A brutal campaign called for exceptional hype on the platform of hope to push him over the top and goad America back on its feet. Now that he's done it, he is quickly coming to terms with the realities of political office. He said so himself during the campaign to lower expectations - that there are no easy answers and that it may take the U.S. 10 years to fully recover provided everyone does their share of the rowing to safe harbors and new shores.
Because of what he is - a multi-racial, multi-cultural mix - that links Africa, Europe, America, Asia, Christianity and Islam to one cool package of sobriety, eloquence, intelligence and balance, Barack Obama captured America's and the world's imagination. Long before he assumed office, he came upon the world stage as Mr. Hope who could be trusted to fix things starting with a federal government that works.
His Cabinet and key staff have been carefully selected, and that is good because he will, on top of his credentials, need all the expert help he can get. Dubya, on the other hand, didn't have both, squandering America's political capital and economic wealth, and shaming in the process his party and his people before the world. That will be his legacy.
Whether Obama can mobilize the Federal bureaucracy to effectively execute his orders; inspire the 50 states to keep in step; and persuade both friend and foe across the seas to collaborate on common ground, to regain the trust in America and its influence, is another matter. The fields are fraught with danger, uncertainty and high risk; where he could lose the war for change.
Critics say that Obama's inaugural address lacked the lofty rhetoric of his previous speeches. I saw it differently. Obama was signaling to the world that he was back on terra firma and was making a no-nonsense call to arms. He didn't mince his words in giving notice to democracy's enemies to change their course and ways, as well as rallying Americans to return to the values that made their country a trusted and revered name.
I deeply admire the way America, spearheaded by its Gen Y, recovered its bearings and elected a man that symbolizes all that Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the two Kennedy brothers, JFK and RFK, stood and died for - social justice, human rights and the emancipation of colored citizens from bigotry, prejudice and hatred. They rallied around Obama's charisma, seeing in him the decency, strength of character and sincerity that they had long-sought in their leaders.
But so did the world. Like spontaneous combustion, he was welcomed warmly by governments who treated him like a world leader than as a candidate for the presidency of the United States. Aided by his deft use of multi-media, he connected with other cultures and magnetized peoples from all races who rallied around his promise of real change.
To me, having been educated in the American form of republican democracy, real change means the practice of democracy through the fair application of the law; leadership with integrity; and a citizenry aware of both its rights and responsibilities to the country and to each other. I, too, perceive Obama as the right person at the right place at the right time to lead America and the world away from the edge of the abyss and toward a new beginning.
I took note of what Obama said in his inaugural address that made me sit up: "To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history..." It seemed like it was directed at you-know-who over here yonder. He struck a deep chord on that one and the media has gone to town with it ever since.
President Obama's rise to the most powerful political post in the world signals a new chapter in human relations. May he have the stamina to lead with honor, the agility to hurdle the toughest obstacles, and the courage to make the difficult decisions for the common good. Although he is America's president first and foremost, Americans shouldn't forget that he is also the prime leader of the Free World.
(Also published in "To Take A Stand", Business World, January 27, 2009)