AT LAST

Barack and Michelle Obama have the first dance at the Inaugural Neighborhood Ball. They enjoy a much-deserved moment of celebration as Beyonce sings the classic "At Last." I love this clip. Call me a sap, I don't care.

President Obama may have danced all night, but he was up early the next morning at his new job. Here he signs executive orders directing the CIA to shut down its network of secret prisons and ordering the closing of the Guantánamo detention camp. At last!

THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED DAYS

Okay, so he got the job. Hopes are running high. Most people (with the exception of tiresome gasbag Rush Limbaugh) wish him well. After all, his success is tied to the success of the nation. How long do we give him? A presidency is often judged by it's first one hundred days.

Bush entered the White House in a time of peace and prosperity, and soon wrapped himself in 9-11 like a magic cloak to ward off criticism. People gave him every opportunity to succeed. Remember? Before he squandered our trust, his popularity was sky high, and many felt it was unpatriotic to criticize the president. He encouraged the view.

Times have changed. Obama walks in alone, in the middle of a great national crisis. Let's give the new guy a chance. Good luck, Mr. President.

"One Hundred Days" by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings