As a political junky I could not restrain myself from taking in some of the inaugural hoopla, a.k.a. wall-to-wall Obamadoration.  In spite of my serious misgivings on his qualifications (it takes more than words to fill an empty suit) I take great pride in my country on a day like today.  A few observations and impressions;

When we want to America can really put on a grand ceromony.  The scene above has to be heartwarming for any patriot. 

On a day like today America can say to the rest of the world "Hey world, Pay attention,THIS is how a civilized republic handles a transition of power."  No shots fired or blood shed, just the will of the people carried out as set forth in a 200 year-old how-to manual we call the constitution, the same one all 44 Presidents swore to uphold and protect, regardless of their party.  

On a day like today America can say, "Hey France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and others, when YOUR head of state is of African descent we will abide your lectures on human progress".

But still, the nagging feeling that more was made of this day because of race persists.   No? Just ask yourself the simple question; would there have been record breaking crowds if the new guy was white?  Didn't think so.  

When you stop to think that the record breaking crowd, and the 80% "hope the President succeeds" poll numbers, myself included when you qualify what you mean by success but more on that later, by definition has to include a lot of people who did not vote for him. 

Bush did not enjoy anything remotely similar to this good will from liberals in either 2000 or 2004.  They were too busy being pissed they couldn't amend the laws of math so the guy with fewer votes won.

Some of this group is hopeless, and some of them showed up at the inauguration.  I saw this myself, was trying hard not to believe it, but The Hill Blog confirms:

The crowd packed on the west side of the Capitol grounds serenaded President Bush in mocking fashion when he took to the inaugural stage alongside Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Nah nah nah nah, hey hey, good-bye," a section of the crowd chanted.

Staying true to classless form those rascally liberals.  I certainly hope they govern with more decorum than they oppose.  This, from the same side calling for unity and bipartisanship.

I wish good health and Godspeed to President Obama, the President, not my President but the President of the country.  That's where I part company with so many liberals, situational patriots, who are all gung ho America so long as they are in charge, but blather on about dissent being the highest form of patriotism when they aren't.    

I'm a little old fashioned that way.  I think this country is exceptional in spite of who happens to be in charge not because of who is in charge.  I can't be the only one who found the crowd chanting  O-BAH-MA instead of U-S-A a little creepy.  I don't mean this as a cut necessarily but only an observation, liberals put a lot more stock in style and charisma than conservatives.  I'll take a competent milque toast over firebrand empty suit any day. 

The American ideal persists, remains noble, and warrants my support by virtue of my citizenry, without condition. It is my country right or wrong.  I just happen to believe we are in for a long string of wrongs..

I wish him luck but to wish him success just isn't that simple because success on his terms would involve universal health care, wealth redistribution, even more tax money down the public school rat hole, and guaranteeing terrorist prisoners due process. 

While we're on the subjet, and government provided health care is THE single most threat to freedom, domestically at least, someone needs to explain the consistency between government supplied health care, where if it is truly "public" transparency is guaranteed, and a womans privacy regarding reproductive rights. 

From the speech: "Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake."  

Yes, he was referring to foreign policy in this not-too-thinly veiled shot at Bush on either wiretapping and/or torture but ideals are ideals and privacy seems to have worked its way to the top of the list.  Besides, the wiretapping controversy is all about privacy.   

Sacrificing the ideal of privacy for free health care is nothing but expediency.  Taxpayers have a constitutional right to transparency on every tax expenditure.  To insure the promise of transparency we've been hearing so much about tax money spent on medical care has to be a matter of public record.  Oops, so much for that privacy thing.  

I will watch with rapt attention as Democrats try to reconcile that one.  It promises to be almost as enlightening as their eschewing the expedience of saving American lives to preserve the ideal of due process, for terrorists.  Somethingt tells me they won't be nearly as creative in actually solving this dliemma as they were in hurling insults at former President Bush. 

You can rest assured I fully intend to practice the highest form of patriotism as we go.

Talk is easy.  Work starts tomorrow.  Good luck Mr President.  I really mean that.