A New Day

I’m working today and can’t watch the inauguration. Thank God for DVRs!  I am thinking about it alot today. I must admit, even though I really don’t trust Republicans or Democrats any farther than I can throw them, I still find myself hopeful and encouraged in government more than ever before. Why??

• I believe Obama will join the small cadre of truly remarkable and iconic presidents: Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and Kennedy. This only happens when a truly unique and charismatic figure faces daunting challenges. Not that he will do everything right (the other four didn’t) but I think he’s the right kind of figure at the right time in history. Either way, it’s kind of fun to be here and witness it.
• I believe Obama represents the victory of intellect and reason over politics and ideology. From all he has said and done so far, it seems he is following the Lincoln strategy of getting the brightest minds in the room, even if they disagree with you, and coming up with the best ideas. It’s not about following a party playbook (like several past presidents of both parties) or eliminating all voices of dissent (as the Bush crowd did ). Obama is not afraid to have his ideas challenged, in fact I think he sort of enjoys it.
• Like Kennedy (the first president born after 1900), Obama represents a new generation (the first president born after 1960). It is certainly something that he is black (in his lifetime there were still separate washrooms, drinking fountains, and swimming pools for blacks in this country), but he is not of the Civil Rights crowd. He is not a former pastor. He is not fighting for the black cause. He is simply a brilliant politician who happens to be black. When you ask him about Affirmative Action, he replies that he doesn’t believe his daughters will need it. When you ask him about reparations, his eyes glaze over. If he disappoints anyone, I think he’s more apt to disappoint the left who have great plans for finally being in charge. He’s not the angry black man who is finally getting his turn. He is simply a statesman.
• Despite the last point, there is no doubt he is an incredible role model for young black men who have had very few—mainly athletes, evangelists, and rap stars. He represents the triumph of education, family, responsibility, and the power of being a good communicator. Move aside Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, and Puff Daddy.
• Despite him being American through and through, his ties to the third world (Indonesia and Africa) are significant. The world, for the most part, ignores these areas. I mean, other than Australia, there’s never even been an Olympics held south of the equator. It’s like it doesn’t exist. Yet, because of issues of population and the availability of food, oil, and fresh water, these are going to be critical areas in the future. I just think our interactions with the world will be different now that we don’t have a gray-haired, rich white man in the office.
• Even though right wing radio continues to call him a socialist (mainly due to the fact that it would be in their best interest for it to be so), corporate leaders like the CEO of GE on MSNBC this morning, are coming away from him impressed by the clarity by which he talks on issues of economics, business, and the state of the world.
• Best of all… Obama is the first Geek President.  He is an avid texter and Blackberry addict. He grew up reading Spiderman comic books. And when he recently met Leonard Nemoy, he did so with the Vulcan salute.  Awesome. 

I know the hero worship has been a bit much—he IS in a major honeymoon period after a president with record low approval. Maybe he will disappoint. Maybe he will have an affair, sell off Hawaii to Indonesia, spy for Al Qaeda, and put a big red star atop the Washington Monument. I fear there are those who are cheering for that. But I don’t think it will be the case. I think it is more fun and less stressful to be hopeful.

Plus, I think more than with Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II—presidents who will fade into the obscurity of the past like Fillmore, Harding, and Taft—we are witnessing something of true historical significance.

I don’t know. That’s just what I’m thinking today.