President Barack Obama is turning from the star-studded, crowd-pleasing pomp of his inauguration to the workaday task of governing a hurting nation of 304 million and meeting the soaring expectations that he and others have put on his shoulders.The last eight years have beaten us down and lowered our expectations so much that a headline roughly equivalent to President Takes Job Seriously, Actually Intends to Work is enough of a novelty to be considered a news item.
Twin crises of the economy and Iraq figured to take center stage Wednesday, Day One for the new administration.
"Tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, the work begins," Obama declared Tuesday night at the Commander in Chief Ball, one of 10 official black-tie celebrations that kept him up late into the night.
(pardon me for a moment as I alternate between LOL and *sob*...)
On the other hand, what a joy to wake up and realize that a grown-up is in charge again, at long last. Also, to realize that for the first time in almost a decade, I don't despise our nation's highest elected official. Wonderful feelings.
