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Tuesday: Beautiful Day
posted at 2009-01-20 21:17 | Last modified 2009-01-21 00:43
It started with the snow. Two fluffy, glittering inches of it at 6:30 this morning, and more coming down every hour. For those of us who didn’t have to drive in it, it was a gorgeous sight. Here’s what it looked like in my backyard this morning.
Five hours later, something much more amazing happened. A man who would’ve had to use a different drinking fountain from me 60 (or 50?) years ago in NC became my president. Whatever your politics are, you could not have watched today’s swearing-in without sensing the shift in the weight of history.
The speech was good. Not exultant, not celebratory. Not even all that happy, really. What it was was an honest appraisal of the challenges facing this country -- and kudos to the new President for starting things off with a round of hard truth on the house. If you missed it, watch it here, or read it here.
Outgoing President Bush looked pretty sour in most of CNN’s cutaways, but then again, he had good reason. First, some incredibly tacky people booed him when he walked out onstage. Second, Obama’s inaugural speech openly challenged several key Bush policies with a candor rare on such occasions. Still, points to the former president for a classy job in handing over the reins.
Favorite moments
- Yo-Yo Ma grinning like a madman as he performed John Williams’ absolutely exquisite arrangement of “Simple Gifts” with Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill. Coming soon to iTunes, I'm sure. (Hey, it is John Williams).
- Rev. Joe Lowery showing Rev. Rick Warren how it’s done. Getting "prayed at" just does NOT get any better than Lowery’s benediction.
- Aretha Franklin’s hat. If you’re Aretha, I guess you can wear any hat you like. Really, who’s going to argue, even if you maybe forget a word or two of the song? It’s Aretha, people.
- The overhead cam shots from CNN. So that’s what 2M people looks like. Holy cow.
- Obama’s smile as the crowd went wild when his wife Michelle was introduced just before he took the oath. “This one’s for you,” he told her.
Reality check
To be honest, the person I’d least want to be in the world tonight is Barack Obama. He’s made huge promises to this country - promises there’s no guarantee he can cover anytime soon. I don’t think there’s any way he can live up to the expectations laid on his shoulders.
It’s something every president has to negotiate: the gap between what people expect and what he can do, and how to spin the latter to satisfy the former. Obama’s gap may be the biggest ever, thanks to the economy and two wars.
What reassures me about the guy is that I think he gets what he's taking on. And if the approval polls are right, he’s got the backing of the vast majority of the country as he sets out on his task. That's a good thing -- he’s going to need all the help he can get. Good luck, Mr. President.
Here in NC
Governor Bev Perdue issued her seventh Executive Order today, declaring a state of emergency in NC to allow her administration to mobilize more resources in response to the winter storm.
Perdue also paid a visit to the DOT today to thank road crews for their work. She’s pledged to be a hands-on manager, and Charlotte’s Jack Betts says so far, she’s living up to it.
Speaking of Perdue, I have to give her a big thumbs-up for NOT being at today’s party in DC. Yes, it would have been appropriate for her to go (hey, Schwarzenegger did), but she chose not to – because, as she put it, “things are too dire” at home. I think it was a savvy call. Even if she’d paid for the trip out of her own pocket, the resulting photos of her at balls and parties would’ve been hard to swallow for state employees and other NC workers facing the very real possibility of losing their jobs. So score one for the new gov on the sensitivity meter.
Comments? Drop me a line.
