Eight days

Eight good days isn't enough to undo eight bad years, but this has been a very good first week.

Our biggest problems left over from the Bush years, the wars and economic distress, will take time and effort to redress. But the first eight days has seen a lot of positive changes made. Some of it is very substantive such as the end to torture, the Gitmo closing order, the end to renditions and the repudiation of the Yoo memos. Much of it is more a matter of mood -- tackling problems with sober competence, reaching out to opponents and enemies, and realistic rhetoric.

There's little early indication that the Republicans have yet to acquire a clue, but maybe when the shock wears off we will see some tentative steps at reform.