January 23, 2009

Hail to the Chief

44th President offers much-needed inspiration

By Bill Highlander
Editor

Barrack H. Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America and the first black person to lead the Nation, is offering hope and inspiration when it is much needed. The cold weather in Washington, D.C. did not deter the almost two million people who came to celebrate his inauguration.

President Barack Obama. Photo by Beth Rankin. Used under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license.

President Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts stumbled over the oath of office, but that didn’t take anything away from the jubilation of the historic event. The new president spoke of the challenges facing the country – the worst economic times in several generations, a continuing war against terrorism, and policies needed to redress the missteps of the past – but declared an era of responsibility and accountability by the government and each individual citizen.

On the eve of inauguration, a spectacular celebration at the Lincoln Memorial was filled with patriotic speeches and music by the top entertainers of the day. Nearly every genre of music was expressed, inspiring quotes from our past presidents were read, and a coming together of the diverse citizenry thrilled those on the Mall and the millions watching television. It was a feel-good experience the country needed.

On the day of the inaugural, President Obama stood on a platform in front of the Capitol and delivered a speech marked by confidence and strength of purpose for his administration. On the Mall and around the country, people applauded his words and some wept because of the historic nature of the day.

Parties like those at the San Jose Fairmont in homes in the Bay Area augmented the ten balls held in Washington. Willie Mae Veal-Glasper organized a Cribari neighborhood party in The Villages at her home where 65 people shared the celebration. It was an awesome party, she said, a coming together to forge new friendships.

President Obama kept his promise of working from the git-go, signing executive orders on his first day in office. The first 100 days are always notable in a new administration.

Optimism and hope for success is the order of the day, but the challenges of partisan politics will certainly be in the picture and the new president will need perseverance and collaboration to be successful.