What we have witnessed over the past 21 months, culminating in the events of yesterday's general election, is historic in its own right. The rapid ascent of Barack Obama — the 47-year-old Hawaiian-born son of a Kenyan man and a white American woman, a junior senator with under four years of Washington experience on his résumé — to the presidency of the United States of America is nothing short of miraculous.
For those who have supported Obama's candidacy from the beginning, or for those staunch Democrats who put their support behind him when he sealed the party's nomination in June, or for those who made up their minds this October during the heated debate season as Obama squared off with Sen. John McCain, today is a day to celebrate.
Tomorrow, however, is a day to move on. However hard-fought and well-earned it may have been, this was more than simply a political win. For Barack Obama, emerging victorious in yesterday's election was only a small fraction of the battle — what lies ahead is much more significant.
In reality, this was a victory for all Americans, even those who never embraced Obama's candidacy. His campaign, even when the opposition was at its angriest, nastiest and most hateful, was never about politics: It was about a clear vision of a better future for all Americans, including those who opposed him politically. That, above all else, was what enabled him to take the stage last night in Chicago's Grant Park to proclaim victory.
But victory isn't truly a reality. Not yet, at least. We would like to believe that the chants of "Yes, we can" that we have heard for months at every Obama rally nationwide were not about triumphing over John McCain — they were about triumphing over a great many difficulties that face this country as it proceeds under a new leader with a new vision.
It's quite possible that no incoming president has ever faced loftier expectations than Obama will upon his inauguration 11 weeks from now. The incoming administration has inherited an economy in shambles, a fraudulent war that has killed thousands of our troops and the burden of environmental crises that with time will only grow greater. His election was historic. But in the long run, what's to follow is more important.
Beginning in January, we will see the start of a new era in American politics. We can expect a Democratic president, a Democratic Senate and a Democratic House of Representatives to take firm control of Washington. Never in recent memory have we seen one party establish such complete dominance; as such, we may be on the verge of a tremendous wave of political progress.
At home, the economic stimulation that has been promised by Democratic candidates since Al Gore in 2000 could finally become a reality. Rather than provide tax relief only for those that need it least, an Obama administration will seek to improve life for all Americans. We may enter an era in which families can afford health care, in which homeowners can stay above ground, in which more and more young people can afford higher education. These are the challenges Barack Obama faces.
Abroad, Obama must deal with the consequences of the Bush administration's misguided efforts in Iraq. But rather than make bitter, politicized attacks against President George W. Bush and his actions, Obama's mission is instead to solve the problems of the past with pragmatic solutions for the future. Figuring out the exact logistics of the withdrawal of our troops from the Middle East, managing the timing precisely, all the while maintaining stability in the region and good standing with our nation's allies, will be no easy task. On top of it all, Obama will face the burden of rebuilding our nation's reputation in the eyes of dozens of former allies who have turned against the America they have witnessed over the past eight years.
If one were to argue that all these obstacles were interconnected, the link binding them together would be energy policy, and Obama's support for technologies that could potentially revolutionize the way we power our lives will be crucial. The potential for America to wean itself off of fossil fuels will save its citizens billions of dollars in the long run, and a decreased reliance on foreign oil will forever change the way our nation approaches foreign policy. Investment in these potential changes at the executive level is the first step, and it's a step that Obama appears willing to take.
All told, this is a tremendous multitude of challenges facing one administration. It is easy at times such as these to panic — it is difficult to imagine a 47-year-old junior senator solving all of our nation's many problems. But panic, we can conclude after prolonged reflection on the events of the past 21 months, would be too simple. Obama has made not only a political campaign, not only a career, but an entire lifetime out his uncanny ability to defeat the odds. Perseverance in the face of adversity is exactly what has made Obama what he is today — the president-elect of the United States.
Ever since Obama announced his candidacy for the presidency on Feb. 10, 2007, he has been confident. That confidence helped him triumph over Hillary Clinton to win the Democratic nomination; it helped him triumph over McCain, as well. But Obama's most difficult opponents are still to come. We can only hope that the incoming president faces future adversity with the same steely resolve that helped him through his past. The chant that epitomized the Obama campaign is one that will prove itself equally apt as we move into the Obama presidency.
Yes, we really can.
