THE EUPHORIA that followed the election of Barack Obama has not diminished since the election. Instead, it has transformed into a wave of optimism that will crest Tuesday on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., as Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States.
Polls published over the weekend indicate that the optimism is in no way mindless. A majority of Americans are aware of the depth and complexity of the problems facing the nation, but a majority also believe that Obama, given time to work and support from Congress, can make things better. No first-hundred-days miracles are expected — just hard, dedicated work and an openness to constructive change.
Investing such hope in any politician is risky for any nation, but Obama has shown himself capable of reassuring and inspiring people once thought to be too cynical and alienated from their government to be touched at all by any politician’s promises. His rhetoric, intelligence, openness and calm demeanor awakened more than one generation in his two-year journey to the White House.
When he takes the oath of office on Tuesday, the nation will heave a sigh of relief, not because its problems have been solved, but because people finally will see a clear path to those solutions. The long job of sweeping away the past can begin at last.
The new president has a nation craving change behind him and the possibility of greatness before him.
Can Obama do what he and the nation hope he can do?
We pray, fervently, that he can.
pencilguy (anonymous) says...
OBAMA!
January 19, 2009 at 3:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
What change and what are you smoking?
January 19, 2009 at 10:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I'm still kinda fuzzy on this "clear path" stuff.... LOL
January 19, 2009 at 10:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
I'm really looking forward to my solar powered unicorn in sky blue with a rainbow tail! That's what I'm most excited about! Euphoria indeed! Warm and fuzzy tingly tingles!
January 19, 2009 at 10:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tbluma (anonymous) says...
What clear paths do you think we're going to see tomorrow? Is the messiah going to give us all a vision or something?
As for the long job of sweeping away the past,don't you think maybe we should remember it, study it, and learn from our mistakes?
The only generation I think he woke up was the unenligtened people who would beleive anything that he threw at them. They jumped on a bandwagon to nowhere.
But alas he is our president for good or bad, so good luck
GOD bless AMERICA.
January 20, 2009 at 12:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dalelinn (Dale Linn) says...
Our esteemed editor is off in la la land again. He says in this article that "people's optimism (for him) is in no way mindless". I would tend to disagree. Mr. Obama was a community organizer before he became a Senator. He gave classes on how to force the banks to make bad loans to people that could not afford the loans. Once he became Senator, he was one of the largest recipients of money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Hmmm, wonder why? Maybe Mr. Kelley could up with something that Mr. Obama has done besides run a successful campaign for president, which doesn't say much as George W. did the same thing.
January 20, 2009 at 7:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I, and millions of other Americans, are still really fuzzy on this "clear path".
January 20, 2009 at 9:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
I don't think that people's optimism is mindless, it's just really close to it. People have believed(wrongly) that the only branch of the government that does anything and has any power is the executive branch. Well that's not even accurate, they believe the president is all powerful. That is how they could blame everything bad under the sun on Bush. If they believe this, as their speech would indicate, than naturally they must also believe in the all powerful goodness that the Obama presidency will bring. I'm not a very educated man but I'm pretty sure this isn't how the U.S. government works but like I said I'm not that smart so maybe it does. I'm going to have to point out that I'm not not defending Bush or attacking Obama. I'm only trying to bring people back down to a realistic level of earthiness.
Their is no doubt that this election has already done great things for this country but was it because of Obama himself? I don't think so. The American people elected a president that is African American and this has and will do great things for race relations in the country, something that has been too long coming. It was the American people who did this, not just one man. It is also going to take the American people to get us back on track. Putting all your problems( apparently caused by Bush) under your pillow and waiting for the Fix-it Fairy(Obama) to come in and magically fix everything is not an option. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
January 20, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Well republicans held Congress from 1992-2006
and have held the White House since 2000.
I do blame republicans for a lot of the mishaps as of late. Hard not to, they have been holding the cards for the majority of this decade and Bush is the leader of it all being the President. Bush is not evil or stupid like many make him out to be, but he has failed as a President. Does that mean everything he touches goes sour? No, but it does mean that his failures outweigh any good he did.
Republicans "broke their brand" they have always stood for conservatism and small govenrment, during this tenure exactly the opposite happend and people are justified in feeling deceived and voiced said disapproval at the polls which is a great thing.
Seriously fellas, I want a great conservative, I really do, but when Norm Coleman is losing elections to a former SNL comedian somthing is bad wrong.
January 20, 2009 at 2:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
I'll agree with ya there, the Republican party has turned into something unrecognizable over the last few years. They definitely got away from their core values. I still have no clue whatsoever about what this "clear path" looks like, though. Pretty murky, if you ask me.
January 20, 2009 at 4:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
I thought your head was already stuck in one?
January 20, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
I was simply pointing out that I think the reason most people think that Obama is going to save them is because they believed Bush was personally responsible for all the ills in their lives. Read what people read about the person of GW Bush, they are not talking about the republican party they are talking about a man just like when they talk about the rainbows shooting forth from Obama they are just talking about a man. Both are wrong in my opinion.
I do find it interesting that what broke the republican party(and America) was them acting more liberal. Now we think what screwed things up(liberal thinking like spend spend spend) is some how going to fix things. I am a mechanic and I never fix anything by doing the same thing that broke it. But what does a workin' man know.
Oh yeah my disclaimer: I voted third party.
January 20, 2009 at 5:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )