Clean Slate

The votes are in and America has spoken. President Elect Barack Obama will take office in January and regardless to what you think, the sun will rise. This is a country where a peaceful transition of power is what makes us great. Tanks did not line the streets and political assassins to overthrow the White House did not happen. The keys to our future will be handed over without a shot being fired because of a sacred document called the Constitution.

I wish nothing but the best for President Obama, to want otherwise would undermine the respect I have for this country and its political process. I want the Obama administration to succeed beyond all expectations. We must root for the President regardless of party, but keep a watchful eye on the principles we hold dear. The current President, George W. Bush, was not treated in this manner. From day one the opposition chanted, “Selected not elected.” President Bush didn’t start out with a clean slate or a honeymoon. This can not happen to President Obama. As Americans, Obama will be our President, and it’s our duty to respect the office and the man who sits behind the desk. The times are too uncertain to concern ourselves with sour grapes. However, there is nothing wrong with debating an issue. Americans were built to argue, it’s in our blood. But some take a debate and turn it into a license for hate.

We seldom get the President we elect. Running for the office is one thing, but occupying it, is another story. Presidents quickly learn campaign rallies turn into, what have you done for me lately? Friends become enemies and enemies become nightmares. A President gets too much credit when things go well and too much blame when things turn ugly. It comes with the territory, it’s the price you pay for wanting a job few have had.

I’m sure President Elect Obama will tick me off in the near future, we disagree politically. But not here, not now. He has a clean slate with me until a policy goes through I don’t support. And that's all a newly elected President should ask for.

There have only been 43 Presidents and Obama will be the 44th. Just eight Presidents ago this country went through civil unrest. Many blacks were turned away when they tried to cast a vote. True disenfranchisement ran rampant. I’m sure the struggle at the time seemed hopeless. If you would have told someone at the time, black or white, that in their lifetime a black man would be elected President, I’m sure you would’ve been laughed off the back of the bus.

Although I didn’t like the outcome of this last election (skin color had nothing to do with it) this is truly a remarkable country.