Our view: Being a symbol isn't enough
Eric Johnson
Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Opinion
It is a rare and surreal feeling to sit back and know, during a precise moment, that you are witnessing history.
We all shared in one of those moments last Tuesday with the election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States.
The elation of a country could be seen in the tears of those who thought this moment may never come, or the spontaneous celebrations across the country, where complete strangers hugged and carried on like they, themselves, were headed to the White House.
Political affiliation aside, Obama's election was one of the greatest moments our country has ever seen.
Obama, at least symbolically, may be the most important president in American history. He is a symbol for what each and every one of us can accomplish. He is a symbol for how far this country has come since even a few years ago, when many likely thought the idea of a black president impossible.
But being a symbol isn't enough. For a man who has already accomplished so much, there is still so much left to achieve. The next four years will ultimately decide his legacy.
There is an economy to fix, a war to attend to and countless other issues facing President-elect Obama. And while the euphoria expressed on election night was justified, there is no magic fix to our country's problems.
Obama may turn out to be a great president; if he can fix the issues facing America, it will be nearly impossible to argue otherwise. However, he has no magic wand to wave to make our world perfect.
There are no miracles up his sleeve.
Symbolically, he is exactly what the country needs. He is hope. But, being a symbol is not enough to build a better America. There are eight years of destruction that need to be rebuilt.
It may be impossible for Obama to live up to the hype surrounding him in a post-Bush America. It seems the country expects so much from a presidency that has yet to begin.
Collectively, as a nation, we are still riding the high from the Obama victory. A moment that meant so much to so many. It was a rare moment in history, and one we should savor.
Ultimately, however, Obama must become more than a symbol. His place in history has already been etched. Now it is time for him to build upon that history. It is time for him to make his legacy about not only his presidential election, but his presidency itself.
We all shared in one of those moments last Tuesday with the election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States.
The elation of a country could be seen in the tears of those who thought this moment may never come, or the spontaneous celebrations across the country, where complete strangers hugged and carried on like they, themselves, were headed to the White House.
Political affiliation aside, Obama's election was one of the greatest moments our country has ever seen.
Obama, at least symbolically, may be the most important president in American history. He is a symbol for what each and every one of us can accomplish. He is a symbol for how far this country has come since even a few years ago, when many likely thought the idea of a black president impossible.
But being a symbol isn't enough. For a man who has already accomplished so much, there is still so much left to achieve. The next four years will ultimately decide his legacy.
There is an economy to fix, a war to attend to and countless other issues facing President-elect Obama. And while the euphoria expressed on election night was justified, there is no magic fix to our country's problems.
Obama may turn out to be a great president; if he can fix the issues facing America, it will be nearly impossible to argue otherwise. However, he has no magic wand to wave to make our world perfect.
There are no miracles up his sleeve.
Symbolically, he is exactly what the country needs. He is hope. But, being a symbol is not enough to build a better America. There are eight years of destruction that need to be rebuilt.
It may be impossible for Obama to live up to the hype surrounding him in a post-Bush America. It seems the country expects so much from a presidency that has yet to begin.
Collectively, as a nation, we are still riding the high from the Obama victory. A moment that meant so much to so many. It was a rare moment in history, and one we should savor.
Ultimately, however, Obama must become more than a symbol. His place in history has already been etched. Now it is time for him to build upon that history. It is time for him to make his legacy about not only his presidential election, but his presidency itself.
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