Way back in the 20^th century, before journalists could write their copy on the commuter train, click an icon,  and have it arrive at the newsroom before they did, important, time-sensitive stories were written in advance.  In those days, the unforgiving mechanics of producing an early edition newspaper or the Evening News etched all deadlines in stone.   Miss a deadline, and your career could be written on a tombstone – sometimes literally.  So things like celebrity births, obituaries and most anything else that was invariably going to happen, were written, sometimes weeks, sometimes even months before the event.  In fact, one of the first assignments any junior, junior copywriter, with nothing to do, was given was obituaries (not writing them, updating them; the second-most boring job in the world*.)  Then, when the inevitable happened, the completed copy was hauled out, tweaked to reflect whatever current conditions applied, and published — as if it were fresh off the presses.    Even sports championships — and, yes, presidential elections results — were written long before the outcome was ever decided.  Obviously, since there are winners and losers to such things and two sides to every story, good journalists would have copy ready for whatever outcome.  Therefore, and with a tip of the hat to the Chicago Tribune, I wrote two blogs last week to cover yesterday’s presidential election.

In one of the closest elections in US history, Republican challenger Mitt Romney managed to squeak out a victory over President Barack Obama and take over the White House.  Even in a deeply divided nation, it’s clear that the American people did not trust President Obama for another four years.  Mitt Romney’s increasingly moderate stance was enough to unseat the incumbent.  Now, the real work can begin.

The president faces some severe challenges.

The American economy is still faltering.  The #1 priority must be jobs.  The unemployment rate is hovering close to double digits in some places: this is unacceptable.  There must be a clear and immediate strategy that not only kick-starts the market place but also instills long-term confidence.  Therefore, the first thing the president needs to do is author a budget that deals with the fiscal cliff that America now faces.  America can no longer think it can borrow itself out of debt.  It must control its own trade, reduce the trade deficit, abandon the worn-out smokestack industries of the 20^th century and educate its young people to fill the needs of the 21^st.  And right now, as of yesterday, the president must convince an overtly conservative congress to set aside its social agenda and resolve to solve this economic crisis — now.  If he doesn’t do that nothing else matters.

So, Mr. President, it’s time to get on with it.  Good luck!

In one of the closest elections in US history, President Barack Obama managed to fend off Republican challenger Mitt Romney to remain in the White House.  Even in a deeply divided nation, it’s clear that the American people trust President Obama for another four years.  Mitt Romney’s increasingly moderate stance was not enough to unseat the incumbent.  Now, the real work can begin.

The president faces some severe challenges.

The American economy is still faltering.  The #1 priority must be jobs.  The unemployment rate is hovering close to double digits in some places: this is unacceptable.  There must be a clear and immediate strategy that not only kick-starts the market place but also instills long-term confidence.  Therefore, the first thing the president needs to do is author a budget that deals with the fiscal cliff that America now faces.  America can no longer think it can borrow itself out of debt.  It must control its own trade, reduce the trade deficit, abandon the worn-out smokestack industries of the 20^th century and educate its young people to fill the needs of the 21^st.  And right now, as of yesterday, the president must convince an overtly conservative congress to set aside its social agenda and resolve to solve this economic crisis — now.  If he doesn’t do that nothing else matters.

So, Mr. President, it’s time to get on with it.  Good luck!

*To keep their insanity, one of the universal activities of junior, junior copywriters was to produce humourous future obituaries of the rich and famous, that got hilariously passed around the newsroom.  Unfortunately, sometimes these Twainesque gems found their way into print.  Once, in the 1980s, Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater, was admitted to hospital for routine surgery.  In the rush to make the Early Edition, nobody bothered to read the single-column, front page, puff-piece which erroneously reported that “Barry” had been eaten by a lost colony of hippies. The results were national embarrassment for a self-conscious desert newspaper and a spectacular career in investigative reporting stalled (Read “fired”) before it ever got started.