The Age of Obama

Things have been a bit on the busy side here at the Press lately. Add in our once-every-three-year dumping of snow and yesterday had all the makings of an ‘interesting’ day.

Still, many of our staff took time at lunch to gather in our Boardroom, the largest room in the building, and the only room with a television set, to watch history being made as Barack Obama became the first African-American President.

Throughout the campaign I found myself asking, “Who in their right mind would want to be President now?” Given the two wars we’re mired in, the state of the economy and the “cannot fail” businesses failing, it seemed to be a time when any sane person would say, “President? Who, me? Nah, I didn’t say anything about being President. You must have meant that guy over there!”

Yesterday, however, we learned why Barack Obama not only wanted the job but why he’s ready for the job. It comes down to a matter of Responsibility.

In his Inauguration Speech he spoke of the need for both national and personal responsibility by saying:

“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.”

I know we as Americans are up to the challenge. I also know that, as with any challenge, the path before us is going to get difficult at times.

We simply need to remember why we’re doing it, why it’s important that we carry on, and that we remember to keep hope alive.

So, to our new President and First Lady, Godspeed!

— tom