In Sky high expectations for Obama, MPR spoke to Congressman Walz:
U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., knows voters aren't always patient, though. He learned that after he won his first election two years ago.
"I was sworn in on January 3, and on January 10 I was getting calls about why the troops weren't out of Iraq," Walz said.
Walz predicts it will be relatively easy for Obama to push through new energy policies and stricter regulations on financial markets.
"I think one of the more difficult ones -- it always is just because of the massive nature of it -- is health care reform," he said. "That's going to be very difficult, but not impossible."
And Walz is optimistic about Obama's first hundred days as president. But he says for Obama to keep the public's trust, the president-elect needs to be careful not to marginalize congressional Republicans.
"I think the American people aren't advocating that the only way to do this is a Democratic President, a Democratic agenda," Walz said. "I think President Obama is going to have to make sure that Republicans, although in the minority, are given the opportunity to have their ideas heard and have them incorporated in to what we do. I think that's what the public is hopeful about as much as anything."
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