On the Closing of the Order of the Shrill or the Passing of Bush Derangement Syndrome

Bush being booed at Obama's inauguration courtesy of YouTube! *

And, of course, there's this gem,

The crowd cheered when Colin Powell appeared on the Jumbotron, and a loud boo erupted through parts of the National Mall when Joe Lieberman was shown entering the Inaugural platform.

And Politico's Andie Coller reports that the crowd booed Clarence Thomas when he was shown on the big screen.

In all fairness, the man deserves boos and worse for the conduct of his criminal administration, but, I find myself feeling much as I did about the protests over Rick Warren's inclusion in the ceremony. That it is time to restore some civility and some dialogue to our nations discourse and, finally, restore rational thought as our guiding principle. In order for this to happen, we must be willing to speak with the Rick Warren's of the world, or anyone in fact, who is truly interested in dialogue and with whom we can find common ground. While Bush's administration needs to be investigated and, most likely prosecuted, yesterday's demonstration seemed rude. As a nation, we are better than that or so I'd like to believe. I am comforted by the fact that the booes were not overwhelming or particularly venomous, more a reflexive reaction of disgust to the mere sight of the worst president in our nation's history.

Another encouraging sign is the positivity on the part of most of the blogosphere and blogopundits. Aside from the very few influential right wing sites, the internet coverage has been for the most part approving of Obama's conduct so far. I am confident that as we move forward and make the hard decisions of which Obama so pointedly reminded us, that Brad Delong can disband his Order of the Shrill and that Bush Derangement Syndrome will go the way of polio and small pox, virtually stamped out except for infrequent outbreaks occasioned by particular spasms of disgust as the sordid tale that was his presidency finally unravels.

I think it does not go too far to compare Obama's administration to the arrival of the Enlightenment after a long Dark Ages. Reason replaces religion. Hope replaces fear and prosperity conquers poverty.

I sure hope so.

* Update: Apparently, not only was the crowd booing, but one rather large section was singing Hey, Hey, Hey, Goodbye. So rude, but so funny.