The moment has come: We can now refer to him as President Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America. On Tuesday morning, America observed via television, Internet feed, radio and in-person attendance as Obama took the oath, sworn in to lead a United States rife with challenges.
Obama's speech was blunt but still infused with the optimistic overtones of promise his campaign came to represent. He acknowledged the crisis before the United States, and he did not try to displace his or any other politician's role in resolving the issue.
And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government,"" Obama said Tuesday.
He also made a bold promise - a promise that appears to cross party politics and enter the crucible of liberal and conservative debates. Obama vowed to evaluate policies based on effectiveness rather than party ideology.
""The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. When the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end,"" Obama said Tuesday.
Obama enters his term with the same challenges Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced: a failing economy, a flagging sense of world leadership and a population despondent and scared. And, like Roosevelt, Obama will be judged largely on his first 100 days and how he can ""endure the storm"" he spoke of in his inaugural address. To find success, Obama must make good on his promise to work across party lines and evaluate government programs with the consideration of value and practicality over partisanship.
Obama has accomplished a feat once thought impossible in our lifetime. Now he must tackle the Herculean task of righting the economic crisis - perhaps the greatest national challenge of our lifetime.
