all your opinions, here's mine: 

I feel like I'm watching a cooking show.  The chef keeps bringing out more ingredients, so it's obvious the recipe is complicated. But I can't tell yet exactly what he's cooking.

I hope he knows.

I'm Andy Hiller, and that's my instinct.

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