President Barack Hussein Obama

Today, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our nation’s 44th President. I didn’t support his candidacy; I didn’t vote for him in the general election, and stand pretty much on the opposing side of most of the issues he supports.

Nevertheless, I find myself feeling a swell of excitement and pride as the hour approaches - a slight swell, not a tingle Mr. Mathews. And not necessarily for the man taking the oath (although I do respect what he’s accomplished), but rather for the country that has fostered a dream that a man like Obama can rise from fairly obscure beginnings to assume the most powerful office on the planet.

If Americans are guilty of anything, it is that we wear our hearts on their sleeves. We are everything the Europeans loathe about us: we are loud, obnoxious, arrogant, and ignorant. We are, to paraphrase Bill Murray in Stripes – the wretched refuse, the mutts. But we are also incredibly generous and resourceful, and will rise to the defense of our allies when called – which we are asked to do quite often. We are the greatest nation in history. Those who wish to write our obituary will have to wait a few more years – we’re not done yet.

President Obama begins his presidency with a distinct advantage over his predecessor; he has garnered considerable political capital and goodwill on both sides of the ideological spectrum before even stepping into office. He’s going to need it, the task ahead is daunting.

Good luck to him.