Lots of balls...

Amidst the ebb and flow of today's Inaugural events, those of us with senses not so dulled by our own egos could not help but appreciate the sheer joy and happiness this historic change of power wrought upon millions of people, exemplified by a sea of smiles and good cheer. Nothing, not the gaydar inducing Rick Warren, a clumsy ministering of the oath of office by Chief Justice Roberts, or a surprisingly low key speech by the new Commander in Chief could, or should, dim the enthusiasm and pleasure of that throng. Whatever one feels about Barack Obama, we are all still Americans and he is going to be President of every one of us. We can nurse our primary wounds, or we can heal them and keep ourselves centered and focused.
Nothing is going to serve this country worse than wallowing in bitterness.
As progressives, we must make our voices sing out with clarity and loud enough to move the President Obama along a path whose goals match our goals. We do indeed have to work for change, not against ourselves as some did when they switched allegiances during the electoral season.
A sizeable portion of the joy being generated today was the departure of GW Bush. Personally, most of it, for me. That and a great sense of relief. I could see myself even forcing a smile if John McCain and Sarah Palin were up on that podium today. At the very least, they are not Bush/Cheney, the two twin towers of Constitutional disaster.
Limited in loft and spirit as his speech was, Obama did manage to interject a cutting critique of the Bush pResidency as crisp and as sharp as the air surrounding him. That made me smile.
The balls? Oh, hell yeah. The Inaugural Balls, of course. What other kind would you expect in Washington, D.C.?