I resisted personal temptation and multiple phone calls from my friend Chad to head to DC for the Inaugural. He offered a place to stay, and had a house full of guess, so there would have been plenty of company, but in the end, I'm kinda glad I didn't go, but only kinda. There were times, when watching the celebrations on the internet, I had regrets, but only fleeting regrets. The inaugural did impressed on me, three things:
1) The last five years (starting 5 months after the Iraq War began when they could not find any WMD) have been horrendous. And clearly Obama pointed this out over and over again in his inaugural address. It's almost as if he didn't want to set people's expectation to high, but to highlight some simple changes he proposes will make a huge difference.
2) Obama has amazing elocution skills. They are truly a natural gift. And, in my opinion one of the most important skills of the POTUS, if not thee most. In the age of mass media, its invaluable. Reagan was a talking head. Clearly, Obama is a talking head, but with great intelligence to boot. A rare combination.
3) Obama's inspiration by example. Obama's story has inspire peopled, not only in the U.S. but all around the world. The son of an African father and Kanas mother, with family spanning the globe, raised by a single mother with very modest means can become the POTUS. It's an incredible story, given this country's history.
... because we have chosen hope over fear...
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