The day is here.
I find myself getting choked with conflicting emotions. Pride and happiness conflicted by a fear of disappointment. After 8 years of mediocrity we deserve better.
Never in my lifetime has the expectation for one man been so high. The challenges are so huge. How can he succeed? What's our job in helping to overcome the problems we face? Pay our taxes? Serve in any we can? Work hard? In my view the biggest way we can help Obama succeed is by being patient.
There is no way Obama can succeed quickly. He will get it wrong but hopefully not too often. He will fail to deliver on some of the expectations we have of him. He will disappoint from time to time.
And as the expectations are so high the disappointment may feel greater. It's going to take a lot of patience.
But all that is ahead of us. Today is a pretty amazing day.
This day is not just exciting for Americans, the whole world is watching – well, most of it.
In Australia, we removed our long-standing prime minister in Nov 2007. Since then, our new leader, Kevin Rudd, has had to lead us as the financial world turned upsidedown. The knockers are hard at work trying to distabilise him and blame him for what is happening. It’s no easy time.
As you say, everyone must be patient. Sustainable change takes time. But I do think that you have elected the right man for the job.
Good Luck, America! We will be watching you.