We are now awaiting the arrival of the Obama administration. We are watching every little nuance in print, on television, and online. Probably most of us just cannot get enough. It all seems so exciting. There may be four million people in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration … if the weather holds out.
But I wonder what the average Joe or Jane is thinking right now. How do people feel who did not vote for Barack Obama? I am sure they have rallied around, but I also know that they are probably skeptical of what will happen in the future.
I think being president right now will be really difficult. This financial crisis has shaken this nation and it is not over yet. It reminds me of the days of the national malaise when Jimmy Carter was president. Barack Obama will have to convince America that he has a vision and that he knows where he is going. During uneasy times, form is probably more important than substance. FDR did not improve things so much during the Depression as he made Americans feel a bit better about their sacrifices during it.
Obama has made history but he is not the great black hope. He will do the best that he can and he may be very good at coalition building. But there will still be only a brief honeymoon period and then we will probably see him criticized in the press. I just hope he can handle it because he has not become used to it during the campaign.
For the country’s sake, I hope he has a special wisdom and driving force dealing with people and issues that will last a test of time. The next four years will be challenging, but let us hope that they are not daunting.
