I have a soft spot for idealists.
I suspect most people whose political views are shaped by their morality as opposed to immediate self-interest have that same soft spot.
I never doubted for one minute that the apotheosis of Barack Obama was beautifully and carefully constructed by skilled political operatives. I assumed that they recognized that Obama was "the real thing" much like the young operatives attracted to the fictional President Bartlett on The West Wing.
I expected that Obama would make deals and compromises on policies that would anger and perplex me, and surely he did, but I could comfort myself that in some grand scheme version of 3 Dimensional Chess, Obama was losing a piece to gain the board.
Not tonight.