Helen Thomas, the 89 year old news woman who has been on the White House beat since the Kennedy Administration, has written a new book in which she gives advice to President Obama.
Her advice is, needless to say, priceless and wise.
Life in the White House will be more difficult as time goes by, and the best moments of glory and happiness are probably already past.
The concept of privacy is gone, and will never return, as once a public servant at this level of responsibility, a President will never again know what it is to be a private citizen, even after leaving office.
The promotion of an “open” administration is always to be preferred, as if you try to avoid telling the whole story and avoid the media, it will reverberate against you.
It is important to have strong convictions and courage, and do not allow yourself to be deterred by public pressure from others to do what you believe is right.
You must have a vision and have the ability to inspire and promote a legacy you can be proud of. Delivery of results is imperative, as talk is not louder than action.
Obama’s honeymoon is over, but he has the capability to have a dramatic effect on the nation’s future. Let us hope he understands Helen Thomas’s advice!