Monday, January 12, 2009

Wishing the New President Well   [Mike Potemra]

Just a little vignette, a small illustration about the national tide of good will that accompanies Barack Obama’s inauguration. I was at the American Bible Society bookstore in New York this morning, and saw a handful of 2009 calendars at the checkout counter: The calendars featured a large portrait of Barack Obama on the cover, and commemorated the odyssey of African Americans from slavery to the White House. I asked the guy behind the counter whether they had been selling a lot of them. “We had 96 of ‘em,” he gestured at the stack of five or six, “and this is all that’s left!” I’ve visited this bookstore many times, and my general impression of its clientele is that it tilts pretty conservative. This says good things, in that it jibes with my overall impression that the American people, even those (like me) who voted for McCain, are disposed to give the new president a chance. This is in contrast to the situation faced by the last two presidents: George W. Bush and Bill Clinton each took office with a substantial number of people committed to bringing them down. Barack Obama has some breathing space — so his presidency will succeed or fail on its own merits, which is as it should be.

01/12 01:41 PMShare