The 44th President of the United States

Barack Obama seems to be a class act.  He’s a compelling speaker and a bit of a rock star in politics.  He’s smart, photogenic and the closest thing to John F. Kennedy, in age and in demeanour, that the US has ever seen.  And now he’s the President.  All I can say is, thank goodness for us all that Sarah Palin won’t be anywhere near the White House except perhaps as a dinner guest.

Some pundits of small minds and smaller perspectives have labelled any woman who’s not a Palin supporter as a feminist anti-traditionalist but that’s just not so.  The woman just isn’t ready to become President and if something happens to John McCain’s health within the next four years, everyone who was worried about that prospect will be saying “I told you so”.

Now back to Barack.

Barriers came crashing down with his victory.  It makes America seem a little more sophisticated and evolved than the impression it sometimes gives.  John McCain seems like a decent sort of fellow but let’s face it, a President has to appear, well, Presidential.  Image does count.  Obama is a regal and classy figurehead for the Democrats who, after 8 years of Bush/Republican occupation of the White House, are rightly grabbing onto the pendulum as it swings back their way.

The next four years will be fascinating.  First order of business: get a huge shovel to start digging the country – and the rest of the world in reaction – out of its financial mess.