On January 20th, 2009 Barack Hussein Obama took oath as the 44th President of the United States of America. Doing so, he became the first African American to occupy the seat of the US President. His highly attended and beautifully multicultural inauguration was the culmination of one of the most remarkable political stories of our times. Born the son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother, Obama was a virtual unknown merely fours year ago. But ever since he delivered his landmark speech at the Democratic national convention in 2004, Obama’s rise has been meteoric. On the way to the presidency, Obama managed to defeat two of the most well known and well respected politicians in America - Hillary Clinton and John McCain. For the past four years, Obama has defied almost every thread of political logic and reasoning, breaking numerous barriers and mending even more fences.
Finally, he has become President.
It will take countless words to precisely depict the relevance of Obama’s achievement. Perhaps even Obama and the ones who have watched and supported him the closest will not be able to fully comprehend what he has achieved. The only way to even remotely capture the magnificence of Obama’s rise to the Presidency and what it means to the entire world would be to simply say that at this unique point in time, when the entire globe it at crossroads, Barack Obama is the most important person in the world. He is not important just because of the post he occupies or the path he has tread on to occupy it. He is not important just because of his name or the color of his skin or his oratory gifts. He is important because he, more that any public figure today, truly represents the triumph of hope over adversity.
He has chosen to lead in dark times. All over the world, the life earnings and personal esteem of ordinary men have been shattered because of the insatiable greed of a few. As the economy of America crumbles, the economy of the world spirals towards uncertain times. For decades, the American economy has been a figurehead for the world – whether the world chooses to accept or deny it. The predicament seems so dire and so mysterious that even the greatest economic minds of our times do not seem to know of a way to tame the beast.
There seems to be a war everywhere these days. In the Middle East, there is renewed tension between the age old foes – the Arabs and the Jews. A ceasefire has been called but many suspect that it could be another lull before another storm. A little further east, a band of juvenile; drugged murderers attacked the heart and spirit of the world’s largest democracy. The dark deeds of that November night served as a chilling reminder of perils that face the free world from increasingly reckless and ambitious terrorist forces. The US themselves fight two wars in two countries much far from their own. The one is Afghanistan is fought with fair reasons. Yet the sacrifices of the soldiers who are at danger there almost seem forgotten with the War in Iraq drawing widespread condemnation from the entire globe, making America a much hated nation.
There is widespread famine in some of the poorest countries of the world. Millions die everyday due to state sponsored genocides in many parts of Africa. The earth appears to be almost sapped of all its vitality. With the environment deteriorating and global temperatures rising, it seems that waters from the poles will sink the lands from parts.
If ever the world needed to hear a story of triumph over adversity, of hope over despair, it is now.
The signs are that Obama sees very well the challenges that lie ahead. In a deliberate effort to achieve continuity and avoid even the slightest delay in his efforts to rebuild America, Obama executed undoubtedly the most effective US Presidential transition in history. Just hours after he was elected President – and months before he was to assume office – Obama set the ball rolling, announcing detailed transition plans, spearheading conferences to resolve the floundering economy and assembling a star studded Presidential Cabinet – his ‘Team of Rivals’.
If any single announcement demonstrated Obama’s executive abilities and his understanding of the ways of Washington, it was the very first one he made of Rahm ‘Rahmbo’ Emanuel as his Chief of Staff. Those who know him would not hesitate in dubbing Emanuel one of the most driven and combative Democrats working right now, famous for his explosive tongue and confrontational attitude. Republicans immediately scoffed at the selection, saying that Emanuel represented the exact opposite of the bipartisan approach to governance Obama advocated. In actuality, it was the best letter of intent that Obama could have written. With just one selection, Obama demonstrated that his head wasn’t up in the air and that if he wanted to bring such dramatic changes to Washington, it called for someone as single-minded as Emanuel. Many more announcements followed, the most discussed of which was the selection of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Again Obama demonstrated that he was ready to hire the best possible people for the job rather than an impotent team of yes-men. Obama’s work did not end with his appointments. A week before he assumed office, Obama had already convinced the House to pass his new bailout bill, convincing both Democrats and Republicans with an almost inspirational demonstration of leadership and responsibility.
In his inauguration speech, Obama spoke in great length – and with great elegance - about the difficulties that America and the world face today. In describing each challenge, he used almost lyrical language. It seemed as though Obama wanted the world to know that while the dangers were real and deadly, to defeat them would represent a success story even more romantic than his own.
As the years go by, we will see whether Obama will be able to deliver on his promises. His first days of Presidency have demonstrated the Obama is not one to shirk from taking tough decisions and speaking with strength. His inauguration speech was filled with nakedly honest messages to the Muslim world and even the previous American Administration. In the coming years, Obama will have to fight many enemies, both at home and abroad. The citizens of the world will not always look to him with the love and admiration that they do today. Nor will they agree with everything he does or believe in everything he says. But for now, they are – for their own sake – willing to give him a chance. They are willing to believe in his importance, rather than deny. They are willing to believe that whichever force of nature or divinity made the unlikely story of Barack Obama possible, will make their own hopes and aspirations for a fair and peaceful life, a reality as well.
