A New Era

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

Here are a few observations.

1. It remains to be seen if the New Era becomes the same marker for the Obama administration as New Deal was for Franklin Roosevelt.

2. "These things are old." It's hard for me to see how conservatives can find fault with Obama's sentiments. Obama's beef is not with conservatism but with failure.

3. Expectations are sky high. But I've never know an administration that has not had scandal and tests from our enemies. Obama tried to level-set expectations for all the challenges that lie ahead. Few people expect a quick turn around in either foreign affairs or the economy.

4. The post-partisan era of good feeling won't last long. It never does. Obama's honeymoon with the media may last longer, but even that will expire-- probably by the time the dogwoods bloom in Washington. Much rests on the administration's ability to move beyond the symbolism of the moment and make substantive progress on the two key issues of our time-- the economy and the war. The prospects appear quite grim for both.

5. All that said, this is a great day for America!