History in the making

Sometimes you know that you're in a historic moment. If you had asked me a year ago if it was possible for the United States to elect an African American President, I would have said "no, too many people aren't there yet." Racism isn't over. But if President Obama does a decent job, it will become weaker.

Of course, there's the rub. Obama does not have an easy task. He's made a lot of promises, and there are large expectations. How he'll be able to meet those expectations is beyond me; the country is broke. Even if it wasn't, the expectations are so high that I don't know that it's possible for anyone to meet them. And no doubt there are any number of people waiting and hoping he will fail, because he's black, or Muslim (he isn't), or because he eats baby seals for breakfast (he doesn't). Some people seem to have forgotten what it means to be an American. Or perhaps they never knew.

I give President-elect Obama real credit for saying, last night, that everyone is going to have to work together, and make sacrifices for the United States to succeed. He's absolutely right, and President Bush, Jr's biggest mistake may have been to pretend otherwise. Working together, the nation, and the world, can pull through.

Americans are fascinated with World War II. Then, the enemies were clear, and everyone worked together to defeat them. If the US can recapture that spirit - if only it can recapture that spirit. In the next several months we'll know.