The Inauguration of Hope

I begrudgedly trotted off to work this morning knowing I wouldn’t be watching the inauguration. I wasn’t even sure I would be able to run off and listen on a radio somewhere. Our building lets nothing in; no radio waves, no cell phone signals, air, light are all blocked by corrugated steel and leather gloves. It’s like a black hole. Only on the event horizon can a signal just barely squeak in. One guy decided to find live video to stream from his computer. In that selfless act he grabbed all the bandwidth in which we need to do our jobs. But hope can not be squashed, at 8:45 pacific time, I snuck out for ‘lunch’.

I sat in my car in the 28 degree temperature listening to the radio, and the EVENT. Joe Biden got sworn in, Aretha sang, Warren Preached.. er Prayer’ed. Then a very moving arrangement by John Williams played by Perlman, Ma et al wafted through the air. So pleasant so … long that technically Obama became officially president about 12 bars into the quartet. Then it was time. The One stood, raised his hand and … Justice Roberts fumbled through the beginning of the oath and our new president fumbled right after him, but I think it still counts. Then after the words from Roberts, “Congratulations Mr. President”, It was REAL. He’s President. Bush is NOT President. Here is transition in the grandest of moments. We didn’t even have to topple a statue or throw any shoes to make it happen, oh wait .. yea, shoe.

The Speech, it seems, let him release some ideas that I think he was waiting for this moment to reinforce. Like: we are a multi-ethnic/cultural nation, we should be doing better to reach out to the other nations. Not just drop bombs on them. We should use the powers of the government for good not evil. Yes, he was talking to you Cheney! We should be tough on terror and hate, without alienating the world. Etc. etc .. basically the Anti-Bush. I am very pleased. I am very hopeful. Go over to the new Whitehouse.gov, which must have posted right after Obama said “so help me God”. And of course now I gots to change my new change logo. It’s hard to keep up with this President, and it’s day ONE!