The Inauguration

I was tempted to jot my thoughts down as I watched pieces of the ceremonies in Washington today.

I'll just pop a few thoughts here as I see fit.

First and foremost, I like seeing our country happy. The joy in peoples eyes today was wonderful, and not often seen. As I've said all along, I wish Godspeed on President Obama and his administration. I love this country, and I want to see things turn around. I want our troops to come home safe. I want prosperity for all. I'd like to see opportunities open up.

Call me selfish, if you wish, but I think we all agree on this.

Now, here's the rub. I've had spirited debates with people in all parties about the behavior of many, primarily those within my industry - the media. If you don't think that their coverage (and Election Night as well) wasn't about race then you're just not watching. I'll go further. I think the media is showing some real liberal leanings today - and I'm not one to go down that road. To that end, I'd love to see what the coverage would have been like had a Republican won.

Just sayin'.

Why, for instance, is Major League Baseball.com showing the inauguration on their site? Because they continue to play politically-correct, hanging their heads in shame for the behavior of those who ran the game, from when Moses Fleetwood Walker became the first black man to play in the Major Leagues, to when Jackie Robinson integrated the game for good.

Why is ESPN - a sports network - showing the inauguration?

Are you telling me there aren't plenty of other channels that could show it? In fact, ESPN News is running it with an ABC News logo. So couldn't you just go to channel seven (here in New York) and watch it there?

Yes, but whatever.

Friends, my fellow Americans (Richard E Nixon, 1974) today is a great day. We HAVE watched history - and I'm proud to be a witness (or else I would not have turned on the TV). I'm exceedingly proud that our country elected a person regardless of color. I still worry that the election of President Obama had more to do with people feeling that ANYBODY would be better than another Republican, but I hope that is not the case.

But this is not about a black man taking over as President. This is about righting our country. This is about all of the things that I outlined above - our own financial well-being, the restoring of jobs, the health and safety of our troops, of ridding our country of scandal (both within and outside of our political machines).

Is Barack Obama the Second Coming? Not yet. He's only just finished his speech. He seems like a decent man, and I hope he brings that to the Office. I hope he brings the youthfulness that he has demonstrated as well. I hope in four or eight years, we talk about the glory of the Obama years.

I hope.

I hope.