Inaugural address fell short of expectations, but worked

Inaugural address fell short of expectations, but worked

Nothing Barack Obama said Tuesday was going to live up to expectations. The expectations were that high.

And so, perhaps, it is not surprising that his inaugural address did not produce a vast number of applause lines or much hooting and hollering.

And, too, delivering a speech to about a million people, hundreds of thousands of whom have been standing in sub-freezing temperatures for hours, would be a challenge for Demosthenes.

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing is that Obama didn’t pander to the crowd, he didn’t sugar coat the bitter pill that America holds in its hand.

“Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened. ... Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”

That is a candid — almost brutal — assessment of the challenges facing the nation. And it set the necessary tone for the rest of the new president’s address: Americans must respond to these challenges. But on the bright side, they are capable — by virtue of history and diversity — of responding positively.

There are few phrases that jumped out Tuesday. Nothing he said will supplant in the nation’s lexicon “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” or, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt remain safely in possession of the title of most quotable lines from an inaugural speech.

Power of the people

But Obama had something that even JFK or FDR did not have. He had as many as two million people filling the mall and flooding the streets of Washington, D.C. These were people who were there hoping to hear him and see him, but were willing to celebrate his election in any event.

That excitement, that sense of both accomplishment and anticipation, transcends any speech. It signals to Obama and to Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — that vast numbers of Americans do not see this as just any election, as just another passing of the torch from one man to another or from one party to another.

The people in the nation’s capital Tuesday are joined by legions more in cities and towns who heard Obama talk about change on the campaign trail and expect changes in Washington. Liberals who are already carping about whether Obama will move quickly enough on some of their issues and conservatives who believe they can wait out or undercut the new president will pursue their narrow agendas at their own peril.

The nation’s economic problems, its strained social and physical infrastructure and the threats to its standing and security in the world are real. Obama has pursued an ambitious transition strategy, moving quickly to put together key components of a new administration. He began unveiling policy initiatives even before taking office.

This is not by accident; it is a response to the expectations of those Americans who have lost their jobs, their homes or as much as half of their retirement accounts. It’s a response to families who have service members abroad, or who have seen their soldiers return with injuries that require treatment.

Today the parades and parties are over. Power has been transferred with a seamlessness and transparency that can’t even be imagined in much of the world. Today it is time for everyone to begin working toward a better tomorrow.