I read Paul Krugman’s NYT column about Thursday’s Health Care summit, and came across this in the comments to his column:

First of all, I wanted to say that it is impossible not to like President Obama after watching him in person, so much common sense and maturity, no bull…. He is a great role model just as a person, as a decent human being

I watched portions of the summit, and did not have the same reaction to President Obama. The comment made me think of this quote from Goethe:

“No two men see the world exactly alike, and different temperaments will apply in different ways a principle that they both acknowledge.”

But who knows how the commenter’s views will change – or how mine will. Let me finish the Goethe quote:

“The same man will, indeed, often see and judge the same things differently on different occasions: early convictions must give way to more mature ones. Nevertheless, may not the opinions that a man holds and expresses withstand all trials, if he only remains true to himself and others?”