First Days

It is always amazing to me, Inauguration Day.

It is a day that mixes New Year's Eve with your birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Thanksgiving.

And this year was especially amazing due to the historic election of America's first African American President.

Of course, the pageantry quickly fades and the actual business of governing starts.

In his first days of the Presidency, President Obama has moved to draw a clear line between his administration and that of George W. Bush.

So far there has been a renewed emphasis on Afghanistan and a meeting to discuss what is going to occur now in Iraq.

There has been the beginning of the roll out of a stimulus package that would make The New Deal look like change.

And there has been a renewed emphasis on diplomacy with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, moving quickly to send a representative to the Middle East to attempt to slow down the conflict in the Middle East.

The first opinion poll shows people have a 68% approval rating of the new President. And the thing about this poll coming so soon after the inauguration is that how has Mr. Obama actually had enough time to really prove or disprove anything?

We have also had a small spat with the media over President Obama not allowing the media into his re-swearing in ceremony after Chief Justice Roberts misspoke the words of the oath on Tuesday.

But, after these first days, I am reminded of all of the big, massive changes that are coming and heartened by the renewed sense of hope that comes with a new administration and a new President.

It is much too early to begin the process of examining and judging Obama's actions, so as his first full week in office begins on Monday, let us all wish the new President the best...and judge him and hold him accountable, as he requested.

*Article contributed by Dave Wakeman - One of the guest contributors here on 1461.