Inauguration Day Daze in The US of A

I wasn't going to bother writing about this; after all, isn't everybody else? Only 544,620 hits on a Google blog search using the terms "Obama" and "inauguration.

It's not like my opinion is particularly needed, particularly when I spent most of the day painstakingly painfully trying to write a post on the other blog. Talk about getting sidetracked, from taking my daily spin through the blogosphere to a crash-research course in obesity, disability and adoption. But I digress.

I am not among the (apparent) many who are overcome with joy and jubilation at Obama's inauguration, who feel that He will be The One to save us all. Nor am I among those crying in their beer, so to speak, who fear that the 44th President could spell the doom (scroll down through the comments of that last link to see what I mean) of the United States. And, by extension, I suppose the rest of us poor slobs, too.

But he is the first black President of the United States. And that is rather cool. Historic even.

But here's my concern ... with all the hype, all the build-up, all the joy that the pent-up angst of the Bush years will now be over ... what are the chances that any person, any man, can live up to that?

Obama may well be a great President. Or even just a good or adequate one. But I fear that many may be riding for a crash - Obama is inheriting a bad economic situation (to put it mildly) and it's not like he's particularly top-heavy with governing experience.

Then again, he has made some relatively conservative picks for his Cabinet, which some see as good while others, no doubt, will wail and gnash their teeth. Just goes to show, you really can't please all the people all the time.

I hope he does well. I hope Canada and the US build a strong relationship with Obama as President. But that's 'hope', not to be confused with "Hope". And I sincerely *hope* that those drunk on the heady wine of Obama will be able to face reality. Tomorrow. Next month. And next year.

That being said, Congratulations. And Good Luck to you, sir.
Something tells me, you may just need it.

Update: Reality dawns. And sometimes it bites.

H/T to SnakeEater via Lex