On a spring day in May 1971, Chris Grewell and her friends at Thomas W. Woodward High School in Rockville rented a truck to ferry Vietnam War protesters to Washington, D.C. That was a political lifetime ago, and Grewell was pleased to see a new wave of young activists take over last year, when her favored presidential candidate, Barack Obama, was elected.
"I really felt like this was the next generation's job, and I think they did a fantastic job with it," said Grewell, a Silver Spring resident active in Montgomery County politics and the National Organization for Women.
One year after President Obama's election filled county Democrats and progressives with his trademark variety of hope, they are largely willing to be patient with the president, still greatly respect his judgment, and are willing to wait for more progress as he deals with difficult issues.
"I wish that other people would realize the enormity of the job that this man is trying to do," Grewell said.
Concerns have arisen about his stance on gay rights. There is also some anxiety about the energy from Obama's 2008 campaign wearing off during critical elections next year and beyond. Obama picked up 71.6 percent of Montgomery County voters in the presidential election last year.
"I would say that a lot of people are frustrated because he wasn't able to get everything done ... even though he didn't take over until January," said Wheaton resident Mike Hersh, executive director of the Montgomery County Progressive Alliance and Maryland coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America.
As someone who had a colorful dialogue with her TV during the 2008 presidential debates, Obama supporter Bonnie Beavers of Chevy Chase gives him high marks on stabilizing the economy and approves of his methods of dealing with Republican criticism.
"I've realized that that kind of cool, calm demeanor is exactly why he is successful," Beavers said.
But she also said his administration was "AWOL" by not supporting legalized gay marriage in Maine, which was overturned in a Nov. 3 referendum (Obama has stated he supports civil unions, not gay marriage), a feeling shared by Hersh.
"There are courageous people in the party who could stand up for him," he said, citing black civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis (R-GA) as an example.
Obama's failure so far to repeal the "Don't ask don't tell" policy that prohibits openly gay military personnel bothers Linda Goldman, a Chevy Chase resident and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University who teaches issues related to gay youth. But she is encouraged by the president's support of gays in the military and his inclusion of them in public remarks.
"Speaking out and saying, I want this to happen, is a better beginning than we've ever had before on this issue," Goldman said.
Obama's progress on Afghanistan inspires a mix of patience and anxiety among his local supporters, who say that they appreciate the mindset he brings to the situation but worry that he will continue a military solution.
"I'd like him to be more progressive," Beavers said of the president's approach. "I'm particularly concerned about the women of Afghanistan."
Regarding recent health care headlines, a few said they are pleased with the progress that's been made but remain troubled by his watered-down approach of not demanding a universal, government-run health care system at the start of the process and showing tougher leadership.
"I would love something more comprehensive than what we're going to get ... but I know that's going to happen in this country," said Elly Shaw-Belblidia, who coordinated Obama organizing efforts in the county in 2008. "I have so much respect for his judgment."
Looking to the future, Shaw-Belblidia said she has seen some of the energy from the campaign dissipate among Obama supporters, but also believes the president needs to be successful with his agenda if the Democrats are to do well in 2010 and beyond. Her support for the president remains strong.
"If he governs well, we'll do well," Shaw-Belblidia said. "You can't have one without the other."
But if Obama "governs well" for his supporters, it will mean something entirely different for Jim Shalleck of Montgomery Village, former chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee. So far, his fears that Obama would push the government too far into the private sector have been realized. He also thinks Obama's efforts at truly changing Washington have been insubstantial.
"He brought a lot of this on himself by making big promises for change," Shalleck said. "He's the one that promised big change and no one else, and he's not living up to it."
