There seems to be a bit of a jealous streak running through the JU commentary on Obama these past few days. What's up with it?

The man is clearly clever. He has an Ivy League education. He rose to the top of a political institution. He writes good speeches and hires good speechwriters. He has a good understanding of technology and hires people capable of using it for fun and profit.

The man is clearly athletically gifted. He plays basketball frequently and is probably the fittest (both in the British and generic sense of the word) president in a long time. Speaking of the British sense, he has a hot wife and (unsurprisingly) a ready smile. Many men and women either want him or want to be him.

The man is clearly charismatic. Many of his followers seem to think he's the second coming of Jesus. His religious detractors consider him so charming that not only will he bring peace to the world, but armageddon too.

He speaks of hope, of dreams found and lives made meaningful again without the fear and drudgery of the past, and he does it with all the force of narrative causality.

It's normal to be jealous of this kind of man - rich, successful, charming, canny, the kind of man who speaks as if he thinks you can achieve your dreams and, more than that, wants you to.

But really, you're not doing yourself any favours by slagging him off mere days after he was inaugurated. With a bit of patience, you could do the nasty when he's fucked up, and crowing about it could be read by the kind as just a slightly enthusiastic taking to task rather than jealousy of Michelle.

In short, he may well be better than you in every way the public considers important. Get over it. You have many fine qualities which both differentiate yourself from a popular icon and give you an edge in your specialities. I might even like you.

Just sit back, and wait for the bad things to happen before you go in with both fists swinging. You never know. Maybe Obama will save you. It's not like you've got anyone else to fall back on if he can't.